Page 10 of Last One Standing (Saint Brothers #5)

CHAPTER TEN

KONA

He came. I wasn’t sure if he would, and part of me hadn’t wanted him to. Brick was suspicious of the man even though I’d told him he wasn’t a threat or anything. He wasn’t here tonight, but there were a few of the MCs, and they’d be reporting my every move to him…just like always.

Once the show ended and I’d waved and bowed and thanked all the people, I went back to my dressing room to get out of costume. Some days it took longer than others, but that depended on the details of my creation.

Tonight, it was fairly simple. I’d chosen a floor-length ruby-red dress, my platinum wig, makeup, and some jewelry. The makeup would take the longest.

As I undressed, I thought perhaps I wouldn’t go greet anyone. I’d get an earful from Brick later, I was positive, but I’d rather him argue with me over not mingling with paying patrons than him accusing me of infidelity.

Of course, only VIPs and selected people were allowed to stay after the show but as Pika’s guests, they had to have been invited.

“Shit,” I snapped at my reflection.

“Glue not coming off?” Pika walked in ready to help me as always. He usually left immediately following my show, but I had a feeling he’d been told there were friends of his here.

“No, just stuck in my head is all.”

He sat in the chair beside mine. “Wanna talk about it?”

I smiled at him. I loved Pika more than anyone in the entire world.

There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for him, and I knew he felt the same.

Difference was, I wouldn’t let him sacrifice himself for me, ever, and if I explained Brick’s upset with Angel, he might foolishly say something to Brick, and I wasn’t sure how that would go.

“Nah, it’s nothing huge.” I tilted my chin toward the door. “You should go talk with your guests.”

He shrugged. “Yeah, I’ll go out with you.”

I placed my wig on its stand and shook my head. “Think I’ll skip that tonight.”

“You can’t. You’ll upset your fans, and I know you hate that. What’s got you so weird right now?”

I sighed and grabbed the makeup remover. I should have known by now that I couldn’t get anything past Pika. He was fifteen and I tried to shield him from what I could, but he’d had to grow up too fast.

“I can’t be seen talking to that Angel guy.”

He jerked his head back. “What, why?”

I started rubbing my face, unable to look into Pika’s eyes. I stood up to Brick as best I could for what I wanted whenever he got controlling, but it never ended well, and I was getting tired. Seeing Pika’s disappointment in me would be too much.

I explained what had happened a couple of weeks ago and how angry Brick was with me, how I’d tried my best to convince him there was nothing and they were Leo’s friends. If Brick found out…well, I didn’t need to elaborate. I was sure Pika understood.

“Why didn’t you say something to me? I wouldn’t have invited him.”

I snorted. “Did you want me to say something to you in the middle of the diner?”

I could see his shoulders sag from the corner of my eye. “I’m sorry, Kona.”

“No.” I tossed the cloth I was using to the table and faced him.

“Look at me.” He did, and I gripped his hands in mine.

“I’m the one who’s sorry, Pika. After Mom died and they called me to care for you, I thought I would be able to.

Nothing panned out and maybe, I dunno, maybe instead of running from DCF, I should have let them find a good place for you…

a real home. I’ve messed up your life, and?—”

“Shut up,” Pika snapped. He never did that. “I’d rather sleep on the streets with you than be in some stranger’s home. I love you; you’re all the family I have left. You did what you thought was right, and I’ve never once been angry with you over it.”

“Mom would be so disappointed in me.”

He leaned closer, hugged me tightly, and I embraced him with all my strength.

“No, she wouldn’t be. She was proud of you and believed you’d find your dream. And you will. We’ll get out of here, and all your fans will follow. Brick won’t be able to touch us if we have protection.”

I pulled away. “Pika, when we run, we will have to hide. I can’t do this anymore.

We don’t have protection, and whatever money I’ve stashed away will keep us fed and warm.

I can’t hire protection.” I took his face in my hands.

“My dream now is for you to fulfill yours. I’ll do whatever I can to make that happen. ”

“I’ve been thinking about that.” Pika’s voice was so small.

“Thinking about what?”

He moved away from my grip and wouldn’t meet my eyes. “After Leo invited Angel and his brothers, I think they are, he told me they helped him out. So, I asked around and got nowhere fast. I hit walls and everything.”

“Okay…”

“So I went to Leo.” He held his hand up, stopping me from telling him how dumb that was. “No, I explained someone needed help and wondered if he knew how to go about asking them.”

My eyes widened. “The diner. You knew who he was the second you saw him, didn’t you? It’s why you invited him tonight.”

“I didn’t plan that. Leo actually told me to go to Saintly Sweets to talk to them. I knew who they were—yeah, I watched your show that week, saw them on the balcony. When he showed up at the diner, I thought it was an opportunity.”

I grabbed another cloth and went back to removing my makeup. “And what were you going to say to Angel tonight?”

“I was going to ask him for help. I get a good feeling about him. I really believe he can help us.”

With my makeup off, I stood and turned so Pika could unzip my dress. “Pika, I got us in this mess by asking Brick and his MC to help us. I’m not going to lean on another group of men.”

“They’re different.” He stood and helped me out of my dress. “I know it.”

I closed my eyes for a beat. “It’s not safe.”

“It’s never safe, Kona. We need to take a chance, though.”

I gripped his arms and stared into his hopeful eyes. “Leo told you how to find them, Saintly Sweets, so now we know. Let me do a little bit of digging on them before we throw ourselves at their mercy, okay?”

I could tell he hated that idea, but he’d listen to me. “Yeah, okay, Kona.”

“Great. Now let me finish getting changed. Go on out there and talk to them like you don’t want their help. I’ll be out there in a few.”

“Sure.”

Once he left the dressing room, I shut the door and slid down to the floor. My life was a mess, and my fifteen-year-old brother wanted to help. It was his life too, but I was so afraid that if it got back to Brick that Pika was asking someone other than the MC for help, it would get ugly.

I’d defend him with my life. Pika knew where my stash was, and I hoped if it ever came to that, he’d take the money and run and not do something stupid like try to avenge me.