“Yeah. I’ll let him know I found it.”
I reached in the box again and pulled out a cone-shaped piece of plastic. I had no idea what it was. Fish started gagging and Cap looked a little green, too. “Just throw it away, man.”
“Do I want to know what this is?” I asked, chucking it into the nearby trash can.
“No, kid, you don’t. Ignorance is bliss,” Fish said, shooting Cap a pained look.
We finished cleaning out the lost and found box, putting the two wallets we found aside so Fish could take them to the police station when he went later.
Suddenly, a loud pounding on the door had all of us jumping. “Police, open up.”
I straightened up as a brick fell into the pit of my stomach. I looked between Cap and Fish, neither of whom seemed surprised that they were here. “Call Tess,” Cap said to Fish before he looked at me and said, “Go hang out in your room, kid.”
I nodded and followed directions. I had no idea what they were here for, and I was entirely aware that it could be me they were after. I’d stolen a bike and gotten the shit beat out of me twice by the Artillery. I could have gone to the cops, but I have a sinking suspicion that had I done that, I would be fitted for a toe tag or end up buzzard food.
“You’re good, kid.” Fish came into my room. “They want to search Scorpio’s office and Brooklyn’s locker.”
“Thanks.” I breathed a sigh of relief.
“You ever going to tell us what the Artillery had you do?”
“Maybe one day.”
“Secrets are like farts, kid. Eventually, they have to come out. You can let it rip and get it over with, or you can let it sneak up on you and stink your world up. It’s those silent but deadly ones you need to be afraid of.”
I laughed. “Did you just try to teach me a lesson with farts?”
Fish grinned. “Yeah, it’s the funny lessons you remember most. I bet you’ll never fart again without thinking about this conversation.”
“That’s a wager I wouldn’t take because you’re probably right.” I heard the static from an officer’s radio as they walked by, headed toward Scorpio’s office. “I’ll stay here until they’re gone.” I nodded toward the door.
“No problem, kid.”
Fish left the room, and I flipped on the small television that Scorpio had moved from his office into the tiny room I now lived in. It was a miniscule gesture in comparison to them letting me stay here and giving me a job. A tv was a minor comfort, but it meant a lot.
I gritted my teeth, trying to temper down the hope that tried to fill me. People leave. It’s what they do. Sienna said I would be a Celestial Son soon, but I still had a hard time believing that one. I had nothing to offer the club other than cheap labor cleaning the strip club. I had even less to offer Sienna.
Like me, she had lost so much in her life. She lost her first love, and the child they’d made together. Jealousy hit me in the gut like a sucker punch. I was envying a fucking ghost because he had her heart. My experience with women was non-existent. Before Sienna, I don’t remember the last woman I had a decent conversation with that wasn’t a teacher or a social worker.
During school, kids stayed away from me. They took one look at me, unimpressed by my secondhand clothes and lack of social skills and basic knowledge, dismissing me. I spent my time in the library so people wouldn’t talk to me, but I drew more than anything. I hated reading, and I sucked at it. More than once, I caused problems in class to get out of an assignment that had me reading in front of everyone. I didn’t want people to see me struggle, so I acted out. Self-preservation is how I survived. It’s the only thing I knew, and I had to make sure I kept my distance and didn’t get in too deep with the Celestial Sons.
They were a means to an end. Sienna was right to walk away the other night. As soon as my sister was safe, I was going to get the hell out of this place. There’s no sense in starting something or trying to build a life here when I have every intention of leaving and never returning.
Chapter Eighteen
One Week Later
The police found nothing in their little raid, nothing of importance. I wasn’t sure what exactly they were looking for, but it was obvious they were trying to find something that would link Scorpio to Brooklyn’s murder. But even with how little I knew of the Celestial Sons, I knew that Scorpio wasn’t responsible for her death. There just wasn’t any way that was possible. He was too shaken up for him to be involved, and the guilt in his eyes had more to do with the way he treated her than anything else.
“Scorpio is getting out today,” I overheard Zodiac say to the other members of the club. “We need to throw him one hell of a welcome home party. Fish, why don’t you, Pollux, and Castor head out and get some party supplies? Leo, you’re in charge of the music. Everyone else, head back to the club. We’re going to make sure he knows just how happy we are that our VP is finally home.”
Fish, Castor, and Pollux got up from the table, exiting the room in a haste. Leo, like always, failed to move from his spot. I noticed he didn’t like to move around much at all, but I didn’t really blame him for that. If I was missing a leg, I wouldn’t want to move much either.
“Hey, Dillon. The guys and I are going to head back to the clubhouse and welcome Scorpio home. He gets out today. Can you do me a favor and keep an eye on the place?”
“Sure, no problem, Zodiac.”
He smiled. “You’re a good kid, Dillon. I’m glad you took us up on our offer to work here. You’ve been a great asset.”
