“I’m not sure how we go about deprogramming without someone getting hurt out here. We need to get her home where we can take precautions,” Marco says.
“I agree. I think we need to set up shop at home anyways,” Cain gestures to the circus.
“I hope that you will change a few things,” Marco gives me a pointed look.
“We are,” I nod.
“I will go tell Meryl we’re packing up in the morning,” Cain says, going in search of the ringmaster.
“I’m going to go back to the hotel. Do you guys want to come? I have an extra room,” Marco says and we both shake our heads.
“I’ll be by in the morning. We can have breakfast and catch up some more,” he kisses the top of Joelle’s head before heading off toward the parking lot.
“I’m beyond tired,” she whispers.
“You’ve had a trying day. Let’s get some sleep. After breakfast we will hit the road and let the crew pack this up,” I tell her, guiding her to the bed. She falls asleep nestled in my arm as soon as she lays down.
“Marco left?” Cain joins us.
“Yeah. He’s coming for breakfast. I told her the crew can pack this up and that we’d hit the road to be home at a decent hour,” I tell him as I play with her hair.
“I think that’s best. Once we’re home, we can fix her,” he says.
I wonder what that holds for me with her after she’s fixed. Does she need fixing? Will she agree to be a hitman? I mean it was suggested and she agreed, but will she keep it up or once she’s normal will she leave me, us?
“Go to bed,” Cain snorts.
“Can’t help it, can’t shut my brain off,” I admit.
“I know, I can hear you from over here,” he says, “I don’t think she’s going anywhere.”
I hope not.
Joelle
There’s a lot of body heat when you wake up between two hot men. I have been on an emotional rollercoaster the last couple of days. Abel, my mother, my father, the mafia, buying the circus.
I don’t even know where I fall in all of this. I crawl out of bed and start the shower when I feel hands on me.
Cain.
“I think we need to conserve water,” he smirks at me as he lightly pushes me inside and closes the door.
“Oh?”
“It’s good for the Earth and all that shit,” he chuckles as his hands wander over my body. I want him to touch me. I need him to touch me. But he doesn’t, he soaps my body up and washes me off. I’m disappointed and frustrated. He knows it, too.
“Oh Darlin, there will be plenty of time for that. We have to get on the road and your father wants us to join him for breakfast.”
I frown. I’m still on the fence about all of this.
“If it makes you feel better, I can do some research through the back channels and check his story. Well, the part about your mom. And when you see Abel’s father you can ask him as well. I know your head is filled with all these thoughts and you feel like you have no room for any more.”
“I just don’t know what to think. I had a few bombs dropped on me,” I whisper.
“We’ll figure it out, all of us,” he promises before turning off the shower and handing me a towel. If I’m going to still be a part of this in some capacity, I have my own ideas about what I want when we travel, such as a tub, maybe. We could get trailers to tow, classy ones. It’s a lot of work to take down all of this. Then there are my books which I don’t go anywhere without them.
When we step back into the room, Abel is stepping through, toweling off his hair.
