Cruel Intoxication (Underground Kings 4)

“Never,” Finley says, rolling toward us on her skateboard, Grayson holding her hands so she doesn’t fall. “We never let one of our own cry. Isn’t that right, Gabriella?”

“I’m going to die,” Gabriella screeches, inching her way much slower than Finley on another skateboard. “I can’t believe you convinced me to do this! I’m going to die.”

“You aren’t going to die. I got you, sweetheart,” Sebastian says with a big smile on his face, trying not to laugh at his wife. She’s wearing a helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, and a pillow wrapped around her waist.

Even Jolie snorts while she holds down laughter. She turns her head away and hides the tilt of her lips by drinking her coffee.

“You’re so dramatic.” Finley rolls her eyes and jumps off her skateboard. “I’m Finley. You must be Jolie. Do you want to go shopping today? We should go.”

“Oh…” Jolie tries to keep up with Finley’s enthusiasm, but I can already tell she has no idea how. “I … I don’t know.”

“We better not go on skateboards,” Gabriella warns, and Sebastian helps her down until her feet are on solid ground. Gabriella blows out a breath. “I’m Gabriella,” she finally says, dramatically waving her hand down her body. “Don’t mind the outfit. I’m just careful.”

“Scared,” Finley throws over her shoulder.

“Cautious,” Gabriella tosses back.

“Okay, ladies…” Jaxon rubs his hand over Quinn’s back, soothing her as she cries.

Over what, I have no idea at this point.

I sit next to Jolie and wrap my arm around the back of her chair, so it looks like I’m casual and not putting my arm around her when really, my arm is around her. “Do you want to go shopping?”

“Will there be a lot of people?” she asks.

“No, I’ve already called and bought out the strip for the day. The stores will be empty.”

“You can do that?”

“Money can pay for everything,?

? Jaxon says.

“Right, of course,” she says as if she’s dumb.

“Hey, don’t do that. Don’t be hard on yourself,” I say. “If you don’t want to go, we won’t.”

“I just … I don’t have any money to pay for anything.” The rise and fall of her chest quickens, and the flicker of panic starts to burn flames in her eyes. She’s becoming jumpy. She feels caged.

My eyes fall to Jaxon and Grayson, telling them silently to leave us alone and give us space.

They nod and guide the girls out of the room. Julia grabs Heaven and yanks him away. “Wait, let me … one more,” Heaven reaches for one last pancake and manages to snatch it in his hands before Julia yanks him out of the kitchen.

He salutes me, pancake to forehead before disappearing down the hall.

“Hey, there’s no need to panic. I know it’s a lot to handle being here, but we are here for you.”

“I feel powerless,” she says. “I can’t take your money. I haven’t earned it—”

“Listen to me.” I take her hands in mine and rub my thumb over her scarred knuckles. “You’ve earned it. What you’ve been through, you’ve earned it. You’ve earned more than that, more than money. You don’t need to feel powerless or weak or less deserving. You have earned this, Jolie. You’ve earned safety, friends, love, A new life. You’ve earned it.”

“Will you be there, Owen? Will you come too?”

“If you really want me there, but I’m going to let you know, I don’t know a thing about clothes,” I warn her. “You could walk out of that place in go-go boots and a burlap sack.”

That gets her to giggle, and she wipes the tears from her face. “I like go-go boots.”

“Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”