Page 46 of Clash

Bess didn’t seem convinced, but before I could convince her it was okay, Alex came bounding in, one tooth less than yesterday.

“Mommy, look! I lost a toof!” He hissed out the word, air moving through the empty space in his mouth.

“How?”

He held up an apple, showing off the big chunk he ate out of it. “I just bit and bam! Toof gone. Does that mean the Toof Fairy will come? Can she find me here?”

“Yes, she can find you anywhere, Alex.”

“Oh good, I was afraid she wouldn’t since we aren’t at home with Daddy.”

Just him mentioning his father made me feel guilty, and for some reason, I felt the need to apologize. “Alex, are you sad that we aren’t home with Daddy?”

He shook his head. “Nope.”

“Why not?”

“Because Daddy makes you sad and hurts you. You smile more when you aren’t with him. Like you did with Mr. Clash. He made you smile all the time.”

Did he?

I guess I never noticed or paid attention.

“Well, I just worry that you’re upset that we left the way we did.”

He smiled. “I don’t care, Mommy. Really, I don’t. I just want you to be happy. I can be happy anywhere.”

He moved across the room, embracing me in a tight hug before he put the tooth in my hand. “Last time the Toof Fairy gave me a dollar. Do you think she will again?”

Bess answered for me. “I heard that the Tooth Fairy is more generous in Texas.”

Alex grinned. “I better go put it under my pillow then.” He looked down at his tooth. “Mr. Toof, you better stay under my pillow tonight. I have a Skittles craving I can’t shake and a dollar calling my name in the morning.”

And with that, Alex went skipping out of the room, leaving me with even more guilt than before. I barely had a quarter to give my son right now. Let alone a dollar.

Bess patted my hand. “Don’t worry, Gina. This old woman has pretty strong wings. She’ll make sure that kid wakes up happy. Why don’t you get some sleep? You look like you haven’t slept in days.”

I haven’t.

I haven’t been able to sleep well since leaving Clash. For some reason, just him being in the house made me feel at peace. Sure, Bess’ home was nice, but it didn’t make me feel safe, not like Clash’s loft did.

“Thank you, Bess. I’ll do that. Thank you for everything.”

“Don’t mention it. Just get some good rest, let Bess take care of the rest.”

I never heard her creep into our room that night, nor feel her place the money under his pillow, but Bess was right, the Tooth Fairy was rather generous in the Lone Star State, becausewhen Alex woke up the next morning, a fresh five-dollar bill was waiting for him.

I guess that means Skittles for everyone!

16

The shot rang off, but the blood never came, nor did the darkness I thought would come after. Hadley’s heavy body collapsed on top of me, a cold bullet hole splitting his head.

What the fuck?

Looking around, I searched for whoever took the shot, only to find myself looking up at the one person I never suspected to be standing there.

“You ran off before I could talk to you,” Snyder said, kicking Hadley’s body from off me.