Chapter One
EZEKIEL
Present Day
It started as a harmless habit.
At first, it was just keeping an eye on Riley, making sure she was safe in the wide-open world.
She was a child, stripped away from her parents, and I can’t imagine how difficult it must’ve been in those first years.
I grew up in a good home. Sure it was full of criminal dealings, but my parents always ensured the best for their children.
To think about what must’ve gone through that poor child’s head was enough to make me sick.
As the years went on, I found myself doing it more often. I was there, watching from a distance at birthdays and slumber parties, watching her lie to her parents about seeing friends at the mall, but actually going out with a boy.
I can’t remember when it became normal to call Monty and Hayley her parents, but somewhere along the line, it did.
There’s another change too. Somewhere along the long road of making sure she was safe, my feelings towards Riley changed.
I only admitted it to myself after her eighteenth birthday, but my feelings have shifted from protection to desire.
When you spend enough time near someone, it’s bound to happen. But, does that excuse it?
A man of my size and stature doesn’t stay hidden easily in the daylight.
It’s beyond me how I’ve managed to spend nearly a decade-and-a-half undetected by Riley.
Even now, while I wade through the scores of people at the mall, watching her pick out a gift for Monty and Hayley’s anniversary, I can’t believe she doesn’t see me.
This year, the anniversary is meant to be a whole event. Grace called a family meeting, and Hayley agreed to let us have it on the day of their celebration. It’s their way of getting everyone in the same house to conduct business, and to ensure Riley stays none the wiser.
Hayley took her motherly role pretty seriously after that night I dropped Riley off.
They even asked me to stop sending money after a while, saying it’d never be real if I kept funding them.
I often wonder what Hayley would say if she knew that I get hard at the thought of Riley wearing those tight booty shorts in public.
Riley’s become quite the woman after all. She’s damn cute, with a goofy smile and a woman’s body. She has breasts that strain the fabric of even loose-fitting shirts, a round ass that looks good in anything, and long, wavy, platinum-blonde hair that’s never out of place.
Fuck, you’re not supposed to think about her like that.
I have to remind myself of that often. For all intents and purposes, Riley Camille is my niece, no matter how we reached that situation.
That fact has rarely stopped my mind from wandering and my solution to get away from those thoughts was always the same: get the hell out of there before I do something I’ll regret.
While Riley finishes off her shopping in the arts and crafts shop, I leave.
I have to go back to my apartment and pick up my anniversary gift, anyway; some top-shelf bourbon Monty can’t stop raving about.
Then, I sit around, rub one out and try stilling the thoughts of Riley that burden my mind, until it’s time for the family meeting.
As bad as it is to jack off to thoughts of Riley, I still find that a better option than walking around rock solid at the sight of her. At least getting it out now will buy me a little time before all the blood rushes south again.
I arrive an hour late for the party. Cars litter the driveway, some even parked outside on the street.
Of course, there’s a place for me inside the yard.
In the fifteen years that the Hawthorne Syndicate has been up and running, we’ve grown back up to our former glory.
By the looks of it, everyone in the whole damned operation is here.
Family meetings mean family only, but I understand the need for everyone to be here. It’s easier to spread the word when people are close, rather than hunting them down one by one afterward.
“You’re late,” Monty says, greeting me at my car.
“I had something to take care of. I had to find something vital for the family,” I reply, grabbing the bottle of whiskey off the backseat and handing it to Monty.
“Buffalo Trace Double Eagle?” the way Monty’s jaw drops amuses me. “This must’ve set you back a fortune.”
“It’s only money, Brother. It’s not every day we get to celebrate twenty years of marriage. Hell, it’s lucky that we’ve all made it this far,” I laugh, tapping him on the shoulder.
“Let’s go in and crack this sucker open then, what do you say?” Monty’s eyes are pinned on the ornamental packaging.
“How about we have a cig together? No rush, right? Let’s keep Grace waiting for once,” I give him a wink, grabbing my box of Lucky Strikes. I hand one to Monty and light us both up.
I’m not really trying to avoid the family meeting.
It’s always good to hear about the state of our affairs.
I’m just not ready to go inside yet. I’m not ready to see Riley.
As much as I delude myself that she’s not going to have an effect on me, it’s all bullshit.
Being in close vicinity to her makes my knees weak.
I feel stupid just thinking that, but it’s damned true all the same.