“No?” He lights a smoke for himself. “How so?”
“Thought the Breed would’ve had them controlled with drugs or some shit, same as the cartels do.”
“Makes the costs expensive if you do that.” He takes a drag, seemingly detached from the subject at hand. “Easier to create a type of psychological dependence.”
I stare back into the yard and do the same, trying to detach myself, emotionally, as well. There was a time when I easily could have.
But then I had Molly.
And all I can think is that all those women in there are somebody’s daughter. That the missing dead one is someone’s child.
And I feel sick.
“Definitely some fight left in a couple of them,” I muse.
“A good sign,” Darko remarks. “Means they didn’t break their spirit.”
“Unlike the redhead.”
He tips his head. “I’d say she was fucked before they got her. Looks like complex trauma to me.”
Makes sense, I guess. That’s how these operations work—find the desperate and needy and befriend them, promise themthe answer to all their problems if they’ll do this one favor, which becomes two. And then, all of a sudden, you’re in debt to your new friends, and the only way to settle it is to work it off.
My phone vibrates against my hip, snapping me out of my thoughts. I tug it free from my pocket with a frown.Why the fuck is she awake at this hour?“Yeah?”
“What do you want to talk about, Fang?”
“Molly ain’t going to that camp. Don’t ask me what I’ll do with her, but I’ll figure it out. She’s coming here.”
She snorts. “And the reason for your change of heart? You’ve never once wanted Molly at the club, and now you’re okay with keeping her there for two weeks when it’s‘dangerous’. What’s the catch?”
“No catch, Reno. Just want what’s best for my daughter.”
“Ourdaughter. And up until a few minutes ago, what’s best always included keeping her away from you and your fucking friends. I don’t buy it.”
“You ain’t got to buy it. You’ve only got to stomach it.”
Darko flicks what’s left of his cigarette into the yard and then turns for the house with a raised brow.
“You’re not having her,” Reno spits down the line. “You didn’t just drop me as a responsibility, Fang; you dropped both of us. You don’t get to play daddy with her when it suits you.”
Doesn’t stop her taking my money.
“Where is she? Still at Rhonda’s? Gotta assume you’re busy with your legs open if you’re awake to call me at this hour.”
“Fuck you.”
“No, fuck you!” Tonight is not the night for this bullshit. “You love telling me I’m a shit father, but I’m not the one who fucking decided to create a goddamn life I didn’t want the responsibility for.Yougot pregnant. And yetyou’rethe fucking one playing mommy when it suits you. She’s your daughter, too, Reno, and if you fucking want sole say on what happens with her and whereshe goes, then you’re gonna have to prove you’re capable of taking care of her.”
“You don’t have shit over me, Fang! Try and take her without my permission, and I’ll have your ass in court. One look at the patch on your back and they’ll make sure you’re never allowed to see her again.”
“Baby, I got twenty men here who’re happy to testify that her momma solicits for sex at the house. You sure you wanna play that game with me?”
“Youused to have no problem playing it.”
My blood pressure rises, and I white-knuckle the porch rail to save myself from lashing out. “Molly comes here. End of story. It ain’t up for negotiation.”
“Just give me the money for the program, Fang.” Her words are sinister. Taunting. “You know you’d rather not have the hassle.”
