Make Yourself at Home

Chapter 4

"You ready to go home?" Amelia asked as he finally opened his eyes. Juice seemed disinterested, he shrugged and rolled over. "Hey, don't do that. What's wrong? Just last night you were all about this is who we are and now you're well, not."

"I am." He mumbled into the pillow. "Doesn't mean I like that shit. Did you see my mom's face? She was a wreck."

Amelia nodded and ran her fingers through his hair. She loved it and she especially loved that he only kept it for her. "I know, you can't blame her though. You have to except the consequences of your decision, legally and emotionally. I'm sorry, baby."

"You miss em', the club and shit?"

"Not yet," she giggled. "Miss the sun though, my bones are cold here."

He sat up and pulled her onto his lap. "Yeah, I don't miss New York winters."

"What are you thinking?" She tapped his temples and placed a lingering kiss on his lips. "You want to go home, right?" He laughed but didn't answer her question. "Juicy?"

"Yeah, I do." He wasn't actually sure what he wanted to do. "We leave in the morning?"

"Yep, just about twenty four hours, actually."

"Let's get some breakfast." He suggested as she climbed off of him and stretched. "I know a couple places that aren't far."

--

Juice had lightened up since waking. He held Amelia's hand, running his thumb along her knuckles as the elevator moved down floor by floor.

"I'm so hungry." She groaned, rubbing her stomach. The appetite she made no effort to hide was one of the things Juice loved about her, her love of food in general really. At home, they made all types of meals together and enjoyed every bite, it was a passion they shared only with each other.

Tickling her waist he kissed her just as the elevator doors opened. "JC," she feigned embarrassment. "Get a hold of yourself."

--

"Have you ever seen Bobby preform?" She asked, swallowing the last little bit of her omelette. "He's actually good, it's just so weird cause he's Bobby."

"I've been meaning to actually." He pushed his plate away with a content smile. "Just you know, I'm not driving to Tahoe to see it."

"We should go." Amelia watched as he slapped some cash on the table, far more than enough for the bill, and scooted out of the booth.

"That'll be the fourth time I've left town in less than a year. Maybe next summer, sweetheart."

Hand-in-hand they walked briskly back down the street toward the hotel. After such a large meal all they wanted to do was go back to sleep. The stroll was peppered with kisses and giggles, bright smiles on both their faces until they entered the lobby. Tory was there, pacing the reception area, looking mortified and rather scared.

"Jesus, what the hell is this?" Juice grumbled as they headed to him. "What's up man?"

"I need your help." He admitted. "I got myself in some trouble and I could use your...expertise."

Amelia huffed, her eyes shooting daggers at him. After all the trouble he started and the things he said, now he needed help.

"With?" Juice asked.

"Can we talk alone?" He gestured to Amelia.

"Hell no." Juice growled. "You want to talk to me, you talk to my girl too."

Tory looked upset but Amelia didn't care, she stood firm. "Fine. Can we go to your room?"

Amelia and Juice shared a look and she shook her head. Right then she took on a more protective role, she didn't trust Tory. "No." She pointed off to the small cafe across the street. "We'll talk there."

--

"It was stupid." Tory said adamantly. "I know that but I need help, I'm afraid they might go after your sister."

Juice sneered, this guy was an idiot. "So you're in that deep of a hole? How much?"

"Fifteen."

"Hundred?" Amelia asked, unsure what the big deal was. That wasn't a lot of money in the circumstances.

"Thousand." Tory corrected her. "Late fees and shit."

"I can clear this up for you." He jabbed his finger in Tory's face. "The only way is to pay it though. Bookies have armies, I'm not putting myself in that shit. You don't bet another cent on anything, you hear me?"

"Yeah, of course." Relief washed over him. "Thank you, man."

"Don't thank me. I don't have that much on me but I know a way to get it or earn it." He hated helping this guy after the trouble he helped cause. "I'm not doing this for you, Tory, I'm doing it for my sister. You talk so much shit but you're worse than me. You're just a fucking piker."