Whiskey Witches, F.J. Blooding [ap literature book list .TXT] 📗

man could kick some serious ass. “Look, Paige is handling herself well. She has her emotions under control. She’s not breaking. Well—” When demons weren’t inside her, trying to take over.

“Were you going to finish that thought?”

“She’s doing well.”

“Fine. Then why’d you call? Your ink’s on its way. I should have tracking later today. Or, shoot. No. What time is it? Six? Tomorrow. Is Paige really all right? You’re not trying to snowball me, are you? You’ve gotten kind of close to her. I’d call it romantically entangled if I didn’t know you better.”

“But you do, so you should know better than to think it.” Except Nick was right. He was thinking those thoughts. What was getting into him?

“So answer my question. Is Paige okay?”

“If you’re really asking about your mother’s safety, she’s fine. I mean, I don’t think Paige is going to call down another demon to off her or anything. Just keep Rachel from doing something stupid. Especially right now. She’s fine, but things are a bit…fragile.”

“Like what? What do you mean?”

“Like inviting Paige to New York so Rachel could surprise her with a restraining order, that’s what.”

“What?” Nick paused. “But Mom said—”

“You know what?” Dexx held up his hand, rage running like fire through him, he smiled tightly at the man walking into the building. Sometimes, talking on the phone around others was awkward. He dropped eye contact and continued, his voice lowered. “I really don’t care what that conniving, manipulative bitch said. I saw what happened.”

“No, you didn’t. Mom did and Paige did.”

“I saw it. We—” He pressed his thumb into his eye ridge. “Look, man, I don’t know how to explain it, but we linked. That’s all I know and I saw what Rachel did. She invited Paige over. When she knew Paige was on the road, she had her served with the restraining order. But Paige didn’t get it because she was already on the road.”

“But that doesn’t make sense,” Nick said. “Why would Mom do something like that?”

“Because she’s a bitch? Nick, I need you to do something. I need you to take Leah out sometime today or tomorrow. Today would be better.” He and Paige might end up dead tomorrow. “Then call me on my cell. Paige needs to hear her daughter’s voice.”

“Or I could tell Mom and—”

“You can’t let Rachel know.”

“You know her, Dexx. She’s protective, sure, but she’s not what Leslie and Paige think about her.”

How could the man be so stupid? “She abandoned her own daughters. You’re only close because she kept you on a tight leash.”

“You sang a different tune before you started spending so much time with Paige.”

“I couldn’t see it when I was so close to her. Dude. Take a step back.”

“I’m not lying to my mother, Dexx. Paige lost Leah fair and square. She deserved having her memories wiped.”

“Holy fuck balls.” Dexx fought to keep his anger restrained. “Did you just fucking say that?”

Nick snorted.

“Have you talked to her lately?”

“No. Why would I? Grandma and Les made her forget she had a reason to call me.”

Was that a hint of bitter in his tone? “And you couldn’t call her? Remind you’re not the biggest asshole on the planet?”

Nick released a low breath. “You wanted a favor and thought you’d get it by calling me an asshole.”

Dexx let out a long breath, struggling to calm down. “Nick. Dude.”

“I’m listening.”

He didn’t know how to say what he wanted to. Seeing her side made him so pissed. But Nick was his best friend. “You’re not an asshole.”

“Thank you.”

“But you’re a bit blind when it comes to your mother. Whatever you think, Paige isn’t a bad person either. Is she smart when in the fiery rage of a serial mad-woman? No. But she’s not a bad person. And she loves her daughter.”

Nick sighed.

“I need her head in the game. Things could go pretty bad, and letting her hear her daughter’s voice just once could make the biggest difference.”

“I can’t lie to my mother, D.”

“Paige feels like she just lost Leah yesterday, and with her gift working again—”

“What?”

“Stop the freak-out. This gift you were so scared of isn’t so bad. She uses it for…well, it isn’t so bad.”

“I’m not freaking out.”

“Yes. You are. Your whole damn family is. You’re all afraid of her because of something she was born with, and she’s probably afraid her own daughter will be, too. After all, she’s being raised by irrational people who won’t give her a real fucking chance.”

“Well, we don’t—we don’t talk about Paige.” Nick’s voice lowered. “Leah still loves her. A lot. I’ve passed on secret messages when I could.”

Surprise knocked Dexx up the side of his head. For him to do that spoke volumes. “Great. So can you do it? Can you get Leah on the phone?”

“Yeah,” Nick sighed. “Okay. I’m on it. Just tell Paige to be careful if she ever talks to Rachel.”

“You’re afraid she’ll blow your cover? You do realize that if you’re this scared of your mother, that’s not healthy. Right? You do see that.”

“Dexx. She’s my mother.”

“Yeah. Strange, I have one, too, and she doesn’t try to control me. She realizes I’m a big boy now, capable of thinking for myself.”

“Shut up.”

“You’re my best friend, Nick. My best friend.”

“Yeah.” Nick paused. “I know.”

“Tell me one thing, and be honest. Is Leah in danger?”

Nick didn’t answer immediately. “No.”

“No, not while you’re there to keep your mother calm? Or no, not physically? Or no, not so’s it’d show?”

The other side of the line was dead quiet.

Dexx sighed. “This has got to stop, Nick. There is one seriously hurt woman over here. Her heart is in pieces and…” He flared his nostrils in thought as he ground his teeth. “You’re a grown man. You’re working in one of the biggest law firms in the city. You can help her if you wanted to.”

“When did you start caring about anyone other than Jackie?”

About two years ago when he’d worked with Paige for over a month on a case. “When did you start being such a pussy?”

“Dude.” Nick’s tone held a hint of warning. “Back off.”

“You know I’m gonna win.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

“Good. So you’ll do it?”

“I already said I would. But the last time I did this, Leah and I almost got caught.”

Dexx frowned. “Caught how?”

“Mom came looking for us. She forgot to tell us to pick something up at the grocery store and thought she’d come get it herself.”

“Shit. Do you hear the words coming out of your mouth? That’s borderline insane.”

“It’s borderline something. Hey, Dexx.”

“Yeah.”

“Thanks.”

“For what?”

“For looking out for my sister.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Dexx pushed himself off the building, his stomach rumbling. He needed food. Stat. “Just make sure you get a time so Paige can talk to her little girl.” Before they all ended up dead.

“I’ll start reviewing what I can do to get Leah back to Paige.”

“Yeah, smart-boy, why don’t you get on that, like last week?”

“Shut up, douche bag.”

“Ass-wipe.”

“Coc—”

“See ya!” Dexx hung up. They could call each other names until the sun went down.

He just hoped this wasn’t a little too little, a little too late.