Bear: Devil's Rose MC #7

Chapter 14: Kate Thatcher

"When is my daddy getting home?" Faye questions with a sleepy voice as she buries herself under the blankets of her twin bed.

"I don't know. But I know what he would want is for you to try and fall asleep. It's way past your bedtime."

It's only 10:30, but I know that Faye, whose bedtime is 8:30, is going to be hella grumpy tomorrow if she doesn't rest. She's got school to go to. She's got people to deal with, and it's going to suck if she has to go in extra sleepy. 

I've tried explaining all this to her and adding her brother Xavier, who fell asleep an hour ago, as an example of what she should be doing. However, she is putting up a fight. She wants to see Bear before she goes to be, but I have a feeling he isn't coming home for a while. 

I know this because of the plans that Reaper and Alpha made. They're going on an easy run of the warehouse where the accountants and desk jockeys are to get some weapons and information. 

They aren't going to have to put up too much of a fight. But some of the inventory is going to be gone. Alpha and Reaper had it secretly transported to my father's headquarters (I told them where it was) but are putting it under my name for lack of better words. My father is going to think I stole those weapons for him. 

So the Devil's Rose might be a little stressed out over that for a second or two. At least until Alpha and Reaper talk them down and have them refocus on finding my father more than anything else.

"How about this? If you try to fall asleep now, I'll tell your father to wake you up briefly when he comes home, okay?"

"You promise?" she asks, her pinky finger sticking out from underneath the covers.

"I promise," I speak in return, wrapping my pinky around hers.

It's sweet how much she cares about him. It makes sense because Faye is Bear's daughter, but there's something I appreciate about it.

She lays her head back on her pillow, closing her eyes tightly as if she's trying to force the sleep. It works because less than a minute later, she's out like a light. I swear, it took her maybe thirty seconds. 

I smile while walking out of her bedroom, shaking my head at her reluctance to follow the rules. If she's not following rules now, I can't even imagine what she's going to be like as a teenager. Not feeling tired myself, I make my way into the kitchen to make myself a snack (literally just me heating up leftover pizza in the microwave) and binge-watch Netflix. 

I scroll through the shows for a minute before landing on An Astrological Guide for Broken Hearts. There are only twelve episodes, so it's like the perfect binge-watching show. And there's drama, but it's not overcomplicated and doesn't stress me out. 

Plus, I've watched the show twice before, so I know how it ends.

By the time Bear comes back into the house, I've finished a whole pizza, two bowls of popcorn, a bag of Lays potato chips, four cans of beer, and six episodes. 

Yes, I look like a fucking pig, but by the expression on his face, I don't think he could care less. I hold my hand full of Goldfish, offering one to him which he takes with a strained smile on his face.

Don't ask how he's doing, Kate. Don't ask him about his day. Don't do it.

"How was your day?" I ask, the words rolling out of my mouth.

So fucked, Kate. You are so fucked.

"Exhausting. Yours?"

"A different kind of exhausting. Hence junk food and Netflix."