Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 60234 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60234 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
I frown. “Scars heal, Maggie. That scar on your face will heal faster than the memories of who did it to you.” I rummage through the bottom drawer of my desk until I find what I’m looking for. “But betrayal and helplessness hurt a lot longer than physical pain.”
Maggie frowns at the black and white bandana I hand her. “What’s this for? I don’t exactly need colors anymore, do I?”
I roll my eyes. “Not colors, Maggie. It’s for your hair.”
She frowns at me before lifting a hand to touch her hair. From the heartbreaking expression skating across her face, I know she’s having a flashback. My offer of a bandana made another part of the attack roar back to life.
“Fuck me, I forgot about that.” She measures her hair—or lack of—with her hand, her expression embarrassed as if the shearing was her fault. “How bad is it?”
“Not too bad. A little lopsided. You know, it’s that whole rock chick look from back in the day, but the easiest fix of all.” I shrugged and laughed. “Just wait, and it’ll grow out.”
Her smile lights up her whole face, even though it’s sardonic and says she thinks I’m full of shit. “You’re a real glass-half-full type, aren’t you?”
“Most days, I have to be, otherwise, why bother patching up wayward gangster girls?”
She laughs, shaking her head as she ties the bandana around her head. “Demon and I grew up together,” she starts, and I realize she’s finally going to answer my question. “I knew him way before the Bloodthirsty Devils and Las Sangrientas. Back in grade school. You know, the same old boring story. Friends and then more. And then came gang life.”
I frown at how simple she makes it all sound. “You didn’t care when he joined the gang? Your parents didn’t care?” It seems odd that any parent with a young girl wouldn’t keep her far from that life.
Maggie laughs, shaking her head. “I was already in Las Sangrientas before he became BTD, so no, I wasn’t bothered. It was just what people from the east side did. Joined up in the military like you or joined a gang. We chose the gang life.”
I’m not sure how much choice she had, but I lean forward, curious about her life. About her. “And your parents were cool with that?”
She laughs again. This time the sound is harsh and bitter. “My mom tolerated Demon. Thought he was good for me and could keep me in line. My stepfather hated Demon with a passion that only grew when he caught us fucking.”
She snorted his opinion of the man. “That sorry motherfucker beat me up and kicked me out. And my so-called mother let him. Bitch. Then, I stayed with Demon and his mom for a while, but she was so strung out I’m not sure she even knew I was there.”
I’d heard versions of this story before, but Maggie’s sincerity told me she wasn’t crying poor me to get drugs or game the system.
“That’s rough. So you two were left to your own devices?” I was, too, but I had wealthy parents. My own devices meant nannies, and housekeepers, and other paid help.
“Yeah. It was me and Demon against the world, but when he rose up the ranks inside BTD and started working with the cartels, he became his worst fucking nightmare. A junkie.”
“And you felt obligated to stay with him?”
“I did. After everything we’d been through, I thought I could help him through it. I couldn’t.”
I study her sad and tortured smile, full of so many emotions, it’s hard not to feel for her.
“I’m sad he’s gone,” she says, conflicted emotions in her voice, “but the dude I knew and loved? He’s been gone for years.”
“So you’re not harboring some deep resentment against my MC for killing your soulmate?”
She shakes her head and winces. “No. I told him to forget about Viper, but his ego and paranoia wouldn’t allow it. The minute that cartel dude mentioned Viper’s name, Demon was all wrapped up in it.”
“You don’t want to try to make amends with the Bloodthirsty Devils?”
Maggie scoffs and winces. “You’re kidding, right?” She points to her face and then her side. “Maybe before this, a part of me hoped I could go back and nothing would change, but after this, I’ll never trust them again.”
“I can offer you protection, Maggie.” It’s a foolish offer. I know that just as well as I know that I can’t leave her to fend for herself. “I have to talk to my President first, but it won’t be a problem.” I hope.
Maggie chuckles, even though she can’t move without being in pain. “Thanks for the offer, Doc, but I won’t hold my breath. Pretty sure your MC hates me as much as my crew does.”
“They don’t hate you, Maggie. We’ve actually been looking for you.”