Page 47 of Sick Little Devotion

However, torturing Will through the death of his brother feels good—but not when I think about the kids that are involved now. I saw the worry written all over Sara’s face this morning. I don’t understand it, mostly because Will never laid a hand on young girls. He only beat older ones and took out his other urges on little boys.

I park alongside the curb across the street, thankful for a car that fits in. The windows are tinted, though not beyond the legal limit. I don’t want anything to draw attention to me. I put on a baseball cap and lean back against the seat, watching as the girls file out of the house for school.

How are they going to get to school?

The question is immediately answered as I watch Sara’s mom stumble out of the house, her gray hair in a mess on top of her head and her sweats hanging loosely from her thin frame. She looks like hell, and the dark circles under her eyes only serve to emphasize how rough she is.

She shouldn’t be driving…

And yet, I watch as she climbs into the SUV parked outside of the garage. The oldest girl—Eliza, I think her name is—has a look of disdain on her face. I crack the window, hoping to catch a hint of the conversation.

“We could’ve just taken the bus,” I hear Eliza say, her voice carrying loud enough for most of the neighborhood to hear.

“Well, catch it next time,” Sara’s mom snaps at her. “Let’s go.”

I raise my brows at the attitude, though I have to admit that she sounds… sober. I can’t be one hundred percent sure, but I know when she’s not in her right mind, mostly because of how she talks. There was no hiding it while I was growing up in the house. That being said, maybe she’s on something else.

It’s that notion that leads me to follow the car to the school. I know that Sara would want me to make sure they got to school safely, and from here, I’ll have to figure out what the fuck I’m supposed to do. I can’t let Sara become trapped by her mother’s addictions.

I take a deep, steady breath and put the car in drive, whipping around to follow them once I get some distance. I don’t think Sara’s mom will notice—she’s not the observant type and never has been. I keep a good distance between myself and the SUV anyway. My phone distracts me, its incessant ringing filling the air.

Swooping it up, I see Carlos’s name.

Fuck.

“Yes?” I answer, not bothering with a greeting. We’re not friends, and I don’t pretend that we are.

“Security discovered a vehicle lurking around your house,” Carlos says, his voice flat and tinged with fatigue. “Just thought I would let you know.”

“And you stopped the vehicle, right?”

“Uh, no…” His voice trails off, immediately causing anger and frustration to bubble up in my chest. “I didn’t think that would be a good idea. The extra men haven’t arrived, and I can’t be watching the house and chasing down suspicious cars at the same time.”

Fuck me. I should’ve just stayed.

My jaw tenses, but I force myself to relax as I watch the SUV turn into the school complex. Thankfully, the elementary, middle school, and high school are on the same campus, so the girls have made it safely now.

“I got the plates,” he says to my silence. “That has to count for something.”

“They’re probably stolen,” I reason, shaking my head. “I don’t know who the fuck would be this interested in us.”

“Uh, I’m not sure, but someone is, and we probably should figure it out before Grenado finds out. I don’t think he’ll like our inability to handle this.”

“We are handling it,” I seethe. “I know what I’m doing.”

“With all due respect,” he clears his throat. “Your head seems to be all over the place. You’re adding extra security to the house, but it’s leaving the warehouse with less, and that’s probably not a good thing.”

“Then we’ll hire more for the warehouse.” I don’t like the fact he’s pointing out issues that I should see to myself, but at the same time, Carlos is a smart man. That’s why he was gifted to me as a right-hand man.

“Do you want me to take care of that for you?” He offers it up like a favor, his voice brightening. “You rarely let me handle things, but I can do this.”

I chew on the inside of my cheek. “You’ll have to vet them, Carlos. Don’t trust anyone, even if they’re a friend.”

“I know, boss.”

“Then take care of it.” I hang up with as Sara’s mom whips out of the parking lot and heads back in the direction of the house again. Part of me wants to follow her there, but the other part of me knows it’s a long drive back to Sara, and that’s where I should be, winning her trust over. Protecting her. However, as I navigate out of the busy school parking lot, my eyes fall on a flyer attached to a telephone pole.

And I brake.