“We don’t hide stuff from him, Jake.”
“Know that too. Right now, my focus is on Mikey.”
Lani was singing to him softly, and the boy had his face pressed into her lap. She looked at Jake as he entered, then Noah.
“Hey there, Lani.” The boy jerked at Jake’s voice.
“Mikey.” Jake sat on the bed and reached for him. The boy lunged. Jake held him close, pressing his lips into his head. “It’s okay now, I got you.”
Lani sniffed, and Noah inhaled as his eyes stung.
“I-I’m sorry.”
“I know, but you have to remember something, Mikey. I was young once and smoked stuff. There’s nothing you do that you can’t talk to me or Bran about. Nothing. Hell, I’ll even help you bury the body if I have to.”
That made Mikey snuffle.
“I’ll be really annoyed if you don’t come to me next time you have a problem. We clear on that?”
Mikey nodded.
“Okay, now let’s get to the bottom of what’s happening with you.” Jake eased Mikey back onto the bed. “Tell me everything. I need to know it all, Mikey.”
“S-smoked stuff.”
Noah and Lani stood at the end of the bed and watched. Listened as Jake drew the information he wanted out of the boy. She stood close enough that he could feel her arm against his. He fought the urge to touch her, hold her, when he saw the tears in her eyes.
She wasn’t his to comfort and never would be. Noah didn’t want that again, he reminded himself. Last time it had ripped his heart out of his chest, and he wasn’t entirely sure it had ever been put back in place right.
“Do you have any of the stuff you smoked still on you, Mikey?”
“P-pocket.”
Jake dug around in Mikey’s shorts and pulled a small bag from a pocket. Noah took it as he held it out. Opening it, he sniffed. “It doesn’t smell right.”
“You need to get it tested,” Lani said.
“Yes.” Jake shot both Lani and Noah a look. “But it will take some time to get it back.”
“I know someone who could do it fast for you.”
Noah turned fully to look at her as Jake continued to check Mikey over.
“What is it you actually did before you came here?” If he could get something personal out of her, he was taking advantage of that.
“Things.” She wouldn’t meet his eyes. “And it’s not me that can do it.”
“What things?”
She shrugged, then took the bag out of his hands before he could stop her.
“Or you’re planning to sell or smoke it.”
“Do I look like the type to do that?” She looked indignant now.
“There’s a type?” he said softly, so Jake and Mikey couldn’t hear. “And how do I know if you smoke the stuff or not?”
“That’s insulting!”
