They had Maryann’s blond hair and blue eyes. Both wore little night gowns with butterflies on them and an initial, C or L. They looked at me and then at the smashed table, eyes wide.
“They shouldn’t see this,” I said to Maryann in a low voice.
“Agreed. But this isn’t over yet,” she said and rose to her feet. “Girls…”
Too late. The twins had already rushed into my place and surrounded me at the table. Their energy filled up my small dark space and made it brighter.
“Are you okay?”
“Why do you have peas on your face? Is your eye all gross under there?”
One peeked under my T-shirt sleeve. “You have an owl on your shoulder! Ew, yucky bruise too…”
“Were you in a fight? Is that why?”
“Ronan was…wrestling,” Maryann said.
Instantly the girls’ faces lit up and they exchanged excited looks.
“Really?”
“No way!”
Maryann leaned into me. “They love WWE women’s wrestling. Just go with it.”
“Yeah, I was wrestling,” I said. “Practicing for a match.”
“That is so cool!”
“Did you do a pile driver? That’s my favorite.”
“I like it when they fly off the ropes.” Lillian glanced around with a frown. “I don’t see any ropes…”
Maryann held up her hands. “Okay, Cami. Lily. Let’s leave Ronan alone. Back to bed.”
They both sagged with disappointment. And so did I. A little.
The bag of cookies from Bibi I’d taken the other day was still on my kitchen counter, untouched. “Do you guys like chocolate chip cookies?”
Their little faces lit up again while Maryann shot me with a Don’t you dare look in her eyes.
I pretended not to see it.
“A lady made these,” I said, keeping the peas on my eye as I grabbed the cookie bag. “She’s a grandma so you know they’re good.”
I handed the bag to Cami who immediately pulled out a cookie, gave it to her twin, then took one for herself. “They look so yummy! Can we, Mommy?”
Maryann crossed her arms, shaking her head ruefully at me.
“They’re from one of my jobs,” I said. “Good people.”
She relented with a sigh. “Okay but just one each.”
“Yay!”
“What do you say?”
The little girls flew at me, hugging me around my bruised ribs, though I hardly felt it. I held my arms up, not daring to touch them until they let me go.
“Thank you, Mr. Ronan!”
“Thanks a lot!”
“Okay, okay.” Maryann herded them to the door, shooting me a puzzled look over her shoulder. “Go back down, girls. I’ll be there in a minute.”
She watched them descend the stairs to make sure they got in safe, then turned back to me.
“They like you,” she said.
“Must be the wrestling.”
“Or the chocolate,” she said with a dry smile. “You sure you’re going to be okay?”
“Fine. It’s over, I swear,” I said, even as I wondered what would happen if Frankie decided to test me and fuck with Miller again. Or Holden.
I’d beat his ass if he touched either of them.
But I’d already brought Mitch Dowd here once, too close to Maryann and her girls.
Fuck.
Maryann read my dark expression. “Put those peas back in the freezer, then get some sleep. Use it again tomorrow. You have something for the pain?”
“I’m good.”
She nodded slowly, then reluctantly moved to the door as if she didn’t want to leave me alone. “Goodnight, Ronan.”
“Yep.”
The door closed behind her but wouldn’t stay shut. The locking mechanism was busted. Dowd must’ve pried it open somehow. I tossed the peas in my freezer and dragged one of the cheap kitchen chairs to the door and wedged it under the knob. After Lily and Cami, the silence in my place was thick and heavy.
I went to the bathroom and inspected the damage. My lip was split—not too bad—but my right eye looked like hell. Swollen, blue, the cheekbone puffed and dashed with a small cut where he must’ve got me with his ring.
I lifted my shirt and sucked in a breath. Already, my torso was a patchwork of bruises. My right shoulder, which took the brunt of the table, was stiffening up and more bruises colored my skin beneath the owl tattoo. It stared at me in the mirror as if to say, What did you expect?
I couldn’t go to school like this and I sure as shit couldn’t go to the Barrera’s, even though Shiloh needed that shed. If my eye wasn’t better Monday, I’d wait, then work twice as hard and fast to get it done for her.
Then you won’t be over there anymore, interfering in their lives.
It was early yet, not even one a.m., but I was too stiff and sore to walk and no good to anyone anyway. I lay down to sleep knowing the nightmares were going to be worse and tinged with real pain.
And I was right.
Chapter Seven
I was right about Violet. Not only did she make Homecoming Court, she’d been voted Queen, stealing the crown right out from under Evelyn Gonzalez. Not that Violet had been trying to steal anything. Her genuine surprise and humble attitude were why everyone loved her.
To support her, I went to the football game on Saturday and the parade after with Miller. Or maybe it was to support him. We took our places on the aluminum bleachers and watched our Central Capitals destroy the Soquel Saints. Miller scowled every time River Whitmore completed a pass or threw for a touchdown.
Which was frequently.
My gaze kept wandering from the field to scan the faces in the crowd. Ronan hadn’t been at school for the last week and was a no-show at my house too. Bibi said he’d called in sick. As the football game droned on that morning, I found myself on the verge of asking Miller if Ronan was okay.
Because that’s allowed.
But the words stuck in my throat. Asking about Ronan’s well-being—putting it out there for someone else to hear—might somehow make the unsettling thoughts and feelings I’d been having about him finally settle.
And then I’d have to look at them.
After the game, Violet and River—still in his uniform—sat on the back of a convertible as the Homecoming Parade tooled around the track. Violet was radiant in black, her smile wide as she waved at the crowd or when she beamed up at River.
Miller’s scowl collapsed and then he just looked sad.
“Why do you do this to yourself?” I asked gently.
“Sorry?”
“Watch her be with someone else.”
“I need proof that she’s okay with him. That he’ll take care of her. Or I’ll sic Ronan on him.”
A shiver danced up my arm. I cleared my throat. “River’s unproblematic. At least there’s that.”
Miller’s expression darkened. “Speaking of River, did Vi mention that she and I kissed?”
My jaw fell open before I could catch it and Miller quickly looked away.
“I’ll take that as a no.”
“I haven’t seen her much lately. But no, she didn’t say a word.” I touched his arm. “I’m sorry. I always knew something was going on there.”