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“Kenna, do you know who hired them to do this?” Brick cautiously asked.
I opened my mouth but closed it again as tears burned my cheeks, proof I had a theory.
“Okay.” Brick nodded, not needing me to say it yet.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” I blurted. I felt raw and exposed but also guilty for implying that maybe, just maybe, my father could be behind it. “And I had no idea who he was to Sonny at the time. I guess I didn’t dig deep enough, but I’m not sorry for protecting the people I care about.”
“You have no idea what you did,” Grim growled. “Sonny won’t let this go, not until he finds out who killed his business partner. Not to mention the people they’re connected to in Chicago.”
“It’s my mess.” I lifted my chin and ignored the weight of all the repercussions that sat heavily on my chest. It wasn’t necessarily a new feeling for me. I’d always fought hard to make my father proud despite all the unwanted attention I’d gotten from men he seemed to bring into my life. I don’t know why I constantly tried to make him see me for who I was. I always ended up bearing the brunt of his disdain. Now, with this murder and Hanna’s warning, I was starting to think this was going to be my new normal. “I’ll deal with it, just like I do everything else.” I could feel how close I was to the edge. Grim’s face was unreadable. I turned and marched out, slamming the door as I left.
“Whooo.” I shook the nerves from my arms and swallowed back the lump in my throat. Now everyone knew my secret.
“Hey, Ken,” Minnie came out after me, and I closed my eyes, “I hope you know I?—”
“I know,” I assured her. “I’m sorry for even thinking it.” I felt amped up and uncomfortable in my own skin. A far cry from the relaxed jelly state Grim had put me in earlier. “I…” I scrubbed my face. “I feel like I’ve been screwing up at every turn. Shit, why did I ever think I could blackmail that guy? Look at me, I’m half his size! I should have realized he’d come at me.”
“You weren’t thinking. You were protecting the people you cared about.” Minnie came closer. “Trigger doesn’t do feelings, but I know that meant something to him.”
“And Grim? Because he was ready to claw me in two.”
“Trigger underreacts, Grim reacts with feeling.”
“Grim’s just mad it was his mouth in my lunch box thirty minutes ago and not his dick.”
“Whoa, what?” Her face lit up, and I wished I hadn’t blurted that out loud.
“Hey, bitch, he was mine first, you know.” I whirled around to see Grim’s woman Kelly with a girl and another guy. They stared me down. “There’re rules at this party.”
“Did she just call me a bitch?” I made a face at Minnie, feeling something come over me.
“So, why don’t you pack up your fake tits and hit the road,” the girl sneered. What, were we inWest Side Story?
“I could see why you’d think they were fake, given that you’ve got no reference of your own.” I took a step toward her. “If you claimed him as yours, why was he behind the trailer earlier with a mouth full of me?” I pointed to my vag. All my common sense sailed away on the hot desert breeze.
“I’ve never been more turned on,” Minnie cackled behind me.
“So, what you’re saying is you’re a whore?” She took a step toward me, and her two friends fanned out. The guy was short and had a little bit of blond hair left on his head. He grinned like he was ready for what was about to happen. The girl eyed Minnie but thought twice about moving. Instead, she took off her shoes.
“No, what I’m saying, you gangly piss flap, is that he came looking for me for something to eat.” I wasn’t even thinking; the crap just poured out of my mouth.
“Slap that nipple right off her turkey tit, Kenna!” Minnie called excitedly.
“Fuck you!” Kelly yelled, and I moved into her line of vision.
“Why, Grim doesn’t want you?” I retorted, and her face turned beet red. “Why don’t you take your gas station gang and move on somewhere you can get some.”
“Slut!” She was slow with the slap, so I ducked and shoved her backward. The second she found her footing, she came running for me. I saw red. I’d never been in a fight before, but I was ready, and it felt good to let loose. Once she was close enough, I tried to shove her again, but she was ready for it and grabbed a fistful of my hair, and we both hit the ground. I somehow wiggled on top and yanked the first thing I could.
“What the fuck?” I held up a chunk of her weave and tossed it aside.
“Stupid slut!” Kelly screamed as I held her down and pinned her arms so she couldn’t hit me.
“Come on, Kenna, let out your inner demons!” Minnie cheered me on.
“I know who you are!” Kelly’s arms broke free, and she flailed and bucked wildly under me. I squeezed my hips as I tried to hold her down. “You’re just a whore.” I struggled to stay on top. “You’re just like the others. Fuck.” She laughed like a crazy woman as she flipped me hard on my back. I fought to grab her wrists, but her knees reminded me I wasn’t completely healed as pain billowed up in my side. “You couldn’t even keep Dale!” My face flinched, and I knew she saw it. How the fuck could she have known that? Who the hell was this chick?
“Think of what you did, Kenna.” Minnie’s tone changed to a more serious one. “You’re ravenous. You need this.”
