Chapter 3 Goose
GOOSE
To say I woke up on the wrong side of the bed was an understatement.
I was in a piss-poor mood, and it was getting worse by the second.
I hadn’t slept for shit, and now, I was stuck in church with all the brothers. The conference room was filled with all their chitter-chatter, clearing of throats, squeaking chairs, and clicking of pens, and it was more than I could take.
Even the sounds of their breathing were getting on my nerves, especially Rusty’s. Dude sounded like a fifty-year-old smoker the way he was wheezing, and I had a mind to put an end to his suffering.
I was doing my best to tune them all out when Prez stood and started briefing us on all the latest club news. I was struggling to lock in. I tried. I really did, but the conversation was being drowned out by the crazy thoughts I’d had since my father’s text.
Every now and then, a sentence or two would slip by.
“Creed and I have been doing some talking, and we think it’s time to consider stepping away from the casino. I spoke with Sergei, and he was a bit hesitant but wasn’t completely against it.”
This wasn’t news to me.
Creed had filled us in on the plan the night before, so it was no surprise when he added, “Sergei and the boys brought us in to do a job, and we did it. We did it well. So well, we aren’t needed like we were.”
Ghost muttered something under his breath, and Rusty asked if this was something Sergei wanted. Somebody coughed. A chair squeaked. The usual background noise of the brothers trying to puzzle out a problem. But my focus was shot to hell.
I rubbed the back of my neck, earning a side-eye from Memphis. He knew me better than anyone. He knew something was up. But this wasn’t the time or the place for him to push for answers, so he turned his attention back to Prez, listening as his father continued with his spiel.
I didn’t know what was wrong with me. This was my family. My life. I wanted to know what was what, but today, my head wasn’t in the game. It was all because of that damn text. It was just eleven simple words, but somehow, they were louder than anything anyone else had to say.
Unable to resist, I took my phone out of my pocket and glanced down at the screen, checking to see if my ol’ man had responded.
Again, there was nothing.
Just our previous messages, aggravating me like an itch in the middle of my back that I couldn’t reach, no matter how fucking hard I tried.
Your brother’s back in town.
He asked about you.
I couldn’t help but wonder what he wanted with me. He hadn’t spoken to me in years, and now, he’s suddenly interested in me and what I had going on. It didn’t make any sense.
“Goose,” Prez barked. “You with us?”
“Absolutely,” I lied. “Just taking it all in.”
A couple of the guys snickered, and Prez immediately snapped, “Not the time. I need everyone’s head in the game.”
The room fell silent, and I leaned forward, doing what I could to force myself to pay attention. Or at least, look like I was. I tried to listen. I tried to care about the politics and turf lines and who might be trying to move against it. But Davis had taken over my every thought.
That was typical.
The asshole.
It had been two damn years since I’d last heard about him, and even then, it wasn’t an actual visit to see me.
He’d come in like a shadow. One day here, and the next, he was gone.
I didn’t even know he was home until Memphis mentioned seeing him outside Dad’s place, hanging out and talking shit with Dad and the neighbors.
He never once came by to see me or even considered gracing me with his presence. Yeah, that’s some brotherly love right there.
The time before that, I only laid eyes on him by pure accident. I was driving past Miller’s Quick Stop and saw him cutting across the lot. His head was down, and his hood was up, like he was hiding from the whole damn world. He didn’t look up.
He had no idea I was there or that I’d seen him. Or maybe he did. Maybe he’d just pretended he didn’t. Either way, he was there and then, poof. He was gone. It was like he’d never been there at all.
I’m not gonna lie, that shit stung.
It was just another reminder that my big brother wanted nothing to do with me. And now, hearing that he’d asked about me made me wonder if something had changed.
A man can hope, right?
I exhaled, hard and long, and Memphis shot me another look. I didn’t give one back. I made up my mind right then and there that I was done being blindsided. I was done being the last to know he was in town. More than that, I was done being fucking ignored and treated like I didn’t fucking matter.
Screw that shit.
As soon as Prez wrapped up the meeting, I stood and started out of the room. A couple of the guys called out to me, but I ignored them and continued out to the parking lot. I had to see my dad.
It probably wasn’t the smartest move I could make.
The man had a talent for closing himself off from the real world, and it was doubtful that I’d get anything out of him. But I had to try.
I hit the cool air outside and went straight for my bike.
I didn’t bother with gloves. I just slipped on my helmet and turned the key, letting the rumble of the engine drown out everything else.
I eased through the gate, and once I was on the main road, I eased the throttle back and sped over to Dad’s place.
I felt a punch to the gut the second his house came into view. It wasn’t a disaster. There wasn’t trash everywhere or broken windows, but it looked tired, like the whole place had given up a long time ago. It was a far cry from what it used to be.
There was a time when it felt alive, warm and loud. Now, the paint was faded, the porch sagged just enough to make you wonder if it’d hold you, and the flowerbeds Mom used to fuss over were full of dried, dead weeds. The screen door groaned with neglect, and the front light burned out months ago.
The inside was even worse.
The lighting was dim, like a scary movie kind of dim, the curtains were always half-drawn, and the air was stale and full of dust. It wasn’t exactly dirty, but it wasn’t clean either. Everything was worn and lifeless, just like Pop.
He sat in his beat-up recliner with his feet kicked up, a beer in hand, and even though the TV was always on, his eyes were glued to his phone. And like always, he didn’t even look up when I came in.
Of course, he didn’t.
The man could’ve cared less who’d just walked in.
I walked over to his chair and stood in front of his black socks as I said, “You didn’t answer.”
“Didn’t have one to give.”
“There has to be something.” He just shrugged. “So, you don’t have any idea why he was here?”
“Just stopped by.”
“For what?”
He glanced up and scratched his cheek before answering, “Didn’t say.”
“What did he want?”
“Nothing, I don’t guess.”
“You don’t guess.” Something was up, and it wasn’t good. I could feel it in my bones. I dragged my hand down my face. “He hasn’t been here in months, and he shows up last night for no reason?”
“I reckon.”
“He asked about me?”
“He did.”
“What did he want to know?”
“Just if you were still riding with that club of yours.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“Said you were.” He glanced up again. “You are, aren’t ya?”
“Yeah, but why did he want to know?”
“You’d have to ask him that.”
“Did he say when he was coming back?”
“Didn’t say.”
“And you didn’t ask?”
“Didn’t see the point.”
“That’s all you’ve got?” I asked, my frustration slipping through.
“Just telling ya what I know,” he muttered, already turning his attention back to his phone. “He came by, sat awhile, then left. That’s it.”
That wasn’t it.
Nothing with Davis was ever ‘it’.
He should’ve known that.
But standing there in that sad, dark, dying living room, staring at the man who once cared and now didn’t, I knew better than to expect anything different. I shook my head and sighed, “Alright, then. I guess that’s that.”
“I guess so.”
“You need anything?”
“A winning lottery ticket would be nice.”
“Wouldn’t it though?” I chuckled. “I’m gonna get to work but call me if you need anything.”
“I won’t.”
“I know, but if you do… And let me know if Davis comes back around.”
Dad gave me a slight nod, and that was that. I turned and walked out of the house, leaving with no more information than when I started. It was hard to see my ol’ man in such a state, but it was the life he’d chosen and there was nothing I could do to change that.
I left Dad’s and drove straight to the Vault. I claimed a spot in the back and nursed my beer like it would somehow make my problems go away.
Spoiler. It didn’t.
Seven stood across from me, wiping down glasses and prepping for the night ahead. He wasn’t a big talker, and tonight was no different. Feeling like I needed to say something, I muttered, “Slow night.”
Seven grunted and continued with his tasks.
Two of the Vault girls sauntered over, sporting big smiles and covered in glitter and not much else. Lacy, the hot little redhead, ran her finger down my arm and purred, “You’re looking a little lonely tonight.”
“Me, lonely?” I smirked. “Nah. I’m just contemplating.”
“Is that right?”
“Oh, yeah. Real deep in thought. Not something you’d understand.”
She laughed, only because she didn’t get the jab. Diamond, the hot brunette with a nice rack and even nicer smile, gave me a wink and said, “Come find us later.”
“Yeah, sure thing,” I answered, even though I wouldn’t.
I let out a pitiful sigh as I reached for my beer and took a long pull. When I set it back on the table, Seven side-eyed me and said, “Damn. You’re gonna make me do it, aren’t ya?”
“Do what?”
“Ask what’s wrong with you, and you know damn well I don’t wanna ask.”
“Then don’t. Nothing’s wrong.”
“Well, now you’re just pissing me off.” Seven tossed his towel on the counter and crossed his arms. “We both know something’s eating ya, so just spill it.”
And here’s where I would’ve gotten all deep and insightful, and bared my soul like it was some kind of late-night documentary. But before I could even open my mouth, before the words ‘I know, man’, could crawl their way out, I glanced to my side and spotted Davis sauntering through the front door.
That’s right.
My long, lost brother.
He looked good. Almost too good.
He had on a clean shirt, his hair was combed, and he was sporting an easy smile, making it look like everything was going his way. And maybe it was, because he wasn’t alone.
He had his arm slung around a woman’s shoulder, casual but in a claiming sort of way, like he’d done it a hundred times before. And the woman at his side was none other than Presley Mayes.
The Presley Mayes.
I remembered her well. She was one of the prettiest girls in our high school. She always smelled like vanilla and had perfect hair, perfect skin, and perfect clothes. I also remember her being one of those goody-goody types who always made all A’s and only dated guys who came from a good family.
She steered clear of trouble, which meant she wouldn’t give me the time of day.
And I tried. I gave it my all, and I was shot down at every turn.
And now, she was here.
At the Vault.
Looking even more beautiful than she did back then, and I won’t deny that it was a surprise to see that she was there with my brother. Seven followed my stare and muttered, “Is that who I think it is?”
“The one and only.”
Davis spotted me, and his whole face lit up like he was actually happy to see me. What the fuck was that? He started walking toward me, guiding Presley along with him. And me?
Well, I just stood there, beer halfway to my mouth and my heart hammering in my chest, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. There were a lot of things that could’ve turned my night to shit, and this one was pretty high on the fucking list.
Damn.
Things were about to get interesting and not in a good way.