Page 26 of Mimic

I followed the two of them outside and up the path that had been constructed. They had a sizable lead, but inside the compound there wasn’t much of a worry. I stomped up the stairs, and Charlie hollered from inside, “Mimic, hurry!”

“I’m coming.” Charlie had a way of pulling me out of my brooding mood, until I walked in and found Derek, Sam’s ex-husband, standing a little too close to Sam. I changed my course and headed straight for where they stood.

Derek caught my eye and tilted his head toward me, letting Sam know I was coming.

“Mimic, I need to talk to you.”

“Whatever he told you, he’s fucking lying. I haven’t said shit to him.”

“I’ll give you a minute.” Derek walked outside and sat on the front porch steps. I didn’t trust the bastard. He’d beat the shit out of Sam when he found out she was pregnant. He knew immediately she’d cheated, because years before that he’d had a vasectomy but never told her.

Was she right in how she went about having a baby? Fuck no, but you didn’t fucking beat on a woman, for any fucking reason. That was why I’d shot Syrena in the head. I wouldn’t lay my hands on a woman, not like that. Ever.

“What the fuck did he say to you?”

Sam crossed her arms over her enormous belly. She was so big now. She didn’t have much longer. She was due at the end of July, but she said twins often came early. My mom never really talked about how and when she got pregnant with us, so I didn’t know if we were early, late, or right on time.

“You need to watch that tone when you speak to me.”

“I’m sorry, Momma.” I wrapped my arms around her as best I could. “I can’t let what he did to you go.”

“Then maybe you need to talk to Haizley.” I pulled back and narrowed my eyes at her. I loved this woman, but I wasn’t talking to a shrink.

“No.” I stepped back and went to turn, but Sam grabbed my arm.

“Did you know Derek got an apartment?”

“No, why should I care where he fucking sleeps?”

“Mimic,” she warned, and I looked away and muttered, “Sorry.”

“He got an apartment on the edge of town. Same building as Gunner’s employee.”

“Fuck,” I whispered.

“What are you doing, Mimic? King told you to stay away from her.”

“I’m watching over her. Why is it any of his fucking business?”

Sam grabbed my arm and dragged me to the kitchen. “Lower your voice unless you want your sisters to hear you. He told me instead of going straight to King because you aren’t showing up until three in the morning and then leaving before the sun rises. What are you doing?”

“I’m keeping her safe.”

“Does she know that?”

This woman hadn’t even known me for a year, and yet she knew more about me than I had ever told her. I looked out the glass sliding doors that led to a deck.

“Mimic, you can’t do this.”

“I have to protect her.”

“Why her?” Sam asked.

It was a question I didn’t want to answer. I didn’t understand it myself; how could I expect others to understand. So I gave her the only thing I could.

“It was my fault she got hurt. I’m responsible for her.”

“If King finds out—”