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Rick slid onto a chair and folded his hands on the table, his gaze searching Jace up and down. “You were shot. I saw it on the news.”
Jace sat because Val was right. It still hurt to stand. “I’m better. But that’s why I haven’t visited until now.”
“I knew you were hurt. Lucien said that you nearly died.” Because Lucien had taken Rick on as a client and Jace hadn’t been able to say thank you enough times.
Jace winced. “Yeah. Corey shot me. Here.” He pointed to his chest, where he’d likely have a scar.
Rick’s mouth thinned. “I heard. I also heard that Corey’s dead.”
“Val and Kaj did it,” Jace said, and if he sounded proud, he wasn’t going to apologize. “Both of them shot him.”
Rick looked at Val, his expression sober. “Thank you. Thank you for taking care of Jace and thank you for...” He sighed. “For taking care of Corey.”
Jace saw her flinch, even if no one else did. She still had nightmares about that night. He’d heard her mumbling “No, no, no,” in her sleep followed by Czar’s little whine as he woke her—usually because Jace wasn’t asleep, either. He hadn’t slept well, unable to get Corey’s rabid fury out of his mind. But he would, eventually. His new therapist had said so.
He and Elijah went to the same therapist and once they’d gone together. A joint session. That had been hard. Knowing that his family had caused Elijah so much harm... Jace hated it.
It was like Jace had a younger brother now. But he still missed Rick. A lot.
“You’re welcome,” Val said. “I came with Jace because he’s underage. I don’t want you to think I’m spying.”
“No, it’s okay,” Rick said quickly. “Like I said, I’m grateful you’re looking out for him. I’ve been worried. What will happen to him? Will he have to go into the system? I asked Lucien, but he said it wasn’t his to say.”
I’m right here, Jace wanted to say, but he didn’t. Rick had always taken care of him. It wasn’t going to be easy for him to stop just because he was in jail.
“Dianne signed custody of me over to Val. She’s my guardian now.”
Rick’s eyes popped wide. “Really?” His gaze shot to Val. “You did that for him?”
Val smiled at Jace. “We’ve grown to love him. He’ll be well taken care of, I promise.”
Slumping in his chair, Rick closed his eyes and Jace was stunned to see tears on Rick’s face. Jace’s eyes burned and he had to suck in a deep breath to keep from crying, too. “Rick?”
“I’m fine. It’s... I didn’t want you to go into the system. Dianne really signed papers?”
“She did. She’s in rehab now. Her sister helped her get into a good place.”
Rick nodded once. “Good.”
“And you, Rick?” Val asked. “How are you doing? Going off heroin cold turkey couldn’t have been fun.”
Rick shuddered. “It wasn’t. But I guess I have time to kick the habit while I’m here.”
“How long?” Jace asked, even though Kaj had been keeping him updated. Rick had accepted a deal, pleading guilty to attempted kidnapping and possession of a firearm.
Rick squared his shoulders. “Five years, but I’ll be eligible for parole in two with good behavior. Lucien says I probably would have gotten less if I hadn’t had the gun. I’ll serve it in juvie, not with the adults.” Jace must have shown how upset he felt about Rick spending even two years in juvie because Rick’s hand shot out and gripped his arm. “It’s okay. I did it. And now that I’m sober? I don’t know what I was thinking. Mama would be so mad at me.”
Jace swallowed hard, trying not to cry. “I’ll come see you.”
Rick smiled. “Yeah?”
“I’ll try to come every week, but I need someone to bring me since I’m not eighteen.”
And neither was Rick. Kaj said the judge had taken that into account—Rick’s age and that he’d been abused by Corey.
Jace was still amazed that Kaj could look at him, knowing that Rick had tried to kidnap Elijah. But Kaj had a good heart. As did Val and Burke and all of them.
My new family.
