Incendiary (Inferno 4)

Chapter Sixteen

“Where are you taking her?”

“Get in the truck and wait for me,” I tell Skylar, and she obeys.

When the front door closes behind her, I close the gap between myself and Richter and lean down to look in his face.

“Since when do you get to ask me about my business?” I question, my eyes narrowing dangerously.

“Since the last time you left with one of my sisters, you didn’t bring them back,” he all but shouts in my face.

I stand up to my full height and weigh what he’s said to me. It amazes me that getting his little pecker played with suddenly turned him into what he assumes to be a man.

He must think he’s got a one up on me because of the smile I see him fighting to keep off his face, but the truth of the matter is, he’s not wrong.

“I’ll tell you what,” I begin, thoughtfully rubbing my chin. “I’m gonna let this one slide. Once. But I will remind you that what I chose to do with my fucking children is none of your goddamn business. You mouth off to me again, and you can starve and die at the bottom of the oubliette like the rest of the useless fucks, you understand me?”

The shitty triumphant look he had in his eyes vacates immediately as his shoulders slump and he takes a step back.

“Good,” I say with a nod. “Now get some shit done around here until I get back.”

I turn and start walking toward the door when his whiny little voice wheedles another question at me.

“With Skylar?”

I stop walking and square my shoulders.

It takes everything inside of me not to drag him outside and throw him down into the dark to let him rot like the garbage he is, but…

“Who else is gonna touch your little dick, boy?” I ask with a chuckle as I walk out of the house.

* * *

I had a dream last night.

One that bothered me enough to test a theory today.

I woke up feeling angry about having been possibly duped and that’s why I’m walking into the mom and pop pharmacy again with Skylar in tow.

She takes my hand as soon as we walk in, and I roll my eyes at the ceiling before I glance around.

Where the fuck is she?

And then I spot her.

With all of her freckles.

With all of her wild spirit.

With that look of temptation written all over her beautiful face.

“Come on,” I say to Skylar as I tug her hand and make my way toward the aisle that Hailey is watching us from.

“Hey, stranger!” she calls out.

“Luke,” I reply evenly.

Before she has a chance to say anything else, I whip Skylar toward her and look at them side by side.