Chapter Three
Ryker
I open the door to my apartment above the garage. As I turn around the light flicks on and my father is sitting in a chair in my kitchen with his scotch.
“ What the hell,” I yell.
“What the hell is right. Where have you been with my car?” he asks. My father stands and even though he isn’t tall, he is a muscular man. I wouldn’t want to run into him in a dark alley.
“I took it to hang out with my friends,” I answer. My father swirls his scotch and takes another sip.
“The same friends that you can’t tell me about?” he
narrows his eyes and almost makes me cave, but I made a pack with the boys. They can trust me and no matter how much my father pushes me; I won't tell him their names.
“Dad,” I start.
He places his hand up to silence me. “I don’t care how old you are Ryker. When you live under my roof, what you do is still my business.”
“I didn’t…”
“I’m not finished,” he raises his voice. “I’m a senator, how do you think it would look that my son is sneaking around with god knows who? I have an image to uphold and so do you. ”
I wait to talk to make sure he is done. I’ve never been close to my father, but he has always been there for me in the financial sense. My mother is a sweet woman and I never understood how she stayed with my overbearing father. He tilts his head toward me, waiting for me to answer.
“I’m not doing anything that will make us look bad,” I lie. “I just need time to unwind once in a while.” I know I shouldn’t, but guilt is the only thing I can use against this man. “When I think about Riley, I have to leave here. Hanging out with them takes my mind off of it.” I don’t think about my older brother much lately. After Sawyer introduced me to the boys, it filled the void of losing him. Sawyer reminds me of him a lot.
“Ryker,” my father sighs. “I thought you were past this. You’re going to the country club with me on Sunday.” I go to open my mouth to object. I don’t want to go hang out with old bastards all day. I have to get the details of our next target from the boys.
“No objections. It's that or therapy,” my father pushes. I can’t do therapy. The boys would get too suspicious. I would never talk about our plans, but Damon is so reserved. I’ve tried to figure him out, but he is always so shut out. Even when I try to have a normal conversation with him, he is distant.
“Fine,” I bark. When my father walks over to me I instantly regret it.
“Watch your tone boy. You may be twenty-six, but I am still your father,” his brown eyes darken.
“I’m sorry.”
“Get some sleep and I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow,” my father says before disappearing out my door. I fall back on my bed and sigh .
“Son of a bitch,” I say to the ceiling. I wish I couldmove out of this place, but I know my father would cut me off. The side jobs we do aren’t enough money to fuel our real purpose. My role is to play the perfect son to keep getting the money. Having access to a lot of information about politicians and the higher-up people in the city is a plus. I didn’t realize how stupid these old fucks were until I started listening to my father’s conversations.
My phone pings and I look at the screen to see
Damon’s burner phone number pop up. I open the message and am shocked at the message.
Good job today.
I don’t know if I should reply back or just leave it.
Damon doesn’t compliment anyone. I stare at the message and then lock my phone. I need to get rest or I won't look acceptable to my father. Riley used to hate going to the country club with him. It’s nice to know that I am somewhat like my brother in that sense.
Riley passed away when I was sixteen. He was in a car accident and even though they told us he was intoxicated; I didn’t believe that for one moment. Riley never drank because he saw what it did to people. My parents didn’t push the issue since they just wanted to lay him to rest. Maybe I was just being a rebellious child at the time.
Every time my father was angry with me, I would
always bring Riley up and he would soften. It was my tool to use against him. I guess it has worn off on him now that I’m an adult. I’ve been in and out of therapy, but they're all the same. Your brother would want you to live a fulfilled life. They don’t know what Riley would have wanted. No one truly knew Riley, not even me. Maybe that’s why I want to figure out Damon so badly.