I place out my hand for hers, and we shake once. “Thanks, Fin.”
She waves me off in a gesture of ‘get out.’ I smirk, turning for the door, feeling like I might have actually accomplished something today. Something great for Jovie, but also, I have a way of getting my kids back. I just have to decide whether I have the balls to stand up not only to my brother, but a fucking cop with all the damn power.
JOVIE
Sitting in the clubhouse with Savanah as she gossips randomly about her wild night with Texas and how amazingly huge his ‘state seal’ is, I zone in and out.
Where has Kevlar vanished to?
After last night, I’m not sure where we’re at. He left so suddenly. So abruptly. The way he was looking at me like he was terrified, it was painful. Not only for me to see him torn up like that, but also to know he was obviously regretting sharing the moment with me.
I’m just not sure if I was the problem, if he was the problem, or if there’s someone haunting us both. I tend to think it might be the latter. Honestly, I don’t know how to fix that issue for him. Maybe he’s the only one who can.
Glancing up, I spot him strolling in from outside with a purposeful stride in his step. He walks right up to me, albeit a little hesitantly. “How is your head this morning?” he asks.
“Better than I was in New Orleans.”
“I bet. Those hurricanes were deadly.”
I grimace as a flash of him holding my hair back as I puked all over Bourbon Street swarms my mind. “Don’t remind me.”
“So… I went to see someone today.”
“Oh, yeah?”
Now, I’m intrigued. Does he mean like a shrink?
Savanah casually turns, walking away to give us some space.
She must think the same thing.
“Actually, it was for you.”
“For me?”
I’m confused.
Kevlar reaches out, grabbing my hand in his. My skin tingles, sending goosebumps bursting out all over my skin as he touches me. “I went to the club attorney.”
“I’m completely lost, Kevlar.”
He chuckles. “I asked her about you taking time off from college and your degree, whether you would be able to get back into a college here. She said it might be hard, but she will try to pull some strings and get you enrolled. Also, she’ll take a look at taking you on as a paralegal at her firm… but she wants to meet you first.”
Excitement bubbles up inside me—no one has ever tried to help me the way Kevlar constantly does. Even with the way he acted last night, he’s still going above and beyond for me.
“But you realize if I do this, it means I’ll be staying here… permanently?”
His eyes shift to meet mine. “Do you like that idea?”
“Yeah, I think I do.” A slow smile lights my face.
Kevlar tightens his hand in mine then. “Okay, then… I’ll let Finley know you’re in… yeah?”
“Yeah! I’m in. Thanks.”
He winks at me, then turns, walking away from me. We didn’t talk about his freak-out last night. To be honest, it’s kind of all but forgotten right now. Kevlar’s made an effort to make up for it. He’s found me a job and is working on getting me back into the college. I never thought I could go back to the life I had pre my mother’s death. The life I dreamed about that all came crashing down when Mom got sick. Now that Mom’s gone, there’s no reason for me not to get back on track. She would want that for me.
So, I’m going to do this.
For Mom.
For me.
As I go to make my way to my room to prepare for the interviews I will inevitably have, Savanah bounds up to me.
“So? Did he talk to you about what happened last night?”
“About last night? No. But about my future here at this club, totally.”
Savanah’s eyes widen as she tenses. She grabs my hand, leading me over to the table, and we sit. She’s completely serious for once. “Please tell me he doesn’t want us to leave?”
I grip my hand tighter to hers. “Just the opposite, actually. He’s trying to get me re-enrolled into law school here, and also finding out if I can work as a paralegal with the club’s attorney.”
Savanah’s eyes widen so freaking wide I’m worried they might fall out of her face. “Are you joking?” I shake my head. “He’s really looking out for you.”
“Are you okay?” I cock my head to the side.
She exhales. “Yeah, I mean… I’m just kind of floating around here. I haven’t found my feet just yet, but I’m sure I will, though… right?”
I lean forward, placing my hands on her knees. “Savanah Del Rey, if you can’t find your feet, then no one can. You’re the most go-get-‘em person, I know. Out of everyone, you’re the one who will make life your bitch. You know I’m right.”
“Then why do I feel so lost right now?”
I had no idea she was feeling this way.
I thought she was living this life up. Grabbing each second and partying like a rock star.
Maybe that’s what this is all about—a rock star?
“Has this got anything to do with Rush?”
Savanah scrunches up her face. “Rush? No, honestly, he and I were a one-night thing. I know that. I just feel like you’re creating a life here, but I’m just not so sure I am.”
My stomach swirls at her words as I grip her hands in mine. “Maybe you’re just taking a little longer to settle in. I’ll spend more time with yo—”
“Don’t be needy, Jovie,” she teases. “I’m okay, honestly. I love it here. I do. I’m not going anywhere. I’m just wondering if this is the right fit for me.”
“What about Texas?” I ask.
Savanah peeks over to the bulk of a man who’s trying to balance the pool cue on the tip of his finger. She grins. “Everything might be bigger in Texas, but it sure as hell isn’t sharper.”
I let out a laugh as I slap her on her arm. “Sav!”
She snorts. “Kidding… kinda… anyway, I’m going on a penis pause.”
“I’m sorry, a what?”
“A penis pause… you know, pausing any penises from coming near me. I’m cleansing myself from men and their powerful phallic symbols.”
“Uh-huh…” I sit back, my eyes focusing in on her to try to see if she’s messing with me.
Honestly, I can’t tell.
“I’d get you to do the pause with me, but I mean… you and Kevlar totally need to bone.”
“I’m not sure if that’ll happen.”
Savanah smiles. “It will. You just gotta give it time. He’s a fragile little flower. He needs to shed the water droplets weighing him down before he can bloom properly.”
“What the hell is with you and your poetry today?”
She shrugs. “Listen, we need to hang out with the other women here a bit more. Make ourselves emotionally available to them, then bam, we’ll be running this joint.”
“I don’t think it works that way. There’s a ranking system. Cherry is the First Lady, then Prinie, and so on. Anyway, I thought you said you didn’t belong here?”