The minute the door closes, Josie’s dad is on us.
“What are you hiding?” he demands.
“Nothing of importance, and if I tell you, then you might be compelled to use that number.” Josie taps the card in her dad’s fist and then rises on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. “I’ve got to get ready for school.”
I back up toward the front door. “Me, too. Get ready for school that is,” I clarify.
Her dad doesn’t know how much I skip, so he just frowns his disapproval. “I’m going to have more questions tonight, but you—” He points a finger at me. “Stop right there.”
I halt in my tracks. I could easily run away, but since I plan to be by Josie’s side forever, I’d better learn how to face her father. “Yessir.”
“You do anything to hurt my girl, if she so much has a frown on her face, I’m going to take you apart limb by limb.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And if she gets hurt by anything else, I’m blaming you.”
“Yes, sir.”
We stare at each other. He wants me to understand he’s serious, and I stare back, trying to convey that I would rather cut off my dick and die than see her even stub her toe. I don’t say that though because this is a man who wants to see actions, not listen to words.
“Go on then. And don’t forget what I said.”
“On my life, sir.” And then I escape because despite the fact that I pretended to have only two brain cells left, I’m actually fairly smart. I know when the right time to leave is, and it’s now.
Chapter Thirty-Two
JOSIE
It doesn’t take long before my dad is knocking at my door. “Come in,” I call out, grabbing my bag. Dad pushes the door open, his eyes dropping right to my schoolbag.
“Josie, we both know it’s Saturday.” Busted.
“Why didn’t you say anything? I would almost look silly if I showed up there.” I muster up a bewildered expression, the best that I can. My acting skills aren’t too bad.
“Well, no one would be there to see it, and I knew it would get the boy out of the house.” It’s kind of funny when my dad refers to Bam as a boy, but I keep that thought all to myself. “I’ll make breakfast,” Dad says before turning and leaving. He doesn’t close my bedroom door, making it clear that he’s expecting me to come to this breakfast. I follow him.
“So how’s work?” I try to make small talk to fill the silence, hoping that maybe he’ll forget about the cops being here to question me.
“Sit.” He points to one of the chairs at the small dining room table. I do as I’m told, dropping down into it. “Now you’re going to fill me in on things.”
“I think it’s better?—”
“Josie,” he cuts me off. “I know you have a lot of leeway because of my job, and you’ve had to grow up faster than you should have, but humor me.”
“We’re a team, Dad. Don’t be feeling guilty about being gone. You’re doing it for me.” The trucking company he works for offers some of the best health insurance. It’s also a union. I just think in his line of work most are male, and they have wives at home watching over the kids. With Dad, it’s always been him and me.
“I do it because you’re my little girl. It’s my job to take care of you.” He pulls eggs and sausage out of the fridge.
“I’m not a little girl anymore.”
“I know.” He lets out a deep breath, setting everything down on the counter to lean up against to face toward me. “I just worry about what you’re up to. That mind of yours, while often brilliant, scares the hell out of me too.”
“That makes two of us.” Dad fights a smile, shaking his head at me. “You know me. I’m only poking around.”
“When you poke shit, you never know what might come out. It might not be what you were looking for, but now it’s paying attention to you.”
“I hear you, Dad. I’m going to poke. This is the direction I’m going in my life.”
