“Wow,” is the one stupid thing that comes out of my mouth.
“That’s so amazing.” Viv’s voice is startling from behind me, but Carmen is just smiling like she knew she was listening in. I never knew she was anywhere around.
“Sorry,” Viv murmurs as she looks down and comes closer. “I couldn’t help but overhear, and I couldn’t stop listening.”
“It’s okay,” Carmen says with a shrug. “No one here is ashamed of our stories. We share them with anyone inside the safe homes. It’s helped us heal and move forward so that we don’t stay tethered to the past.”
“So this whole time you all knew Vince had two daughters, but everyone has kept it quiet?” Viv asks, holding her drink to her chest and leaning in like she’s hanging on Carmen’s every word.
“Yes,” Carmen says with a smile. “They trust us, and that trust means more to all of us than you could ever understand. They felt we were worth it, when the rest of the world had written us off. So no one here is speaking.”
Viv clicks her tongue and acts like she’s thinking before saying the stupidest thing she can. “You could make a small fortune if you spilled the beans on a story like that.”
Carmen stiffens visibly, and her warm gaze turns cold. Pretty sure she wouldn’t hesitate to kick Viv’s ass, but my sister is just musing aloud. Not threatening anything.
“What did you say?” a man asks, just as two others come closer—too close.
Viv shrinks back to be almost behind me again, and I debate whether or not she’s worth turning into a human shield for.
“Sorry. I was just amazed at the restraint. I wasn’t threatening anything like that. I promise. I have more money than I need,” she lies, well sort of. She has plenty of money—enough to keep her from doing something like that. She hasn’t blown her trust, surprisingly. It’s the one thing she keeps a secret from Dixon.
Clearing my throat, I try to sound a little less idiotic than her and ask the question I think she was going for. “Why do they keep it quiet?”
Everyone around us relaxes a little, but Viv still gets wary glances in her direction.
“Because everyone would expect a handout if they learned what Vince does,” Carmen says, turning her attention back to me. “Vince doesn’t hand out anything. You earn it by accepting the first stage of help you need. You earn it by living in one of these houses and getting better—turning whole and going to therapy. You earn it by trying to be a good person. You earn it by helping someone new when they come into the house. You earn it by taking on the responsibility of a job and doing your best. Then, when you’re ready to stand on your own two feet, you earn it by staying on the right path. Not everyone wants to earn it. Some just want to be taken care of while continuing to destroy their own lives. Vince is an excellent judge of character. So is Bo. So is her sister, usually. They keep us safe by being secret heroes, and they never expect anything in return but the promise you’ll change your life for the better.”
Viv nods like she understands, and a small smile tries to form on my lips. Bo and Vince could rock the world with a PR campaign like this, but it would defeat the good they’re trying to do, so they keep it hidden.
My smile falls when I think of what an ass I’ve been—purposely making her uncomfortable since I found out she wasn’t Bora. I’ve also been passive aggressive, even though she hasn’t so much as batted an eye. In fact, she hasn’t gotten pissed at me once.
Irritated? Yes. Annoyed? Definitely. Pissed? Not even close. I almost wonder if Bo even knows how to be angry. The maddest she’s gotten is when I’ve mentioned Bora.
I’m going to hell for trying to piss off a saint who is pretending to be a sinner.
How did my life get so complicated?
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“I’m sorry I offended everyone with that comment. I promise I was just thinking aloud,” Viv rushes on to say, slicing through my thoughts.
My eyes drift over to Bo as she brushes her hair from her face, and the light from the fire illuminates her in a way that almost makes her look forbidden.
Apparently I’m waxing poetic bullshit now, too. Fuck my day.
“What’s on your mind?” Viv asks me as Carmen goes to scoop up the young Kimbo and shower him with kisses that have him laughing.
Something tugs at my stomach, and I half wonder if it’s guilt for not being a fucking saint, too.
My eyes move back to Bo as she smiles shyly at me and returns her attention to Kimbo as Carmen puts him down. Viv nudges me when I don’t answer, and I clear my throat.
“I’m thinking I want to get to know Bo better.”
“Yeah,” Viv sighs. “And to think I was under the impression she didn’t deserve you. Now I realize you’re the one who doesn’t deserve her.”
I cock my eyebrow while turning back to gaze down at my sister, but she just stares defiantly up at me.
“Don’t give me that look. I know how you treat girls.”