Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
HENDRIX
“You know, your babies will be so beautiful, won’t they, Star?” Mom says while sipping from her wine glass.
I sigh. “Jesus, Mom. We’ve only just got together. Can you play it cool for five minutes?”
“She’s right, you know, and we knew this was going to happen years ago. We are just glad you kids finally pulled your heads from your asses and realised,” Star states.
I look across the room, my eyes landing on Enzo. I give him the ‘come fucking save me’ look.
He smirks and walks over. “Smoke?” he offers.
I jump to my feet. “Absolutely,” I state quickly.
“Oh, wait, I wouldn’t mind,” Star says.
“Mom, I need to talk to Drix. Plus, you don’t smoke,” Enzo points out.
“I do when I’m drinking,” she counters.
Realising they aren’t going to back down, because at this point, I think they will sit beside the bed instructing me and Storm on how to make them a grand baby, Enzo interferes.
“Club bunny is talking to Dad.” Enzo nods towards the bar.
Star’s head whips in the direction to Ghost, squinting. “How many times do I have to slaughter these sluts?” she huffs, walking off.
“Nice one.” I grin at Enzo.
“Works every time.” He shrugs.
We walk outside, the warm night air coating our skin. Enzo hands me a cigarette and I take it, lighting and taking a long pull. I lean my head back, exhaling the smoke into the dark night sky. I look over at Enzo, who has gone and sat on one of the swings. Why our parents kept them I don’t know.
“So, am I going to have the big brother talk about not hurting your sister or you will kill me talk?” I tease.
He huffs a laugh. “I don’t need to tell you that, you already know. You hurt her, you’ll be ten foot in the ground.”
“Then what’s got you so tense?” I press.
“I just don’t feel like I can relax until we have him. I’ve got a feeling coiling deep in my gut that something is brewing. Something is going to happen. I know it. I can sense it, and I just don’t know what the fuck it is,” he admits.
I nod, knowing what he means. Knowing that Zeke is out there, that he is still walking and fucking breathing, is like a thunderous dark cloud hanging over all of us.
“Dad has his ID flagged. Jared has him on the system. He even fucking sneezes and it will flag up,” I state with determination in my voice, because I have to.
I have to believe we will get him, or the darkness will swallow me up, too. Just like it has for Enzo.
“Hey! You both coming back inside or what? We are ordering food!” Oliver yells across the parking lot.
“I could eat,” I say, patting my stomach.
Enzo stands, stubbing out his cigarette. “Good job Dad didn’t knock your fucking teeth out then, ain’t it?” he goads.
I thump his arm, making him laugh as we make our way back inside.
As we step inside, it’s chaos. Star is standing with a pen and paper, taking everyone’s order. “Wait, wait. One at a fucking time,” she chastises.
“Nan would have had them organised in a line if she was here.” I snort.
My heart feels heavy with the loss of her.
It’s been four years since she passed, surrounded by us at her bedside.
She was my nan by blood, but she was everyone else’s nan as well.
She lived and breathed for every single one of us.
Enzo squeezes my shoulder. “She always said the place would turn into chaos without her, and she ain’t fucking wrong,” he scoffs.
I smile, nodding. “Come on, I feel like I’m going to need more alcohol if we are going to survive this night with the family.” I sigh.
“Good job I have a few bottles of my homebrew saved behind the bar.” Enzo grins.
Once a mountain of Chinese takeout had been ordered, we all sat around the fire pit, our moms laughing about all the hell they caused our dads over the years.
“It’s what caused the fucking grey,” Hawk says, pointing to his head. “I was once a fucking Adonis. Women fell at my feet.” He pouts.
Josie slaps him around the back of the head, glaring at him.
“You’re the only woman I’ve ever wanted at my feet, sweetheart.” He winks.
We all laugh. Storm is sat curled on my lap, my thumb absently stroking her bare thigh. My gaze lands on Ghost; he’s glaring at my thumb, his eyes glacial. I stop and remove my hand from Storm’s thigh, and he then gives me a nod of approval.
Storm looks at me. “Why did you stop?” she asks confused.
I look to her dad. She follows my line of sight, huffs, grabs my hand, and places it on her clothed breast, all while glaring defiantly and flipping off her dad with her free hand.
I choke on my drink. “Fuck, BB, are you trying to get me killed?” I choke a laugh.
She turns her attention to me, lowering her mouth to mine and pressing a soft kiss to my lips. “He won’t kill you. He loves me too much to cause me that much pain. Give him time. He will get used to it,” she assures me.
I wanted to tell her I will be on his shit list for a long time until he accepts his daughter is with me, no doubt getting all the shit runs.
Distracting me from my thoughts, Star starts laughing, showing Mom and the other ol’ ladies something on her phone. Storm gives me a side glance, wondering what has them in hysterics.
“What the fuck has got you laughing so hard?” Ghost asks.
Star wipes the tears from her eyes, turns her phone around to show us all, while increasing the volume.
A news reporter stands in front of the camera.
I shift Storm and I forward. “I’m stood outside St. Agustas church, a normal quiet peaceful place of worship, but what happened here is anything but peaceful.
” I give Storm a look; it’s the church from across the bar.
The woman continues. “What I’m about to show you may shock and offend.
I advise you to look away if you are of a nervous disposition,” she warns.
A video clip plays, showing nuns running around laughing.
Some are dry humping the statues, while other nuns appear to be having an orgy amongst the gravestones.
Storm looks at me, her eyes wide. “It is believed someone spiked the holy water, drugging the poor nuns,” the reporter continues.
“Police tried to take samples of the holy water, but it was bone dry. The nuns had drunk it all.”
“I didn’t think they’d drink the holy water. I thought it was just for blessings,” Storm mutters, her face in stunned shock.
“Some drink it in small amounts as an act of devotion,” I tell her.
“Oh my god, Storm, that’s the font you poured Enzo’s home brew into!” Maisy gasps in realisation.
Every single member looks to Storm. She shifts uncomfortably. “I didn’t think they would drink it!” she argues defensively.
“You spiked the holy water?” Star asks, her face contorting in such a way, I can’t tell if she’s having a stroke or trying to hold in a fart.
“Yes. I was drunk, okay? I thought it was funny,” Storm winces.
Star throws her head back and roars with laughter, as does everyone else. Storm looks to each of them before allowing herself to laugh with them.
“Jesus, I hope you have enough savings for bail, because you’re going to need it,” Spider says, laughing while slapping on my shoulder. I look to Storm who is laughing, her eyes alight with love and laughter.
“She can get arrested as many times as she fucking wants if it means she is this happy,” I state.
Spider clinks his beer bottle with mine. “Their happiness is our reward. Their tears are our revenge,” Spider states.
Foo Fighters Everlong acoustic version comes on, and I shift Storm off my lap and stand, taking her hand in mine. I slowly dance with her around the fire. Her eyes are wide with surprise at first, but she soon relaxes into me and the music.
“I didn’t know you could dance,” she whispers, a small smile playing on her lips.
“I don’t, but I want to dance with you,” I answer, before pressing my lips to hers in a soft possessive kiss.
“That’s enough of that shit,” Ghost bellows over the music, making us both smile as we break the kiss. I pull back slightly as she looks across to her dad and flips him off, giving him the middle finger.
“That’s my girl!” Star yells, raising her glass.
So lost in her scent, the feel of her pressed against me, in our own bubble as we sway to the music, so lost in each other, we don’t realise that the chatter has stopped. We don’t realise that everyone is on their feet.
“What the…?” I hear Dad murmur. Breaking the moment, I lift my head and look, my body tensing immediately.
I shift, putting Storm behind me before pulling my blade free and aiming it at the shadowy figure slowly shuffling towards us.
The dark night sky cloaks them in darkness as the prospect staggers into the firelight.
We all rush forward, lowering our weapons.
Ghost reaches for him before he hits the ground, blood bubbling from his mouth, his body shaking.
Ghost grips him tight, his hand pressing down on the huge wound on his stomach.
“H-he made me memorise it...” the prospect chokes, his blood splattering from his mouth.
“He said…” He draws in a gargled breath, his lungs filling with blood.
“Tell Ghost the hunt is over. It’s his turn to run.
” The last word is a haunting breath as the life fades from his eyes, his body going limp in his arms. Ghost slowly lowers him to the ground before getting to his feet.
No panic, no shouting as we await our orders.
“Lock the gates,” Ghost orders, a deathly calm to his voice.
Every single one of us, brothers and ol’ ladies, all know what that means.
The party is over. The war has begun.