3. King
Sweat drips from my forehead as I throw one more punch to the punching bag. My days have started the same way for the last eight years. Eight years ago, I thought I would never bring anything to the table. I was taking care of my brothers, my dad was in prison, my mom was selling herself for drug and booze money. I was doing the best I could, but I was a seventeen-year-old kid. I thought at some point I would get over it, get over my mistake.
That I would get over her.
There’s no getting over my bird.
I’ve punished myself every day since I left Georgia and moved to Michigan with my brothers. My dad had gotten out of prison, found out how we were living and decided to move us to where his family lives. In the grand scheme of things, it was the best thing for us, but I didn’t come to that realization until I almost killed my liver.
Walking into our shared kitchen, I find my brothers drinking coffee before leaving for the day. We bought an abandoned school four years ago and have been remodeling it. Ever since we were kids, we vowed that it would be the three of us, no matter what. The school is ten thousand square feet, there are many days where I don’t even see my younger brothers. But there is a piece of mind knowing that they’re here if I need them, and vice versa.
I would give my life for them, even on the days where I want to kill them.
“Hey man, you going to the cookout later?” my middle brother, Ace, asks before he takes a bite of eggs. Ace is the family clown, never taking anything seriously, but I know that is all for show. Ace feels everything deeply; his highs are great, but when he is low, you don’t want to be around him.
“Fuck! That’s today?” I got maybe three hours of sleep last night. Every time I started drifting asleep, images of my black-haired bird floated through my brain. Since I stopped falling asleep with a bottle of Jack next to my bed, I don’t have a way to combat the memories.
God, what I would give to see her again. And not in my dreams.
Running a tattooed hand down my face, I exhale while I pour a cup of coffee. Our cousin is making a big deal about this cookout. His girlfriend, who I actually like, is making a big deal about getting everyone together to welcome her friend.
I don’t know why she thinks that I would make a good member of the welcoming committee.
“Yeah, I’ll be there,” I groan out. It isn’t that I don’t want to go, but from what I’ve seen from Skye in the year that she’s lived here, she thinks everyone needs to be friends. And I wouldn’t be what you call friendly to strangers.
“Cool. I don’t know why Skye is making a big deal out of this. Maybe her friend is hot. I could use some fresh meat.” I think Ace has slept with every single woman in Chapel Falls. Hell, probably the whole county. The women know the score; Ace Bluff isn’t the one you settle down with, but if you want a dirty fuck, he’s your man.
Pointing at him as I’m pulling a pack of cigarettes out of my pocket, “Don’t go there with Skye’s friend. Have some fucking manners.”
“Yes, Dad,” Ace mumbles before walking away. Rolling my eyes, I take in my youngest brother, River. He is the quietest one out of the three of us, but he saw more of what our mom was doing while Ace and I were in school.
“What about you, Riv? You coming tonight?”
“Unfortunately. Skye ambushed me at work a couple days ago.” Even though River seems grumpy about the thought of socializing for an evening, he has a smirk on his face.
“Alright, well, I’ll see you later. I gotta get to the bar and do inventory.” Leaving River to his breakfast, I head to our garage and hop on my Harley. Michigan weather isn’t the best for motorcycle riders, so in the summer months, I take advantage of every sunny day I can.
My cousin walks into the bar after I've spent a few hours doing inventory. I roll my eyes when I see him in uniform. My family isn’t what I would call law-abiding, so I was shocked when he went to the police academy. He is now the county sheriff, but don’t let that fool you; Cam will also serve out some country justice right with the rest of us.
He’s a good one to have on your side.
“Hey, Cuz. Just stopping to make sure your anti-social ass will still be there tonight,” Cam says as he pops the top off of a beer.
Nope, he isn’t off duty.
“Jesus, yes, I’ll fucking be there. Does the princess have a dress code for us?” I’m aware I’m being a dick, but fuck, what is it about this cookout?
Slamming his beer down, Cam stalks over to me and shoves me. “Don’t be a fucking asshole. I know that’s hard for you. At some point you are going to need to act like a member of this family.” He walks back over to his beer and turns back towards me. “This is important to me. Skye’s friend is more like her sister and has had a fucking shitty hand dealt to her. Life has not been kind, and I know you know what that’s like.”
“I get it, I’ll be there. So will Ace and River.” I’m not sure what’s so special about this friend, but I guess I’ll find out tonight. All I know is that Skye called my dad last week asking if he had any houses for rent. Her friend needed one urgently.
“Alright, you better find some fucking manners first too. I gotta go. See ya later, man.” With that, Cam slams the rest of his beer back before throwing it away and walking out of the bar.
Before leaving, I check in with my manager to make sure they don't need anything. My bar, High Society, is the only bar within a fifty-mile radius. I take pride in the fact that we are always busy; just because we live in the middle of nowhere doesn’t mean we don’t want or need a place to drink.
Watching my dad hover over the grill, I pull a beer out of the cooler. Once he got out of prison, he swore he would never go back. His track record didn’t give me the most confidence in him, but he stuck true to his word. We moved here, and he got to work. He started buying up businesses that his family didn’t already own, and foreclosed homes. He now has a little empire.
Walking up to Cam and Skye, I hand Cam a beer. “So, Skye. What brings your friend to our little slice of hell out here in the middle of nowhere?” Because the woman is running, I don’t need to know the details to know that. But if she is moving to my town, I should know what trouble could follow her.
Cam clears his throat. “Well…her and her kids need a safe place to land. There’s been some trou—” Skye swings her arm, smacking Cam in the stomach, shocking us.
“It is PB’s story to tell if she decides to do so. She is no threat to anyone here, for crying out loud. We are not going to be telling her story, if that’s a problem, tell me now. Because I will leave with her. No questions asked. Are we clear?”
My mouth drops open, because I have never heard Skye talk with so much venom in her voice. Looking at Cam, his wide eyes tell me he feels the same way.
“Yeah, babe. I won’t say anything. Everyone, listen up,” he looks around, making sure our family is paying attention, “Skye's friend will be here in a couple minutes. She has two kids with her. I expect everyone to treat them like family.” Everyone nods, but red flags are going off in my brain.
This chick is bringing trouble with her. I don’t know what kind yet, but I’ll get to the bottom of it.
My brothers come stand next to me as a car pulls down the driveway, but I know this car. I’ve done an oil change and new brake pads on this car. Ace swings his head in my direction, because he worked on this car with me. But there’s no way this is the same car I left in Georgia all those years ago.
There’s no fucking way.
Skye runs to the car, as Cam goes to follow her, I grab ahold of his arm. “Who is that, Cam? No bullshit or code name. Tell me right fucking now!” I practically scream in my cousin’s face.
I don’t realize that Skye and her guests have gotten close until I hear Ace whisper, “No fucking way.” And River mumble, “Holy shit.”
“Hey, guys! I want to introduce everyone to my best friend, Sparrow, and her kids Lochlyn and Teller.” Pushing Cam out of the way, I take one look and fall to my knees. I hear commotion behind me, but I can’t bear looking away. The woman I’m staring at…is not my bird. She is too skinny, her clothes are worn and falling off of her, there is now a raised scar on her right cheek. And the two kids standing next to her…
Are mine.