“Picking up the keys for our new place, getting the power and water turned on, and finding a job.” He pats my shoulder. “Thanks for taking care of things last night.”
I grind my jaw from side to side. “I had to break in to a house I wasn’t even sure was ours, just so we didn’t have to sleep in the car. Where were you all night? Because I know you weren’t getting the keys for this place and finding a new job at two o’clock in the morning.”
He scrubs his hand over his head. “I was taking care of some other stuff.”
“You mean, finding out which bar lets you open a tab?” I question. “Or which bar has the most inattentive bartender so you can hand him a fake credit card, then stiff the bill altogether?”
“That’s not what I do.” But his guilt is written all over his face.
“I know your scams, Dad.” I back away, shaking my head. “In case you’ve forgotten, I’m the one who’s had to go down to the bar and pay your outstanding tabs, or convince the bar owner that you just forgot to pay the bill and weren’t trying to take off.”
“I wasn’t scamming anyone over last night,” he bites out. “I really did have some stuff to take care of.”
I don’t believe him. I’d be stupid to.
“So, where’s your new job then?”
He shrugs, scuffing the tip of his boot against the dirt. “Around here.”
“Mmhmm.” I roll my eyes. Sure it is. “And what exactly are you going to be doing?”
“Stuff.” He tosses me a set of keys before hiking to the back of his truck. “It requires me to be gone a lot. I might even be gone for a week at a time, so I’m counting on you to take care of your sisters.”
“I always do,” I mutter.
God knows what the hell he’s actually doing for work. Probably something illegal. Or he might even be lying about having a job altogether. Wouldn’t be the first time.
The last time he pulled a stunt like that, he pretended to go to work every morning, only to spend the entire day at the bar, spending what little money we had on whiskey. It took me three weeks to catch on after I realized no money was coming in. I ended up tailing him and, sure enough, discovered his dirty little secret.
After that, I started keeping an eye on him. That was also when I got my first part-time job. I was fourteen and lied about my age to get a waitressing job at a café. I’ve been working part-time jobs ever since. So do my sisters. It’s how we buy food, school clothes, and other necessities, and pay the bills when needed. It’s never enough, though, hence the constant moving. It doesn’t help that our dad is always either borrowing money from us or stealing it when we refuse to give him any cash.
After Dad drops the tailgate, Bailey and I start helping him move stuff inside the house. Eventually, Londyn and Payton return with a can of Fix-A-Flat.
“What happened to your tires?” Dad asks as he follows me with a box in his hands.
“The neighbors,” I answer as I set the can of Fix-A-Flat on the hood of my car.
He blinks in confusion. “They flattened your tires? Why?”
“We got off on the wrong foot, I guess.”
“Do you want me to go talk to them?”
I quickly shake my head. “No, I can handle it.”
Adjusting the box underneath his arm, he scratches his head. “I think maybe we should keep our distance from the people around here.” When I give him a puzzled look, he adds, “I just don’t think we’re going to be here very long, and I don’t want you girls getting attached to anyone.”
“We never do.” A bit of annoyance rings in my tone.
He doesn’t seem to notice, giving me a pat on my shoulder before walking into the house.
I start to turn back toward the truck to grab some more boxes when my gaze magnetizes toward the neighbors’. Blaise is standing on the front porch and leaning against the railing. His face is mostly shadowed, so I can’t see it very well, but I can feel his stare burning into me. And I stare right back. He doesn’t look away, and neither do I.
The air starts to burn, scorching hot, as I refuse to let this asshole intimidate me.
“Hadley.”
I flinch as Bailey nudges my foot with hers.