The boys looked at each other and then back at me. “Okay… I meant did your grandmother throw something in the lake…” Que tried again, pausing before adding, “Whereisyour grandmother, Nickie?”
I chewed on my bottom lip, the sour memory resurfacing in my brain until it popped like bubble wrap. “She’s no longer with us,” I stated primly, copying what my daddysaid when my sister was knocked over the head with a hatchet.
They shared another look. “So… your grandmother left you the cabin?” Que said, quiet and soft like.
“Yep. It’s all mine now.”
“Copy that. Thanks.” Rudy scratched the scruff on his chin and peered over at the lake before nodding to me. “You can head back. Que and I will grab the rest of the supplies and meet you there, okay?”
Just keep swimming.
I winked. “You got it, Soda Pop! Don’t be late because we’re preparin’ a feast! Last one there gets intestines and butt flanks!”
Que and Rudy gave me matching smiles, and I skipped away.
Back to my cabin. Back to my toys. Back to my delicious roundup of boys.
CHAPTER 25
QUE
Rudy parked the sled with the last of the meat next to the front door with a grunt, while I came up behind him with a sack of fish slung over my shoulder like Santa Claus.
“Merry fucking Christmas!” I sang out as I dropped the sack onto the landing and nudged Rudy with an elbow. All I got was a side-eye in return. “Lighten up, will ya? We are breathing in fresh air, having more sex than is good for us,and…” I gestured to the cabin window. “Looks like the power came back on. What more could ya ask for?”
Rudy shook his head and rubbed at the back of his neck. “I don’t know. Something just doesn’t feel right, Thumper.”
“It’s cause of Prat, ain’t it?” I swatted Rudy’s hand away and pressed my fingers into the muscles giving him trouble. “Maybe he saw his chance to make a run for it and he took it? Can’t fault the guy if he did. Lots of guys would do the same.”
“Yeah, just didn’t take him for one of them. Especiallyafter all this time. Why wait until we were already running? Why ditch us now? After we had a plan? Sure, it got a little fucked I guess but…”
I shrugged, the cold rush of being out all day finally catching up to me and sending a chill up my spine. My stomach was rumbling too as phantom smells carried their way into my nose. It was like we were back home at my aunt’s place while my ma had her stew simmering on the stove. I could practically taste the meat and potatoes.
“Easier for one guy to get away in a car than risk a group of us getting caught on foot,” I said.
“Yeah, maybe.” Rudy pried my fingers off the back of his neck and twisted my wrist until I was standing in front of him. He dropped it and then gave me a quick swat on the ass, ushering me closer to the cabin like I had done a few hours ago when I’d been trying to rush Nickie out of it.
This outdoorsy shit was good for the big guy. Made him more playful than I’d seen him in ages.
I twisted the knob and shoved my way through the door, pausing in my tracks with Rudy stopping short behind me.
The whole place looked like a regurgitated Hallmark movie with twinkling lights strung over the fireplace and extending to that lopsided shrub of tree in the corner, a miniature Christmas village spread out on the coffee table, and decorative pillows on every soft surface.
I looked to Dane, who just shrugged, and then back over to Dash. “He said not to let her out of our sights. We figured it was better to let her do her thing. It wasn’t like the place couldn’t use a little sprucing up. Besides, I think it looks nice.”
Nickie turned from where she was fussing around on the stove and smiled at his praise. Not the off-the-hinges smile I was used to seeing on her when she was getting under your skin, or more often than not, putting her mouth on it. But a soft smile, and it gave me the same kinda warm feeling I got whenever I could get Rudy to smile for real too.
Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t love the girl. Not like I loved him. Loved fucking her, sure. Loved her fucking me even more. But she was starting to grow on me.
I glanced over to Rudy and noticed a strange look on his face. I think she was starting to grow on him too. He liked the challenge. He also liked the chase. Fucker would never admit it, but he couldn’t deny that this wasnice. Having most of us in one place on Christmas Eve, the fire going and more food than we had seen in ages. I listened to the hum of the radio while some staticy holiday music played in the background until it was abruptly cut off by a news report.
“Be on the lookout for convicted kill?—”
Nickie quickly switched the station.
“Escaped—”
She switched it one more time and then a soft Christmas carol was playing again.
