“Don’t want repayment. Just leave, and soon and don’t ever come back.”
With that, Grimm walked away, never looking back. Picking up the money before me, I didn’t bother counting it. What was the use? I didn’t know how anyway. Folding it, I placed it in the nightstand next to my bed and laid back down, pulling the covers over me.
I wanted to disappear. To vanish and never be thought of again. I shouldn’t have let Gadget rescue me. I should have stayed and accepted my fate, then I wouldn’t be hurting those around me. People shouldn’t be making allowances for me, yet they did so willingly, and I could offer nothing to them in return.
Grimm was right. I was a burden. Useless, a hindrance, and I needed to leave. I needed to find my own place in this world and learn what I could from it. The longer I stayed, the harder it was going to be for me to leave.
Loud footsteps stomped down the stairs, alerting me that someone was coming. I hoped it wasn’t Grimm. I’d seen and heard enough from him already. When Balthazar stormed into my room, I expected him to say the same thing as his brother. Instead, he placed clothes in front of me as he looked at his phone.
Confused, I asked, “What’s this?”
“We’re leaving.”
“When?”
“Now, as soon as your dressed.”
“Why?”
“I will tell you later.”
Not saying anything more, I did as Balthazar instructed. I could tell something was on his mind, yet I didn’t ask. He was so much like his brother in that regard. Doing as he instructed, I pulled the black hooded shirt over my head and smiled. It was warm and comfortable. A bit big, but I wasn’t going to complain. At least I wasn’t in that hospital gown Healer made me wear. Looking at the jean material, I picked them up and put them on. They fit perfectly, almost as if they were made for me. I loved how they felt against my skin, snug but comfortable.
Turing around, I spotted Balthazar staring at me, his mouth open.
Rechecking myself to make sure I was covered, I looked back up at him and asked, “Do I look alright?”
He gulped, nodded, and whispered, “Fucking perfect.”
He waited as I pulled on a pair of socks and then a pair of black boots. “Where did these clothes come from?”
“Remi. She is about your size.”
“I should thank her.”
“Later,” he said, grabbing my arms, forcing me to follow as he pulled me towards the stairs. I’d never been upstairs. From the moment I arrived, I was taken to the basement where Healer kept his clinic. That was almost four weeks ago. Though I was healing, I still had some bruising from when my Uncle beat me last.
Making our way upstairs, I looked around at everything I saw. The place was huge, bigger than our church and every wall was wood-paneled. There were many pictures on the wall, but Balthazar was walking so fast, I could barely see them.
When we entered a big room, I saw men lounging around, sitting, talking, drinking, yet they all stopped when they saw me. We had just made it to the door when Reaper and Remi stopped us.
“Are you sure about this,” Reaper asked.
“No,” Balthazar replied, standing firm. Remi smiled at me, walked over, and gave me a hug.
“You be safe and listen to Ghost. If you can get your hands on any books, read them. They will help you learn. I’m going to miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too,” I said, hugging her tightly to me. She was my first real friend, and I was genuinely going to miss her.
Reaper walked over to me and smiled, “Make sure he stays out of trouble, okay?”
Nodding, I really didn’t know how to reply to that. Balthazar was his own man, capable of making his own decisions. I didn’t know how I could persuade him in anything. Reaper turned and said, “I will text you when we know more.”
Balthazar nodded, took my hand in his, and led me out of the clubhouse towards a bike. I watched as he climbed on and then offered his hand to me.
“Just throw your leg over and climb on, baby. It’s not hard.”
Doing as he said, I quickly found myself sitting behind him. He pulled my arms around him, locking my fingers low, around his waist. Instantly, the bike roared to life. It was loud, and I could barely hear anything, but none of that mattered when the motorcycle began to move. Holding tighter, I plastered myself to his back as the bike rolled forward.