16. Pomegranate Lips
South
It’s bedlam at this bar. It’s the same one she used to work at. The one Trevor owns, or Andi, I don’t fucking know anymore.
I scan the parking lot and pause on a familiar vehicle. A white SUV with a New York license plate. How subtle. Even more subtle when they tailgated me while following me all over the place.
I’m not irritated about it anymore. I’ve reached a Zen with it. They never got close to reaching the apartment and soon I won’t have that issue hanging over my head either. I get my house keys tomorrow. Then it’s whatever new name Tera has given me and ordering my groceries online.
That doesn’t mean they don’t owe me. I’ll be taking my apology now, thanks.
I leave Tera’s gift in the car, along with my zip up hoodie. I’m about to do some work and I don’t want either one to get dirty.
I pull a knife from my boot and wrench it through the first tire. It lets out a loud sputter of air and begins to deflate. I do the same to the other three with relish. The last tire is a little bit of a struggle because the blade is getting dull with the heavy work. I’ll have to sharpen it when I unpack the kit for it.
Then I stand back and watch with a grin as it sinks to the ground like a lifeboat going down.
I turn around to see two girls gaping at me with wide eyes. They’re standing on either side of a car watching with fascination.
“Can you do that one?” The girl from the passenger side points out a fancy BMW with a shaking finger.
It starts a brief, quiet argument as I walk over and take in the car.
“She said yes,” friend one squeals as she bounces over to me. Friend two is a lot more hesitant and nervous.
I take in her shaking form and hunched shoulders with a frown.
“Both of you go back inside and make a big deal that you’re here. Alibi.”
Friend two nods desperately and friend one pouts. I lean closer to her and mutter, “I’m about to fuck this shit up. Don’t come back out to see until you hear whoever owns this car start screaming.”
“I love you, avenging angel,” she quickly pecks my cheek. I blink in surprise as she grabs friend two’s hand and drags her inside.
That’s a new one. This town is seriously fucked up. I’m starting to like it here.
I have fun with this one. I’m not subtle at all but no one says anything as I drag my knife up and down the sides then pop the tires. I’m about to go back to the truck for my tire iron when a guy stomps up. At first, I think he’s the car owner.
He goes to another car, pops the trunk, and pulls out a tire iron. I step back to get ready for a fight, shifting my hold on the knife. He marches around my still form and takes out every piece of glass on the car. I watch and rate his performance before I join him with my own tire iron.
I give him a nod as we both stand out of breath and he nods back with a grim smile. This chick has excellent friends. No wonder she felt comfortable with touching me.
I pick up the giant bag holding Tera’s present and make my way inside.
Shade
“Look who came out of his cave,” Blaze salutes me with a beer. Felix’s jaw clenches as he casts his brother a glare.
Andi gives me a pained look and gets up to hug me.
“I fucking hate these guys,” she says in my ear.
“Same,” I utter and return her affection.
“I miss you, asshole. I know they’ve made it awkward but I still want to hang out with you. They’ve been absent a lot lately anyway. It’s open season for spending time with little sis.”
“Thanks for being straight with me.”
“Fuck that. I’m pissed off about it,” she leans into my face to whisper yell over the music. “Dad has a lot of explaining to do.”
Out of all the bullshit I’ve had to deal with in my life, finding out Andi is my sister was a surprise gift. I knew her before, of course. The spoiled brat princess version she shows off to everyone.
But when I told her about being her half-brother she welcomed me with open arms. It surprised me that she was happy about it.
I spoke to her in the last few days, waiting for Evie to come back. To ask her all the questions plaguing me and basically chew her out for being a spy. To get called a dickweed again.
She hasn’t told a soul that she knows about me being her brother. Not even her boyfriends. Everyone thinks I’m just her bodyguard. As far as Matthias knows she’s still in the dark.
She also confessed to me that my being in the wedding was supposed to be my surprise reveal to everyone. She knew it was coming but didn’t know it was me. He was going to introduce me to everyone as his son. When I ‘didn’t show’ he wiped his hands of me. I don’t think she realizes just how clean he’s trying to get them and I don’t want to tell her. She’ll freak out, even knowing exactly who I am in bio’s business.
I see everyone else is already here. Andi’s boyfriends are sneering at me. They all think I want in on their action because I hug Andi. The thought is disgusting.
Because they all have seats taken, I’m left sitting across from the assholes. And they brought Melissa.
For a second I hesitate and take them in.
I see all of our interactions without the blinders now. The things I put up with. The lying, the mockery, the downplay of anything I said until it was inconsequential. A new recruit hazing that lasted way too long. The constant talking all around me while I sat back, watching them live as I faded into nothing.
I let that happen. What the fuck did I turn into?
I suspected that Melissa wasn’t in town to help out the team. Not enough action here, despite the cesspit hiding underneath this town’s perfect image. They wanted her in. I didn’t like her, and still don’t. There’s something about her that makes my instincts say no in a big way. They thought it was jealousy and, at the time, I thought they were right.
Now? I’m pretty sure my alarms have been going off about all of them for a long time and I drowned it out so I could have someplace to fit in.
When Tera left town and Trevor and Max both lost it something clicked in me. If I disappeared like that would they notice? Care? Would anyone? If Tera, good natured and sweet with a kind word for everyone couldn't stand to be here any longer why was I, bad natured, mean, with nothing to say, still here?
Reading her diary cracked me open a little more. Her version of their behavior, and mine, painted everything in a stark light that made me look again. Seeing myself from her side as a giant pathetic kid throwing a tantrum at her skills was a slap in the face. Not that she put it in those words. The knowledge was there though.
When she came back with me I used it as an excuse. If Tera had the guts to give it one more try then I could too. I was tired of looking for acceptance without putting in the work. It got me a best friend that I could trust with my secrets without any real proof between us. A risk. It got me to confess to Andi. To put myself into vulnerable positions that ended badly. I don’t regret a thing.
I’m pissed about it all, not sad. I feel like an idiot. The child they all see me as because I allowed myself to fall that far.
I spent months hiding from everyone because at first, I was sad. I’d conditioned myself to believe the team was everything and without it I had no one else left. Around month two I had to wrestle with how wrong I was. How easy it was getting to do things for myself instead of someone else. Seeing Tera’s caller ID emojis and Andi’s come up once a day, even though I wasn’t answering.
My anger is made even worse now that they’ve shown back up. To learn that they’re Matthias’ lackeys and think I’m some dipshit newbie that they can take out at any point. It rubs my face in the fact that I was that desperate.
I take a seat, envelope in hand to give Tera for her birthday and she gives me a tentative smile. I can tell she feels guilty for yelling at me. After the shock faded I was all smiles about it. Who knew hormones would make my struggle to get her to accept her anger so easily? Pregnancy equals rage. I’m going to remember that one.
I slide the card down the table and she giggles while she opens it, tearing up at the heartfelt words inside that I would never have written before her. She brought out that little spot of good in me, changing things in my life in ways I never knew I needed.
Tera rushes around the table to give me a strangling hug around the neck and a whispered, “I’m sorry.”
“All good,” I mutter and tap her forearm.
Now I need my other new life changer to show up so I can grovel. I don’t care who sees it, either. I’m taking Asher’s advice and hitting her head on. No more dodging or playing games. She’s coming home with me tonight if it’s the last thing I do. I have rope and duct tape in the car and give no fucks about witnesses.
I glance around for her, ignoring the idle chit chat, mockery, and flirtation going on.
She isn’t here yet. I pull out my phone to get the jukebox app downloaded so I can dance with her to something that has meaning, debating over which one would convey the most about my feelings. Something not subtle at all, no words wasted.
I find one and smirk.
Tera sees it and gives me a mischievous grin.
A text comes through from her. She must be hiding her phone under the table.
MoralCompass: You better have a plan. If you don’t she’ll start a fight or play games on her phone all night.
Oh really. I’m tempted to switch up the plan now. Access to her phone? I could win the game while she’s distracted. The thought brings a smile to my lips. It pisses me off that the assholes got a peek before I did. Before I can get too far ahead of myself another text comes.
MoralCompass: If you know her at all, you know which way she’ll go.
I glance at her as she widens her eyes and mimics a punch.
That’s ok. Tonight isn’t about games. We can do that later.
Me: dancing
Tera’s eyes widen and she bounces in her seat.
MoralCompass: Perfect! She loves to dance!
Good.
“Are you going to pout and ignore us all night?” Blaze asks.
I glance up from my phone in irritation to catch Felix throwing an elbow into his side.
“Hey, so it didn’t work out with her. No big deal,” Blaze keeps going with a warm smile. “We should hang out tonight. We’ll help you get over her.”
If Evie were here that would be a fist in the face comment. The idea makes me smile inside but I keep my expression locked down.
“Haven’t you missed us since we’ve been gone?” Melissa asks.
I keep my mouth shut and look them all over as they pause, waiting for me to speak. They actually look interested in my answer. Maybe this is when I’m supposed to break and confess all my sins to them.
They sit across from me, smug in the knowledge that they’re having some effect on me when nothing could be further from the truth. They think I’m weak and wounded. Ready to roll over and show my throat.
They aren’t a threat to me, no matter what they think. The fact that they have no idea who I really am is hilarious at this point. I have more kills under my belt than they do put together.
They also have no idea that I’m tense in my seat and clutching my phone to be ready when she gets here. They don’t rate in my mind anymore.
Where is she?
I fucking owe.