Page 43 of Oathbreaker

Fourteen

Colt

I come awake slowly. Suspiciously.

No soft, harried breathing.

No big blue eyes waiting inches from my face.

The guest room is empty and that hurts more than all my other aches and pains put together.

It’s quiet this morning, though, making me wonder if the girls are already gone, back to their normal routine.

That’s depressing.

They have a routine, and I don’t even know what it is. Frankie goes to school, and Briar works for—with, she works with—Atlas, but she doesn’t seem to have strict hours.

If I’m going to insert myself into their lives, I have to learn the ins and outs of the life they lead. Quickly. It would be great to lounge around for a week or two, getting my strength back and starting to look for a place to live, but I don’t have that luxury.

Money isn’t an issue. I have plenty. A lot. In fact, more than I’ve ever seen in my life. Certainly not the many millions Banks makes or the billions Atlas has amassed, but for a kid from Ohio who literally grew up using hand-me-down hockey sticks, I made a lot of money while I was letting the FSB beat and torture me. My handlers even took the opportunity to invest it for me, so the two million in my account almost mocks me.

Almost.

I’m not stupid, though. That kind of money won’t last a lifetime. I still have to figure out my next steps. I’d assumed—probably stupidly—that Dash or Atlas would be able to help me find something. Now I’m not so sure. Hell, I’m not sure of anything at this point.

I drag my sorry ass out of bed and into the shower. That helps loosen up the stiffness, so I feel halfway human.

Lights are on in the kitchen, and I walk in to find Frankie by herself, coloring.

“Good morning, honey,” I say cautiously.

She doesn’t look up. “Good morning.”

At least she has manners, even if she’s still pissed.

“Whatcha coloring?” I stare down at the stick figures on the page.

“My family.”

“Show me who everyone is,” I say carefully.

“Mommy and me.” She points. “Uncle Banks.” He has on a crude but effective hockey jersey with his number on it. “Auntie Aspen and baby Maisie.” Aspen still has her pregnancy belly even though she’s holding the baby. “Uncle Royal and Auntie Jade with their baby.” She made a big circle for Jade’s belly, drawing a stick figure baby inside. “Uncle Atlas and Lily.” Atlas is the only one other than banks that’s wearing clothes—and it’s a rudimentary suit. “Uncle Dash and Auntie Willow.” Well, I guess that’s a lie—Willow has on red high heels. “And Fruit Loop.”

“Fruit Loop?”

She finally looks up, eyeing me like I’m stupid. “My goldfish. My other one died but Uncle Royal got me another one.” She points, and sure enough, there’s a goldfish in a bowl on the counter.

“My family.” She shrugs and goes back to coloring, though she pushes the now finished family portrait to the side.

Ouch.

I guess Daddy didn’t make the cut.

What did you expect? The devil on my shoulder asks smugly. You left them.

Well, nothing to be done about that now.

“Where’s Mommy?” I ask.