One More Time

Then again, this was Hannah we were talking about and she was never one to do what I wanted her to do. She never did anything anybody told her to do. She was headstrong and independent. Normally, those were two of her best features. This time though, they were going to get her nothing but trouble.

“I'm not going to ignore this, Eli,” she said. “The stuff I see at the hospital is horrible, and if my dad is behind it – I can't just sit by and let it continue. Not if there's something I can do to put a stop to this shit.”

“What kind of stuff?” I asked, genuinely curious.

Like I said, I'd tried to stay out of Roy's business. I had no desire to deal with my stepfather or end up down heading a similar path. It'd be easy enough for me to do, if I'd wanted to go that way. No, I kept my head down, tried to avoid him – and people like him – as much as possible. I would sling the drinks at the bar, sure, but I didn't talk club business or get involved with the club members in any way whatsoever.

“Kids. Literally, kids, Eli,” she said, standing up and pacing the small section of my apartment between my living area and bedroom. It was a tight fit, but she made it – just barely. “Kids are dying with needles in their arms every single day, and if my dad is somehow responsible for that, I have to stop him.”

I stood up and grabbed hold of her shoulders, stopping her mid-pace, and forced her to look me in the eye. She didn't pull away, but she didn't seem to appreciate me touching her either. She scowled up at me. grimacing as if my hands burned her flesh.

“You think he's behind the drugs coming into this town?” I asked.

“Someone in his club is,” she said. “That much I know for sure. Beyond that, I don't know much more.”

If someone in his club was behind it, Roy knew. Being the president of the club, he knew everything. No one so much as took a shit without Roy Ross knowing what was up. Trafficking in hard drugs like heroin would only be done with their leader's permission. Or with him being involved directly.

“Hannah, you can't go around slinging accusations like that,” I said, trying to find some way to convince her to stand down. “It could get you hurt. Or worse.”

She threw her hands in the air and stepped back, her voice rising. “Is this the kind of world you want for Aubree, Eli?” she said. “A world where she can buy heroin as cheaply and easily as she's able to buy candy?”

“Of course not,” I growled. “I just don't think this is something you should get involved in. I don't want to live in a world where you get hurt because of this either.”

“You claim you love me, Eli, but do you, really? Because I'm starting to think you don't even know me,” she said.

I flinched, cutting my eyes away from her quickly. Hannah's words hurt like she'd just thrown battery acid across my face. I stepped backward, nearly tripping over my coffee table, but managed to catch myself at the last minute, narrowly avoiding ending up on my ass.

“Because if you knew me,” she hissed, “you'd know, there's no way in hell I can just stand around and let my dad poison innocent children. Not if I can do something about it.”

She turned toward the door and opened it. Before I could catch her, she stormed out and slammed it shut it behind her. I followed her, desperate to catch her, but Aubree started crying in her crib. I stopped, having no choice but to go to my daughter.

“Jesus Christ, Hannah,” I muttered to myself.

My entire body was tense, and my stomach was in knots. I genuinely feared for her. I didn't know all that much about Roy's gang, but what I did know what enough to chill me to the bone. I knew they weren't people you messed around with or threatened.

I had to trust that Roy would put his daughter before his guys. I wanted to believe that he and his guys would take the fall for Hannah.

Yeah, knowing Roy like I did, I didn't have much faith in all that, which left me with one other option.

With Aubree cradled in one arm, I pulled out the card Titus had given me. If it came down to having to make a choice between Hannah and my stepdad, the choice was obvious in my mind. I'd never entertained ideas of killing Roy before, even though he'd treated me like shit. All because I wanted to protect Hannah.

Now, though, the only way to do that was to get her dad out of the picture once and for all.

Chapter Twelve

Hannah

“You okay, sugar?” Sarah asked me as I stepped out of the bathroom for the second time since she'd gotten there that morning.

It was actually the second time in a matter of half an hour, in fact. She was sharp and didn't miss much – a fact I was reminded of as her eyes narrowed while she scrutinized me.

“You're not coming down with something, are you?” she asked.

“No, it's just something I ate, I think,” I said, wiping the sweat from my brow. “I'm not scheduled to be here the next couple of nights anyway. So, even if I'm sick, don't worry, I won't be calling in. Or spreading any germs around here.”

“Uh huh,” she said. “As long as it passes in those two days you're off, whatever it is. And I sure as heck hope no one else calls in, because goodness knows, we may need you.”

“I'm sure it's just the hamburger I had last night,” I said, brushing it off.