Free Dark Endings by Bec Botefuhr Page B

looking completely flustered. I hand Cody to him and then cup his cheek. “It’ll get easier when you’re around all the time.”
    Jagger nods rather stiffly and then bounces Cody about as he walks out of the room, leaving me alone. I stare at the door. Did I miss something? With a sigh, I take the sheets to the laundry and then I walk out into the main living area. Only Ace and Jenny are up this early, and both smile when I walk in. Jagger is standing out the front and Cody is in his swing on the floor. Jagger is on the phone and obviously doesn’t want whoever it is to hear his son or anyone else.
    I prepare a bottle for Cody and sit at the table while he has it. Jenny smiles and shifts over when I sit. “How did you two sleep?”
    I smile weakly, “Well.”
    “Cody?”
    “Really good, not a peep.”
    Ace is watching Jagger on the phone, so I turn and watch too. He’s having a serious conversation, his eyes are narrowed and his jaw is tight. I stand and walk over, listening through the screen.
    “Fuck Mick, I get it alright? I’m comin’ back today.”
    Today? He said he had two days? My heart drops.
    “Yeah, fuck ya, I got it.”
    He slams the phone closed and turns to face me. I bite my lip to stop it trembling. Jagger’s eyes fall to my lips, and then lift back up to meet mine. I can see that he’s sorry, but it doesn’t take the pain away. He steps through the screen and announces, “I gotta go back this morning.”
    I close my eyes and drop my head.
    “What?” Ace snaps. “You said two days bro.”
    “Change of plans, Mick is sus. If he gets sus, this goes to shit. I gotta go back.”
    “We need to get Angel up so we can discuss this. Jenny,” Ace says, “go and wake them for me, babe.”
    Jenny nods and stands quickly, rushing off down the hall. I walk numbly back to the table and sit down. Jagger sits beside me, taking my chin in his hand and tilting my head up.
    “It won’t be for long, we’re gonna fix this baby.”
    “I thought I had two days,” I whisper.
    “I know,” he says, deadpan, “I know.”
    “So where’s your next fight? Where can we meet up with you next?”
    Jagger’s eyes fall on mine and don’t move. “LA.”
    I cringe. “We have to go back to LA?”
    “I have six fights there next month. It’s the only option.”
    “It works,” Ace says. “We can keep a much closer eye on you there, we have resources.”
    Jagger nods. “Yeah, and Maggie and Aunt Mary are there, they can help with Cody.”
    “Over my dead fucking body,” I snarl.
    Jagger’s eyes pop wide open. “Willow…”
    “Maggie I trust, Aunt Satan I don’t.”
    “What did you call her?”
    “I’m sorry Jagger, but after my experience with that woman, I WILL not leave my son with her. End of discussion.”
    Jagger nods and then sighs. “Ok Willow, but Maggie is there and she can help. You’ll need the help if we are going to pull this off. If it wasn’t for the fact that I know how stubborn you are, I would pull you out and not let you do this but I know you’re going to whether I like it or not.”
    “I know my limits Jagger, if it gets too dangerous I’m out. I won’t leave my son without a mother.”
    Angel, Ava and Jenny appear then. Angel and Ava look half asleep and kind of pissed off. Jagger eyes them and then begins speaking.
    “I gotta go back today. I want you all back in LA so I can keep in contact. You need to get in contact with Huck and get as much information on that island as you can. He has it, don’t let him tell you otherwise. We need explosives, a whole fucking lot of them, he has access to that kind of thing too. We also need man power. Gather anyone you know who is willing to help. Angel and Ace, you get me explosives that I can carry over and begin subtly planting or preparing. We go back once a fortnight to check on things over there.”
    “What about the girls?” I ask.
    Jagger looks over at me. “I have a plan for that. We’ll do the attack on a Thursday.