I grab a box off the top of the pile of pizzas and walk over, sitting next to her and opening the box. “How about you try some pizza made by an Italian—Little Caesar.”
“Caesar would roll over in his tomb. He wasn’t Italian; he was Roman.” She grins at me then gives me a wink.
Here we fucking go, I think to myself.
Then it’s as if her mind snaps its fingers in front of her.
“Actually, he was cremated. What they call his tomb is on the ruins of the Temple of Caesar, and it looks like a big pile of elephant shit. You wanna see a tomb, Tags? You should see Napoleon’s in Paris. King Tut would roll over in his sarcophagus.” She stops and looks at Grimm. “You would totally love it.”
“Is it six feet under? If so, no thank you; that’s a lot of work just to see a dead thing.”
She pouts out her bottom lip. “I love you, Grimm.” She crawls up the bed and musses up his hair. “Both parts of you.”
“I love you, too, Little Bellarina.”
She laughs out loud and from her belly. “Oh my God, I hated ballet class. I used to beg Dad to let me stay with him at the shop instead of going, but he was all like”—she clears her throat then talks in what I assume she thinks her father sounds like—“Little Bell, you made a commitment, and we Steels stick to our commitments. I would’ve liked to see him dancing around to a bunch of boring piano music with a bunch of stuffy-ass bitches.” She sniffs the air again. “Tags, pizza.”
“How long does this shit last?” Breaker asks.
“Any of you know the number to wherever the fuck you bought the shit?” I ask.
“Edible truck on the strip. Blazed Goods,” Axel answers.
“Hey.” Bella pokes me. “Are you gonna sit there with all that yummy goodness on your lap, or are you gonna put it in my mouth?”
Pins dropping from a mile away could be heard, and she hasn’t a fucking clue.
She pokes me again then takes the pizza. “Fine by me. I’ll eat it all by myself and lick my fingers clean afterward. No piece of pizza for you tonight, Tag-a-lag-a-ding-dong.”
“Holy fucking shit, man, you gonna do something about that, or you gonna sit there like a rabid dog waiting for the chain to get cut loose?” Blade laughs.
I glare at him. “She’s fucked up, sayin’ shit she doesn’t even know she’s sayin’, so you back the fuck off her.”
“I know exactly what I’m sayin’.” She takes a bite of the pizza then smiles. “It may only be half-Italian, but it tastes like sexy goodness to—”
“Someone put on the movie,” I cut her off.
“We’re kind of enjoying the pizza porn, man. No harm, no foul.” Axel smirks.
“Stanley?” I nearly beg.
An hour later, and she’s balled up in bed, crying as we watch the movie.
“I love you all so much. We’re family, right?”
Maze chuckles. “You getting any of this on tape, Stan?”
“Wouldn’t be right to tape her when she didn’t know it.”
Something about the way he says it has me thinking he’s full of shit.
I glance toward the TV stand and see the little camera sitting there.
“Stan, Maze, why are you over there and not with the crew?” Bella sniffles.
Can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I do. “Your little leader has called; you should go.”
As soon as they do, and when no one’s looking, I snatch the camera and go into the bathroom. I pull out the SD card and pocket it.
Fucker, I think as I walk back out, camera hidden behind me, and place it back where it was.
“I’m so thirsty.” She wipes her tears.
I hate tears, but it’s not from pain or sorrow; it’s canna-bear induced.
“Can we watch it again? Please, please, please. I promise it’s different every time.” Swear to God, she’s taken on the pouty tone of Dorothy’s voice.
I look over at her. Her eyes are closed, and we’re twenty minutes in.
I look around her. All eyes are glued to the TV. This is what Stan should have taped. Fucking comical. A bed full of stoned badasses watching a movie and eating everything in sight.
“How long did the guy say before the high wore off?” Blade asks.
“Few hours, maybe longer.” Maze answers still looking at the TV.
Blade shakes his head, “It’s been three, man, and as comical as it’s been, I think I’m gonna jet. You wanna hang?”
I shake my head. “Thanks, though. Maybe next time.”
Blade gives me his fist. “Catch you tomorrow.”
I look at my watch. Half an hour before Luna calls.
“I’m heading out, too.” Breaker pats my back. “Have fun with the crew.”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“Should have eaten the shit they all did.” He laughs as he walks out.
Five high as fuck men and her all on the bed. She looks … well, she’s drooling. Still looks good, though.
I walk over to the bed. “How you feeling, Grimm?”
“Fucking beautiful.” He smiles as he looks at the TV.
“I’m gonna get this one to her room.”
“She can stay,” Ranger, who’s acting as a foot stool for the little stoner, says.
“You guys need to get ready for his date. Chaperone if necessary.”
“A hooker.” He grins. “Paid for extras, too.”
“Yeah, so we’ve heard … five times, man. Have fun. Wrap that shit.”
I lift Bella over my shoulder and walk toward the door.
“Hey,” she mumbles. “No fair. I was partying like a fucking rock star, buddy.”
Thankfully, the door shuts behind me before she grabs two handfuls of my ass.
“Easy, sweets. Go back to sleep.”
She laughs and swats my ass hard enough that it stings. “Imma bite your ass.”
“You do, and I’ll spank yours.”
Bad fucking thing to say. She bites my back instead.
“Isabella, I will wreck your ass if you do that shit again.”
“If you’re going to be a douche, take me back to my boys.”
“You’re done for the night, girl.” I laugh as I slide the key card in the slot.
“I’ll scream for help if you don’t take me back. I’m not ready yet.”
“I’m calling it a night for you.”
“Let me go!” she screams then laughs.
As soon as I flop her ass on the bed, I’m pushed from behind and into the fucking wall.
“You have two seconds to take your hands off me before I …” I stop when my arm gets wrenched back.
Panic sets in.
“Bella, get the fuck out of here!”
I fight with all I am to turn the fuck around, giving myself a fair chance at two on one.
When I get turned, I realize it’s not two; it’s four.
“Um, Carter?”
“Bella, I said get the fuck out NOW!”
“Bella, you keep your ass put and call a fucking ambulance before you call security. No one puts their hands on my little girl.”
Same coloring, similar features.