Page 65 of Hostile Saint

Dagger handed me two refrigerated probiotic capsules Elle had me taking every morning. She had claimed all the antibiotics I had recently been on killed some ‘good’ bacteria in my stomach. Since all her care had been working impressively, I asked no questions and did another bottoms up. She instructed me to down them with water, but since I had been denied certain indulgences during my life, Dagger always gave me a full glass of orange juice for the pills.

Lynx seeped in air through the corners of his lips as he pondered. “Technically, yes.” I opened my mouth, but he stopped me. “Hear me out. First of all, you know as well as I do that Pretty Girl needs professional help. We’re lucky she’s getting it where she is.” My shoulders caved as I thought of her writhing in the corner. “Two, in order to use the marriage certificate in your favor, it’s very likely you would have to face the judge that gave temporary custody to the doc.”

I sat up straight. Even if Lace needed to stay at Serenity, at least now I could visit her without whispering the whole time. Maybe Doc could help her remember me. “Point the way.”

Vice and Dagger chuckled at my willingness, but Lynx asked me, “How do you explain why you didn’t come to retrieve your wife sooner?”

“Uh, I had to get stitched up at a vet’s office, then recover here with you guys.”

The surround sound of hisses informed me I was already giving wrong answers. Then Dagger and Vice gave Lynx ‘looks’ as if to say, You really need to have a chat with your boy.

Maybe that’s why Lynx took another approach, pretending to be the judge. “Is that so, Mr. Young? Could you please tell me why you needed stitches?”

“Uh,” clueless of what to say, I reverted to the truth, “my brothers tried to kill me?”

“What?” Lynx pretended to be appalled. “Have your brothers been arrested?”

“Uhhhhh…”

When I was lost to the proper response, Dagger pretended to be me. “No, your honor.” He faked nibling on his fingers. “I never told the police.”

I snarled, “I don’t bite my fingers—”

Lynx ignored me and kept on. “Why on earth not, Mr. Young?”

Dagger shrugged. “I’m afraid they will try again?”

Lynx set down his coffee and pretended to pick up a pen, ready to write. “What are their names?”

Dagger delivered an exaggerated bobblehead. “I don’t think I know their true names.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m sure I could answer better than that—”

Lynx continued the role-play. “You don’t know your brother’s names?” The pretend judge shook his head in dismay. “Mr. Young, do you know how your wife received injuries?”

My chest took a ghost hit of how she was gravely hurt.

Dagger nodded. “Yes, sir. Her brothers and mine.”

The pretend judge blinked. “Hold on. Are you saying two sets of brothers tried to kill you both?”

My head fell forward as Dagger answered the judge. “Yes, sir.”

“I take it no report has been filed against them, either?”

“Correct. Well, we don’t know who their parents are.”

“Mr. Young, please do explain your meaning here.”

As I listened to them banter, my stomach turned and twisted.

Dagger added, “Well, technically, my brothers don’t exist.”

“Mr. Young, are you trying to convey that your siblings are not legal citizens of this country?”

“Yes, sir,” Dagger whispered. “Your Honor, can you please keep this on the down-low because we suspect there are some dangerous people who I prefer to not know I’m alive due to them killing my uncle.”

The asshole pretend-judge gasped. “Where are your brothers now?”