Epilogue 3
Roman
“Dad is gonna kick her ass this time,” Wolf yells over the roar of our engines.
We ride beside each other, the road dead at this time of night.
“He won’t do shit!” I yell back.
Rayna is his princess and no matter how many times she causes everyone a headache, he can always find a way to justify her fuck ups.
We turn off onto the old dirt road and in sync, we thrash our throttles and pick up speed. Clouds of dust billow behind us and the dickheads lingering out front of the house drunkenly cheer.
We skid to a stop and cut our engines. Taking out my smokes, I light one and pass it over to Wolf. I light one for myself and put the pack back in my pocket.
“You ready?” he asks.
Exhaling the smoke, I slide the bat out of the saddle bag and rest it against my shoulder.
“I’m ready.”
Willow's Peak belongs to us, but there is always one dickhead that likes to act tough, thinking they’ll be the ones to take one of us down.
On occasion, some of the fucktards try to come at us, wanting the honor of getting to us but they never succeed.
My father tells us how different the town is today compared to when he was our age and when I think about it, try to imagine those days where poverty and crime weren’t at an all time high, I still prefer the here and now.
To me, it’s easier knowing everyone’s an enemy.
Stepping inside the house, the bass pounds through me.
I don’t need to be able to hear Wolf, I know how he works, that he has my back without question.
Walking into the living room, I spy the music system and drop my cigarette on the carpet.
Grinding it out underneath my boot, I take a deep breath and swing the bat into the speakers that line the wall.
The music becomes distorted, and I turn my attention to the main system.
Within seconds the music is gone, and the people sat around groan, the ones with sense scattering from the room.
“You all know who I am, and you all know who my sister is,” I yell walking through to the hall. “Tell me where she is and then I’ll leave, and you can get back to your night!”
Wolf whoops and hollers as he catches the bat I toss him. He takes aim at the framed pictures on the wall and hits six for six. I step into the kitchen and there, sat on the counter, is Holt Cole. A fucking asshole of epic proportions.
“Where’s my sister?”
“Why have you gotta do me like this, Jackson?” he whines.
Wolf moves around me and swings for the beer bottles on the counter.
“Come on, man. There's no need for this!”
“Where’s my sister?”
“She’s upstairs,” a soft voice I would recognise anywhere tells me, and I turn around.
The bruise around her eye has me tightening my jaw. “What happened?”
Wolf comes over and stands far too close having a look. “Back off, brother.”
He holds his hands up and steps back.
“What happened?” I repeat.
“It’s none of your business, is it?” she spits out. “Rayna’s in the first bedroom, I'd go quick, or she’ll be making you an uncle.”
Shoving her out of my way, I run up the stairs and kick in the first door on the landing.
Rayna giggles as some punk nuzzles into her neck on the bed. All laughter is gone when I cross the room.
“Rome, no!” she hollers but like I fucking listen. “Wolf, don’t!”
Wolf jumps on the bed and before he can bring the bat down over the punk, I grab Rayna’s arm and haul her out of harm’s way. She fights me, but she’s nowhere near as strong as me. I stand on while Wolf beats the shit out of him and Rayna thrashes around in my hold.
“Stop!” she screams.
“How many times are we gonna have to do this?” I ask her gripping onto her chin. I force her to watch as Wolf beats the asshole. His blood sprays across the headboard and Rayna’s legs give out. I keep a hold on her and instruct, “Enough, brother.”
He swings the bat down one more time and jumps off the bed. He lands in front of us and leans in our sister’s face.
“Stop degrading yourself with trash.”
“Fuck you, Wolf!”
I lean down and throw her over my shoulder. No one bothers us on our way out, and when I reach my bike, I dump Rayna on her feet.
“You were out of order back there,” she cries.
“You weren’t where you were supposed to be.”
“You ain’t our dad. He said I could go out tonight.”
If I were anyone else, I’d believe her lie. The fact that she believes it makes her even more convincing. But I am me, and I don’t believe anything that comes out of her mouth. Haven't done for a long time.
I climb on my ride, and order her, “Get on.”
Crossing her arms across her chest, she says, “I’ll walk.”
She sets off and I sigh. She’s the reason I decided a long time ago I’ll never have kids. A sister is more than enough to cope with.
“Wolf, go back in and finish off Rayna’s friend.”
He jumps off his ride and she stops, keeping her back to me.
She doesn’t question if I'm bluffing. She knows I don’t lie.
She storms over and climbs on behind me.
“One day, you’re gonna meet someone and I'm gonna break any chance you have at happiness.”
I snort. “Who told you that we get to be happy in this life, Ray? Seriously, take a look around, this town is where happiness comes to die.”
Before she can argue, I turn the engine on and peel away from the house. By morning, the sun will rise, and the town will go on as normal. Struggling to earn money, families leaving or breaking up cause work has dried up, and I’ll still be wondering where my sister has run off to this time.
We hit the main road, and Rayna laughs into the air as I push the speed.
Placing her hands on my shoulders, she pushes down as she slowly stands.
I keep the bike straight and maintain an even speed.
One day she’ll get herself killed doing this, but it brings her pure joy so who am I not to keep her safe.
She has no fear, and that scares the shit out of me.
I tap her leg, and she sits down and holds on to me without anymore theatrics.
Ry, the prospect, opens the gates, and we ride through.
Cameras follow our movements and the brothers on night watch relax because it’s me and my brother.
Grandpa also tells us stories about the club back in the day, how they would only need a prospect or two manning the gates.
They didn’t need round the clock security.
They got hit a few times, but it was rare and swiftly dealt with.
The kicker is, I was alive during these times.
Only I was a baby, and I have no memories.
I stop by Dad’s house and cut the engine. “I’m going over to Seb’s,” Rayna says and disappears from sight.
Fatigue overwhelms me and I climb off my bike with heavy legs. The front door to the house opens and Dad slips outside.
“Where is she?”
“You just missed her, she went over to Seb’s.”
He sighs heavily and reaches for his smokes. “That girl is gonna be the death of me.”
“She’ll be the death of us all.”
Wolf comes up beside me and leans against the bat against the porch. Dad leans over and clocks the blood.
“Who was hit?”
“Some guy thinkin’ he was in a for a good night. Made him see the error of his ways,” Wolf tells him.
“Good, son. You done good.”
“I’m going over to the bar. I need a drink.”
I tip my chin. “I’ll be over soon.”
Dad leans on the porch rail and inhales on his cigarette. “Shit’s gettin’ bad in town, I need you to make sure it doesn’t touch your sister.”
“I’m up for locking her in the basement.”
“Don’t tempt me.” He finishes his cigarette and adds, “Make sure you get some sleep tonight, you’re looking tired.”
“Sure.”
Over in the bar, it doesn’t matter that it’s the middle of the night. The music plays, the brothers that are still awake are chilling and drinking, and the women are looking for a good time.
I grab a beer and the hand of Frannie. My favourite whore around here. She follows me up to my room and falls onto the bed as soon as the door is shut.
“You want to know about Keira first, as usual?”
Narrowing my eyes, I ask, “Who’s she rolling with these days?”
“No one in particular. Why?”
“She had a black eye when I saw her tonight.”
She looks away and I cross the room. Gripping onto her chin, I demand, “Tell me what you know.”
“Why? So you can make a fool of yourself by riding in, trying to save her?”
Frowning, I ask, “Who does she need saving from?”
“You.”