The charge nurse isn’t happy I’m calling out, but I tell her that a family emergency for the first time in a very long time means I get a little grace. She finally relents. I also send a quick text to Sherry, letting her know I’m out. I don’t need her worrying and showing up here or something. I’m taking the next two days off because who knows how long it’s going to take for us to get this figured out?
I call the school, and thankfully they seem to be much more understanding and make less of a fuss. They agreed to have the teachers email me through the homework and class assignments for the next couple of days as well, which will hopefully give Isla and Sawyer something else to focus on instead of this mess.
When I’m finished, and we’re all back in some comfy clothes, we sit at the table and stare at each other for a long, tension-filled moment. Finally, Isla, now under control, though her eyes are still puffy from crying, says, “They know they can grab us now, and they’re going to do it again if it means making you comply.” Her breath shudders as she tries to control her emotions.
I nod, lips thinning into a grim line. “I know, and that’s what pisses me off. I’ve already agreed with the assurance that you would be kept out of it, but they broke that.”
“But what can we do?” Sawyer demands, frustration leaking into his voice, his fist slamming on the table. “I’m too young to own a gun, and if someone saw me with it, I’ll get in shit. Not to mention, they’re not going to believe me if I tell them the Russians are blackmailing you. I’ll either end up in jail and dead for being a rat, or they’ll throw me in the psych ward.” He shakes his head angrily, his expression sullen. He’s always taken being the man of the house seriously, and this entire situation is far more than he can handle and he knows it.
“They won’t do any of that,” I assure them. I reach out and grip one of their hands tightly in mine. “And no, Sawyer, carrying a gun isn’t a good idea. You can’t have it in school, and you can’t carry it in public. However, having one around here just in case isn’t a bad idea. We’ll have to make sure that we’re careful about it. Neither of you can play with it, touch it, or even look at it unless you’re in danger. Got it?” I give them both a stern look.
I need them to understand this. I can’t focus on making a plan if I’m worrying about them possibly shooting themselves or someone else.
They nod. They’re smart and responsible kids, and I trust that they won’t break the rules, but how do I get a gun without anyone finding out? If Vlad and his goons see me buying one—because there is no way they aren’t watching me, and the kids, based on this morning and the kids being grabbed on the way toschool—they won’t know what I’m doing. Or maybe they won’t be worried, but is it a risk I can take?
“I think I’m going to start carrying a bat in my bag,” Sawyer decides, leaning forward and bracing his arms on the table, expression determined. “Just a small one so no one would notice it in my bag unless they were looking directly for it. I can get one of those small ones at the store and stick it in the inside pocket so even if my bag tips over, it won’t fall out.”
I don’t want that to be an option, but I can’t discount that it would give him a bit more protection. And for Isla too when she’s walking with him.
“I should have one too,” Isla agrees, straightening slightly. “Or some mace or something. I mean, nowadays with everything going on, no one would look twice. I’ll just make sure it’s somewhere I can grab it, but no one else can get to it.” She looks at me with a pleading gaze. “Please, sis?”
I sigh. God, this is so fucked up. I shouldn’t even be thinking about this, least of all them. I run a hand over my hair, battling with myself. Finally, knowing that there really isn’t any other option, I nod. “Alright. We’ll get something figured out. I don’t know how I’m going to get either of those without raising suspicions, but we’ll think of something.”
“Different stores,” Isla blurts out. “That’s what they do in the movies. You grab one thing at one store and the other at a different store so they’re not on the same receipt.” Sawyer and I stare at her. She rolls her eyes. “What? I like true crime and that’s what they say all the bad guys do.” She gives me a mutinous look, like she’s sure I’m going to get upset with her.
“She has a point,” Sawyer grumbles. “But just for the record, if you ever need to bury a body, then you better call me. No way you’re doing that alone.”
“Of course not,” Isla huffs. “Do you see me? I’m tall, but I’m skinny, and no way I can lift that much dead weight.” She pursesher lips thoughtfully. “Maybe I should start taking up some weightlifting. Just in case you’re busy or something.”
“I’ll never be that busy,” Sawyer drawls.
“Ok, no more dead bodies,” I order, exasperated.
Some might be put off by how they’re talking, but we’ve always been a family to handle things with dark humor under stress.
Both of them grin but lose them as soon as I add, “But we need to deal with the here and now, not the future. If Vlad or his men try and grab you again, doing any of that is going to piss them off, and they’re not going to send one person to grab you, they’ll send a few. Sawyer, they’ll just kill you, and Isla, I don’t need to tell you what would happen to you.” It’s harsh, brutal even, but it needs to be said. I don’t need them going off half-cocked and something terrible happening to them.
“So what do we do?” Sawyer asks, his grin gone. Seriousness replaces it, and he clenches his hands into fists on the table. Like he’s ready to battle anyone that might come his way.
“I don’t want to suggest it, but it might be best if we can get you both out of the state. We don’t have a lot of options, but we might be able to find a support group or something that helps people escaping abusive families to help get you to someone that can house you until I can get this sorted.” The idea of sending them away is terrifying and I have to fight not let them see my hands shaking.
“No,” Sawyer and Isla both answer fiercely, glaring at me.
“We’re not leaving you to fight this alone,” Isla snaps, face twisting angrily that I’m even daring to suggest such a thing. Sawyer jumps to his feet, mouth opening to argue.
I hold up my hand to calm them down. I hesitate to tell them the other option, especially considering the risk, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I spent a good chunk of time last night researching the Devil’s Soldiers instead of sleeping.By all accounts, they’re a good group of men, but appearances versus reality are not always clear.
Can I trust them with the people that matter the most to me?
“I’m going to tell you a couple of things, but you have to promise to keep them to yourselves,” I tell Isla and Sawyer, leaning forward, making sure they can see the seriousness on my face. “Promise?”
“Promise,” they swear, and Sawyer sinks back into his seat.
“The man that you saw in that room, the one hanging, is possibly a part of the Devil’s Soldiers MC,” I explain. “He told me his name was Hulk, and that he was there for information. But I couldn’t ask him anything else because he wasn’t talking in complete sentences.”
“Wait, isn’t that the same club those two guys were a part of the other night?” Isla asks, perking up with interest. “The two hotties.”
“Gross,” Sawyer admonishes her, his lips twisting into a scowl. “You’re fifteen, and they’re double your age at least.”
