Page 61 of Endgame
Amelia gaped at him in bewilderment. “Maybe because Iaskquestions and actuallylistento the answers people give me.” She frowned and crossed her arms. “Come on, Dad, this is information you’re supposed to know.”
Dad looked affronted, and a little nauseous, as he stared at my sister. “Look,” he finally said. “Cass and I leave in the morning for a couple of weeks. I promise you I’ll read up on all the baby stuff then, okay?”
Seemingly mollified, Amelia nodded. “Okay. Night, Dad. I love you. Have a safe trip.”
“I love you too, sweetheart,” he called out after my sister as she retreated to her room.
“What? NoI love you, Rourke?” Folding my arms across my chest, I cocked a brow and smirked. “Talk about favoritism.”
Dad smirked. “Like you would believe me if I told you.”
It would still be nice to fucking hear it,
“So, you guys are leaving tomorrow?”
Dad nodded. “First thing in the morning, and I’m counting on you to take care of your sisters while I’m gone.”
I stiffened. “She’snotmy sister.” How many goddamn times…
“Fine. My wife’s daughter.” Dad waved a hand wearily. “Better?”
I nodded. It was better. Slightly.
“Fran will be popping in and out to check in on you guys while we’re away –and Sergio, too. And look, I know Mercedes has apricklypersonality and you two butt heads,” Dad added slowly, obviously choosing his words carefully. “But she’s not as tough as she makes out to be.”
“She’s not?” I laughed. “Could’ve fooled me.”
“Please, Rourke.” Sighing, Dad ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “Just… just look after her, okay? Make her feel welcome at school on Monday and try and keep her out of trouble? At least until me and her momma get back.”
Dad must have smoked some strong shit if he thought Six neededmyprotection.
Girl had steel in her veins.
“I’m not making any promises,” I finally replied. I couldn’t.
Six was uncontrollable and I lost control around her.
Together, we were a bad fucking combination.
Rourke
AFTER MY TALK WITH my father, I was still feeling riled up over the incident with Six and in no mood for sleep.
Deciding I needed to cool myself down, I stripped off and went for a swim. Forty lengths of the pool usually helped ebb the tension in my body. But not tonight. Not with the image of Six’s face weighing heavily on my conscience.
Fuck, why did I even care?
She wasn’t my problem and I sure as shit didn’t need another girl to take care of. Especially since I’d done such a piss poor job protecting Millie from the monster in our home. Josh Trident’s face entered my mind and I balked.
“Fuck!”
Refusing to drive myself crazy by thinking about that piece of shit, I shook my head and climbed out of the pool, deciding to hunt down the other girl in my life right now as a distraction.
A weird feeling came over me when I reached her bedroom door, one I wasn’t familiar with, and I quickly shook it off before knocking on her door.
Nothing.
She must have had her television on because I could hear the low hum coming from behind her door.
