Misfits Like Us (Like Us #11)(51)

“What up, roomies,” I wave a hand to Quinn, Frog, and Gabe.

Quinn Oliveira is the bodyguard to Baby Ripley, and Gabe Montgomery is SFO’s resident floater.

Once Kannika “Frog” Kitsuwon signed a full-time roster contract as Luna’s bodyguard, Akara included housing for his cousin. Which meant he had to amend Gabe’s contract to also include housing.

Frog and Gabe moved in at the same time, and the four of us have been living together in the security apartment three floors below the penthouse. With only two bedrooms, I took the pull-out so Frog could have her own space.

Seemed like the right thing to do.

Frog grabs a lobster roll, “The only thing that’s up is Quinn’s hard-on for Nessa.”

Oscar’s brows rise and he pops a grouper finger in his mouth like popcorn. “We would all hope his equipment is working properly for his girlfriend.”

Quinn flips his brother off. “Frog is just pissed because of the hamster.”

“You mean the Gerber Gerbil. That thing cries like a newborn baby but soooo much worse.”

She’s not wrong. That hamster has kept me up plenty of nights, but I don’t complain. I’m just glad to have a roof over my head, a soft spot to sleep on, and a place to come back to.

Farrow is giving me a look across the table. “And you still don’t want to move into the guest room?” The penthouse guest room.

Jane and Thatcher aren’t using it as a nursery like I thought they would, but I can’t move into the penthouse. Into that room.

It’s the closest room to Luna. If her dad hears, what’s he going to think of me? I’m already walking on fire.

“I’m fine,” I remind him.

He hates that I’m sleeping on a pull-out. With no room. When he has a free space for me, but I’m okay.

I’m doing okay.

“When did you get a hamster?” Oscar asks his brother.

“I’m pet sitting,” Quinn shoots Frog a look. “Fluffy isn’t that bad.”

“Nessa needs to collect her rodent.”

“She can’t until the apartment finishes getting painted. The fumes…” Quinn’s voice tapers off as three people walk onto the rooftop.

I stand up, clapping. Everyone is applauding too.

Thatcher, who comes in behind Banks and Akara, starts joining the applause. It’s the first time all of Omega has been together since Banks and Akara married Sulli.

I clap the hardest. Gotta love love.

“Alright, alright.” Akara fits a baseball cap on, smiling. “That’s enough.”

“Nah, we can go harder,” I say.

Everyone laughs.

Banks nods, toothpick between his lips. “Thanks, gents and lady.”

Frog grins.

While they all disperse for the food, Akara comes over to me and snaps his finger to his palm. “Donnelly. Can we talk before the meeting starts?”

Farrow goes rigid, and severity hardens Oscar’s features. Can’t be that bad, right? I just toss my napkin on the table.

“Sure.”

Following Akara to the edge of the rooftop, I lean an arm on the railing. Philly is gorgeous today, and it’s hard to take my eyes off her effervescent beauty.

“I have some news that you might not like,” Akara tells me. “Originally, I didn’t want to bring it up, man, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized you have information that I need. For the security team.”

My first thought: has to be my fucked up family.

I don’t know what other news I wouldn’t like. I don’t know who else could be a threat to the security team.

I keep my eyes on Philly. On something good. I say, “Give it to me.”

“We know the person who stole Sulli’s Jeep. They stripped it for parts and left it in the Poconos.”

No.

“Colin Donnelly. Does that ring a bell?”

I keep my eyes on Philly. “Yeah, we’re related.”

He doesn’t ask me how.

“Is he going to be a problem?”

Yeah.

“No,” I say. I’ll take care of it.

Akara nods. I think he trusts me, and I want to be worthy of that trust.

I am.

I can be.

I hope.





DONNELLY’S DAILY PLANNER





Thursday, Sept 20th





Today’s Focus: get better at writing these things. Stop focusing on you-know-who. Only focus on the little Elf. Got a school day ahead of him.



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To Do:

Drive Xander & Kinney to school (try not to joke with her bodyguard. Sinclair is a big Grinch baby and doesn’t like fun.)

Buy Salem doggie treats. Peanut-butter flavored. Who doesn’t love peanut butter?

Remember to tell Xander’s calc teach about Gretchen (or is it Greta?) abusing the bathroom hall pass system. No one likes a nark but ya gotta do it.

Figure out Gretchen’s real name so calc teach takes you seriously.

Keep avoiding Delilah (her teacher isn’t gonna do anything, confirmed).

Text date for meet-up time tomorrow. Might need to pick her up.

Figure out when to go see C.D.