“I d-don’t know wh-what you’re talking ab-about,” Phoebe stuttered, her eyes filling with tears.
“What the fuck. Let her fucking go, you fucking moron!” Peanut roared, jerking the man away from her.
“You’ve been dragging her around the mall buying her all kinds of shit and you don’t think she’s playing you? Wake the fuck up, dumbass. This bitch is—” the man was yelling at Peanut when Peanut punched him in the face, knocking him back a few steps.
Peanut reached forward, grabbing him by his leather vest and jerking him close as he snarled into the other man’s face. “Shut the fuck up and listen, mother fucker. What I do or don’t allow isn’t up to your stupid ass. If you’d asked me instead of following us around like a damned idiot lurking in the fucking shadows making me nervous as hell all damned day then you’d know that she was robbed yesterday and doesn’t have anything to her damned name. She has to have clothes and shit. You had no right to stick your big nose into my business, and if I ever see you touch her again I will fucking kill you where you fucking stand. Now get the fuck out of here, Viking, before I really lose my temper.” Peanut shoved him and Phoebe watched as he stumbled back again, bumping into another man who hurriedly moved away from the two fighting men.
Her hands were shaking and she was about to jump up and run. Peanut was furious as he stepped closer to her and she felt her insides crumple. Her heart beat like a drum in her chest and she was sure his kindness was at an end. He would blame her for this and she’d have to run again, only this time she’d have no money and nothing to take with her. She was wringing her hands and trying not to look at him. She didn’t want to make it worse. Peanut knelt beside the chair she was still sitting in, his hand gentle as they stopped hers.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
Phoebe glanced up, surprised to see that instead of anger he was looking at her gently. His eyes were calm and despite his slightly clenched jaw he didn’t look angry with her.
“Y-yes,” Phoebe whispered.
“I’m sorry he scared you. He’s just trying to look out for me and Jazzy. I know that’s not an excuse but we’re his only real family. He has a hard time getting to know people and even in the club we are all he has. Not that the club wouldn’t help him if he ever needed it, but he isn’t close to anyone except me and Jazzy. I won’t let him or anyone else hurt you, you know that, don’t you, Phoebe?” Peanut looked so earnest as he asked her this that she found herself blinking at him.
He really meant what he was saying, she realized. He wasn’t mad at her, he was upset with his friend. She let out the breath that she hadn’t even realized she was holding. The fear that had consumed her was slowly starting to fade away. She nodded her head in agreement and Peanut seemed to relax.
“Dad, what’s going on? Is Phoebe okay?” Jasmine asked, drawing her attention to the little girl who was now standing next to the chair. Lisa was standing just outside the salon watching them from a few feet away.
“What the hell was Viking thinking?” she demanded. “He’s lucky no one called the police.”
“It’s fine. It was a misunderstanding,” Peanut said getting to his feet.
“What did Uncle Viking do? Was there a bad man and he had to chase him away? Phoebe says a bad man hurt her, but I told her that you and my uncles would make the bad man go away. Is that what happened?” Jasmine asked looking up at her father, who didn’t seem to know how to answer that. Taking pity on him and his dilemma, Phoebe finally found her voice.
“That’s exactly what happened, Jasmine. Your uncle went after the bad guy and your dad was assuring me that I was okay,” Phoebe said, meeting Peanut’s grateful look.
“I knew it,” Jasmine said smiling. “I told you they’d make the bad man go away.”
“You were certainly correct. I love your hair. You look great with bangs,” Phoebe said, distracting her.
“Thank you. I love it too,” Jasmine exclaimed with a bright smile on her face.
“I got you something from the bookstore. Would you like to see?” Phoebe asked as she pulled her up into the chair beside her.
“I knew it would make me look older like Kelly. It makes me look like I’m ten or even eleven, don’t you think? Lisa says I look like a grown-up lady now,” Jasmine said, her words coming out in a rush as she tried to get to the end of her speech as fast as possible.
“I think you look much older than you did when we came to the mall.”
“Yeah, you said you got me something? Can I see it now?” Jasmine asked, seeming to suddenly remember Phoebe had told her about the book she’d found. She opened the bag and dug the book out, handing it to Jasmine. She squealed and jumped up and down. Phoebe was glad that the book wasn’t one she already had. She glanced up at Peanut.
He nodded with a mouthed thank you before he went back in to pay Lisa so they could leave. A few moments later he came back out carrying their bags. He took the bag of books from Phoebe as she rose to meet him. Jasmine was holding her book to her chest as they all headed out of the mall with Peanut carrying their purchases. He was still tense and she’d bet that there would be another conversation between him and Viking before this whole
