“Tomorrow. He’s heading here with some men from his club, and they’ll be staying in a rental near town, but he’s going to come and visit. He’s going to be a bit freaked out by this place, I imagine.” Then she adds, “Not the college—he’s been here before when he dropped me off.”
I look around me again, and I can’t say I’m surprised. My dad would lose his shit if I turned my home into something that looks like a saloon crossed with a bedroom from a Doris Day movie. Still, it’s Vani and the guys’ place, so they can do what they want.
Then I remember how the water tower used to look, before the guys dressed it up for me, and hold back a smile.
“How is your dad with your relationship?” I ask.
She shrugs. “It’s a bit of a gray area. I don’t really talk about it. The Vipers aren’t overly affectionate with me while we’re around him, and we just try to keep it quiet, but it is a bit like the elephant in the room. You know?”
I do know.
There’s a buzzing from Vani’s pocket, and she pulls her phone out and answers. “Hey, Camile. I’m just at the house with Ophelia.”
She looks at me as if asking permission for Camile to come over, and I nod. Having two heads to give me advice before I face the men is better than one. Plus, it’s been a while since I’ve chatted with Camile.
“Come on over,” Vani tells her.
Five minutes later, Camile arrives, and all three of us sit in the kitchen, drinking wine. I must admit, as the alcohol goes to my head, and the soothing voices of the two women chatting washes over me, I’m beginning to feel calmer. I glance at my phone. I won’t stay long. I need to talk with Roman and the other two men, but just having a few minutes for a time out has been so helpful.
“So, tell us,” Vani says to me after Camile has finished explaining how her day went to crap the minute she got out of bed, which sounds like my day, too. “What’s going on?”
“Is something wrong?” Camile asks.
I remember how kind she was to me when I first got to Verona Falls, so I don’t mind her knowing, too.
I tell them both about the fact that there is someone after Roman. I don’t go into details, obviously, but I do say that they are from an institute that my parents sent me to, and that it should be burned to the ground.
My voice is quiet and strained as I say, “They rape patients there. One of the guards almost raped me.”
“Oh, my God, I’m so sorry.” Camile slams her hand over her mouth. “That’s horrific.”
“It was so awful. I was lucky, the Preachers saved me, but many are still stuck there at the mercy of corrupt guards and management. Now, they’re after Roman, and there’s a threat against him. Probably against all of us, and I’m just—j-j-just sotired.” I bite my lip to stop the sobs that want to escape and blink back the tears.
I won’t cry here. I won’t, damn it.
“What can we do to help?” Camile asks.
“I can get the Vipers to go and see the Preachers and offer whatever support they can.” Vani takes my hand and squeezes it. “I bet the Devils will help, too. There might have been differences between them in the past, but they seem to have mostly put them to one side.”
“And it’s like how people say it is with family,” Camile observes. “That you can say whatever you want against your own family, but woe betide anyone else who tries to.”
I laugh and nod, feeling some relief at the sense of camaraderie from the other two women.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
The door sounds like it’s going to come off its hinges, and I jump, almost toppling off the stool I’m sitting on.Jesus.
“Is that Zane?” Camile frowns. “Did he forget his key or something?”
“No, the door is not even locked,” Vani mutters. “One second.”
She goes to a drawer in the far corner of the kitchen and takes out a gun, placing it in the waistband at the back of her jeans. She pulls her top over to cover it and walks to the door.
She peeks through the small gap she’s opened, and squeals, pulling the door wide.
“Dad!” she exclaims. “I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow.”
She throws her arms around a tall man, who I can’t see clearly because he’s shadowed in the doorway, and then she steps back, so he can enter the room.
