Isobel shook her head slightly. “Yep. No way is any of this really happening. I’m going to need to make stronger coffee. This isn’t doing the trick.”
“I’ve got something that will get your motor running,” said Bill. “It’s in my bag. Don’t take too much or you won’t sleep for a week. Primo shit, man.”
Isobel snorted.
“Go in the house,” said Jackass to Bill. “I’ll be there in a minute to help get you situated.”
Liberty grunted at the man, unable to hide her annoyance. “I saw your version of helping. It left a lot to be desired.”
His gaze trailed over her unhurriedly, and she found herself thinking again about the man who had made her feel safe as a child. That was silly. He couldn’t be one and the same because he wasn’t old enough. That man would easily be twenty years older than this one.
“I will see to it he’s cared for—properly,” he said, his voice assertive yet even-toned.
“Gus says Russia is gonna make sure we’re fine. He’s gonna do the same for you too,” said Bill.
“Jackass doesn’t need—” said Liberty, before thinking better of it. “I mean your son. Not Jackass. And he doesn’t need to worry about me. I’m fine. I’m worried about you.”
“Jackass fits him perfectly, but his name is Rurik,” said Bill. “And Gus says that he understands that you’re frustrated with Russia there, but that it’s important you trust your gut when it comes to him.”
Liberty slid a sideways look at Isobel, wondering if she’d heard Gus say anything. Liberty hadn’t heard the man utter a single word.
Isobel stood there drinking from the pot of coffee like this was just any old day and nothing was out of the ordinary. It was easy to see she still wasn’t sure she was awake.
“Bill, do you hear voices in your head?” asked Daisy, worry on her face.
Bill glanced in her direction. “Well, yeah. I just told ya what Gus said, and he mostly talks in my head.”
Daisy nodded. “I see. And what does he mostly say?”
With a shrug, Bill took his blue jacket off. “Loads of stuff.”
“Does he ever tell you to harm yourself or others?” asked Daisy.
Bill scratched his chin. “Sometimes he tells me to hurt others. But I think of hurting others on my own. He ain’t needed for that. Most times I have a bag of really primo weapons with me. I’m always itching to use them. Got me a rocket launcher that is sweet. Once I used it to shoot me a monster that had like fifty eyes at a titty bar, erm, excuse me—establishment where tops are optional. Man, did that monster ever blow! It was awesome. Almost bagged me an evil gargoyle with the launcher once too but fuck if Thor didn’t steal my thunder. Dickwad.”
Liberty did her best to wrap her mind around everything the small man was spewing forth. She was fairly certain she’d heard the words “gargoyle” and “monster,” as well as a mention of a Norse god, but she wasn’t about to ask for clarification.
Bill stared at Daisy as he continued. “The special ops dicks keep taking the good stuff from me. Sure, nearly blow up one vampire and set a shifter’s hair on fire and suddenly you’re persona non grata. Total bull if you ask me. I mean, would the world really miss one more bloodsucker? And it wasn’t like that shifter didn’t have long-ass girlie hair to start with. He needed a haircut. I like to think I helped facilitate that. But do I get a thank you? No. Ungrateful pricks.”
Liberty stood there, soaking in everything he’d said. She glanced at her friends. Was it just a coincidence that Bill was ranting about supernaturals with everything they’d been learning about their past, or was there more to the story? While she understood it was possible to be more than human, even she had a hard time believing vampires and shifters were real.
Bill looked at Gus. No words were exchanged. He centered his attention on Liberty. “He wants to know if you would like to wear my jacket or his since your shirt is all wet. I should have offered sooner. I’m a gentleman after all. And I’m real sorry about calling that titty bar a titty bar. I’m surrounded by ladies.”
It was then she glanced down.
Yep.
Her shirt was soaked.
Her mind had been so focused on Bill’s well-being that she hadn’t thought of anything else, like how she didn’t have on makeup and how everyone could see her scars. Oddly enough, she felt more naked knowing her scars were visible than by the fact her shirt was wet and suctioned to her breasts.
She tipped her head and pulled her hair forward more, trying to hide that side of her face. “I’m fine. Thank you for the offer. We should leave you all be now, so long as Rurik knows we’ll be watching. He’d better not hurt you again.”
Bill snickered. “Hear that? She’ll be watching you. Turn-on, huh? You might not even need a girlie mag now if you’re thinking about Liberty Bell.”
She stared at Bill, wondering if he was off his meds. If he wasn’t on any, he maybe should be.
He blushed. “What? The commie there is raring to go. I hope for your sake he lightens up when he’s having sex. Seems the type to keep his socks on. B-o-r-i-n-g.”
“I’m not going to have sex with him,” said Liberty, swallowing hard, unsettled because her words lacked conviction. She did her best to keep from looking at the man in question. Why on earth did she want him sexually? She’d come over to give him a piece of her mind, not think about jumping his bones.
Bill faced Gus once more. Nothing was said between them. “Gus says I gotta behave and get cleaned up. And he says I have to listen to the damn commie. I’m still a little pissed that
