Page 352 of Property of Whiskey

“Does that mean you live with us now?”

I choke.

Whiskey grins.

“Not exactly,” I say quickly.

Wren looks at my cut, then back at me. “You’re wearing Daddy’s name.”

“Road name.”

“Same thing.”

From behind us Glamaw calls, “Girl’s got a point.”

I look around at all of them.

Whiskey kisses my temple.

Later, Sophie is sitting at one of the side tables with financial records spread around her despite the fact everybody else is supposed to be celebrating. Legend walks over carrying another printout and sets it beside her.

Sophie looks up. “What’s this?”

“Something tech pulled off the Mercy House SIM.”

Her attention snaps to the page. “You’re giving it to me?”

Legend looks uncomfortable enough that I almost laugh. “You’re seeing this.”

Sophie studies him.

Their problems aren’t fixed. She still isn’t wearing a ring. Time hasn’t erased everything between them. But Legend sits beside her without taking the paper back or deciding what she can handle.

“Okay,” Sophie says.

Sophie’s phone lights up on the table.

I’m close enough to see the screen.

DAD

She looks at it.

Legend sees it too.

He doesn’t reach for the phone, tell her to answer, or tell her not to.

Sophie lets it ring until the last second, then declines the call.

The screen goes dark. Nothing solved. Not even close.

But at least nobody is pretending anymore. Sophie hasn’t been back home. She’s living at the clubhouse now. Legend takes her hand and kisses her knuckles.

I’m looking for Whiskey when I notice Bullet’s chair is empty. So is Kaylee’s. I find them outside on the clubhouse steps.

The night air has cooled enough that Kaylee has a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, though I suspect it has less to do with temperature than with feeling covered.

Bullet sits beside her. Not touching her. Just there like he has been since they found her.