Canvas & Keys

5. Now, You're Talkin' Crazy

I started to panic when they disappeared with Beau inside. They disappeared before I could say anything. "Where are they taking him? I don't want him alone with them...he's...?"

Flannery took my hand and squeezed it once. "Don't worry. Once we're inside, I'll be the only one in there with him. I'll clean and stitch him up as best I can, but I don't know how long it's going to be before he wakes up. He lost so much blood..."

Kenna Lewis was still looking in their direction, grimacing. "Blood that's going to be all over my sheets by the looks of it." She gave her a look. "They're taking him to my room, aren't they? Dammit! You know how hard it is to get blood stains out, Flannery. And they're new sheets!"

"I'll buy you more."

"Not the same."

"I'll buy you the same ones then."

"Still not the same..."

"Good to see you, too, Kenna," Flannery laughed as she leaned forward to give her a hug.

She hugged back, grimacing still. "You know how much I despise that man, especially when he brings another bloody man into my house? And you know how many of his fucking goons he's got in there? Then there's that bitch of a woman, Seraphina. No wonder they're married. At least their asshole of a son is gone for good. God, I hate them all with every cell in my body..."

"I'll add you to the ever-growing list of people who think the same thing. But now...let me introduce you to someone."

Both of them looked at me and Kenna's eyes got wide again.

"Oh, hell no!"

Flannery put a hand on her arm. "Kenna, listen..."

Kenna pointed at me. "She's Hattie-fucking-Devereaux!"

"Oh, really?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "I had no idea. Thanks."

She raised one in response. "And she's sassy...I like her."

Flannery let out a laugh, shaking her head. "Kenna, this is Hattie Devereaux. Hattie, this is Kenna Lewis."

Kenna held out a hand for mine. "Nice to meet you, Hattie."

"Same," I smiled.

Flannery sighed then, nodding toward the front door. "We'd better get you inside, Hattie, before they think you've bested me and run off."

"Wouldn't want that happening, would we?" Kenna laughed. She elbowed me in the side. "With what happened the last time at the mall in Atlanta a few weeks ago...well, I know I sure as hell shouldn't get on your bad side."

As we walked toward the house, I looked over at her. "How'd you know about that?"

"Who do you think wiped the tapes?"

"Kenna works with me with all of the tech stuff," Flannery explained. "She's not Order, but she still works for us."

Kenna snorted. "Work. You make it sound like I've got a choice in the matter."

"You would be in prison if you didn't. Vince was right about that."

"Yeah, yeah, though the job does have its perks."

"Perks?" I wondered.

Flannery was the one to answer with a snort. "She and Cruz...need I say more?"

"Mm-hm," Kenna smiled, closing her eyes to more than likely imagine him. "That man is one nice piece of ass. Treats me like a fucking queen, too, which is a total bonus. With the kind of guys I've gotten myself tangled with, I plan on keeping him around for a long time, even when his daddy's the king of all assholes."