Chapter 5
Chapter Five
JASON
“What does someone wear to a funeral at a biker bar?” It was said low, like Cora was talking to herself.
“I think you wear what you want because it’s a funeral at a biker bar and there are no rules.”
She grinned. “Then you can wear your suit.”
“Sure. As long as you wear a ball gown.” That would be a sight to see. She was always dressed well, even when she was wearing her flight attendant attire at work: skirt, button-down, and a jacket. With her dark hair, all she needed was glasses and she could be Wonder Woman.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t even wear a ball gown to a regular funeral.”
We passed a boutique and I slowed. “Maybe you could find something here?”
Thomas trailed us. I’d known him long enough that I knew he was wearing a smirk. If we weren’t childhood friends, I’d even consider killing him for teasing me later.
She stopped, looked at the display in the window, and shook her head. “Nope. I can’t afford that place.”
“You don’t know that.”
She scoffed. “I do know that. Look at that dress. It screams four figures.”
I looked at the dress. It was possible, but they had to have other things. “Humor me. Let’s just go in and see. Plus, it’s the only store I’ve seen men’s clothing in so far.”
“Okay, but if I can’t afford it, then we get your clothes here and keep going until we find a place that I can shop. You’ve already done enough.”
I just smiled.
“I’ve seen that face.”
“What face?” I knew what she meant, and normally I hid it better. When I was going to do something, and my mind wouldn’t be changed, I just stopped arguing.
“The face that says my lips are saying one thing and I’m going to do something else… like buy me clothing instead of letting me take care of myself.”
I walked to the boutique’s door and opened it. “Shall we?”
Her lips pinched together, and she huffed. “Fine,” she said. When she got to the door, she stopped in front of me. “I know where you’re sleeping the next few nights. Don’t forget that.”
“You’re really cute when you threaten people.”
She roared like a dragon and stomped into the store.
Thomas laughed.
“Just make sure no one questionable comes in.”
He gave a salute. “You got it boss. Have fun shopping.”
“Shut up.” I let the door swing shut.
Needless to say, we took opposite sides of the store. One, she needed to cool off, and two, that’s how they had the sections arranged. I hadn’t bought clothes in a while. Iris took care of that. If my life depended on knowing the price of a pair of socks, I’d be dead.
What size did I even wear?
I grabbed a few pairs of jeans and continued browsing. A button-down wasn’t going to work at a biker bar. A T-shirt? I didn’t think I’d worn a T-shirt since I was a preteen.
My father wouldn’t allow it. Men dressed for success. Success meant the respect of your associates and peers, and those who didn’t respect you, should fear you.
Those who wouldn’t respect or fear you didn’t live long.
He’d always been distant with a flair for the cruel. I didn’t realize how much my mom protected me until she was gone. After… after, I took the brunt because I couldn’t let that darkness touch Anna.
Then she fought with him over a gun, and he shot himself.
She’d been to therapy and said she was doing well. Ari, her husband, said the same. I hoped they were telling me the truth.
“Jason?”
“Uh, yeah?” Cora’s face came into focus. “Everything okay?”
Her eyes searched mine, a concerned look on her face. The way her head was tilted, she had been studying me long before I zoned back in. “I don’t know. Is it? You’ve been standing in the same spot, staring at the same rack of clothes for ten minutes.”
I smiled. “Sorry, I just don’t know what to pick. Iris usually buys my clothes, and I’ve worn button-ups since before I was a teenager. I don’t know what I should wear.”
Her eyes slightly narrowed for a second as if she didn’t quite believe me. “Oh. Well, would you like some help?”
“Please.”
She dug through the racks looking at the T-shirts. “These are all vintage.”
“Vintage?”
“Yeah, most of them are from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s.” She chuckled and held one up. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”
“Four turtles with masks on?”
Her mouth dropped open. “Wait. You haven’t seen the masterpiece of cartoons that is the Ninja Turtles?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Well, what cartoons did you watch?”
“I didn’t.”
Her eyebrows knitted together, and she exhaled. I half expected her to ask why, but instead… “Well, we’ll have to remedy that.”
I could feel the water circling my waist. The memories of my father were a well of poisonous water that constantly tried to pull me under. “It’s okay.”
“Um, no. You have some serious catching up to do. We’ve got the Snorkels, Care Bears…” She sucked in a sharp breath. “Surely you watched G.I. Joe?”
“Who?”
“It’s a way old show that I watched with my dad.
We had this channel that only played old cartoons.
They were the best.” Her face got reflective.
“Or maybe they were so great because I got to watch them with my dad and Maya. Saturdays were family days after my mom died. We’d stay home, curl up on the couch, eat way too much Cookie Crisp, and watch cartoons all day. ”
Her childhood sounded awesome. Mine… wasn’t.
“I bet that was fun.”
Her eyes held that sheen that she got when something hurt but she tried to hold it back. I’d witnessed it on my behalf quite a bit since my father returned. She didn’t broach the subject though. I appreciated that she hadn’t so far.
“It was.” She slung the T-shirt over her arm and picked a few more. “Okay, go try these on.”
I went to move and stopped. “Have you found anything?”
A shrug accompanied her answer. “Maybe, but I can’t afford them.”
My lips lifted slightly.
Her finger jabbed into my chest. “No. Go try those on.”
“I am your boss, you know.”
“We are not in Chicago.”
Before I could argue further, I found myself being pushed toward the changing room. “Go. Try those on so we can find another store.”
“You know, most women would want a man to pay for a shopping trip.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not most women,” she said as we reached the dressing room.
I faced her, and our eyes met. “I know.” That’s what I liked most about her. She wasn’t like most women who threw themselves at me. None of them wanted me. They wanted the benefits of being with me. I was all too familiar with what being used felt like and I was never letting that happen again.
After trying everything on, I left with three pairs of jeans and six new vintage T-shirts. I’ll admit the collector in me cringed at the idea of ripping the tags off fifty-year-old shirts, but they were meant to be worn.
We wandered around downtown Valle Perdido for another hour and finally found a thrift store. It was a little more upscale than most, and it only carried clothing, shoes, and accessories.
It wasn’t nearly as pricey as some of the other stores, but her eyes bugged out a few times when she flipped the price tag over. Eventually, she found a few things.
The few things that I knew she liked and put back, I secretly bought and had them delivered to the house. There was a no-return policy so… her practical side would win out and she’d wear them.
As we left the store, Thomas sidled up to me. “We had some guys watching the store.”
I scanned the area.
“They’re gone after realizing we weren’t alone. I didn’t see biker vests, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t Colter’s.”
“What are you two whispering about?”
Thomas locked eyes with me. Did I tell her? I didn’t want to scare her, but I also didn’t want her to think we were safe either. My friend shrugged. “I’ve got no advice for this one.”
I went for honest. “We had company. They were watching the store.”
Her mouth popped open. “Do we need to go?”
“They’re gone now.”
“Were they Colter’s guys?”
Thomas shook his head. “If they were, they were undercover.”
She chewed her lip. “Should we go to the house?”
I nodded. “I think we should. We can order delivery.”
Her lips lifted a fraction, and she shrugged. “I did want to introduce you TMNT.”
“I think that’s probably the best idea. We can eat, watch a little TV, and then go honor your sister.”
Cora’s hand came to rest on my forearm. “Thank you.”
An hour later, we were sprawled on the massive sectional in the rental house’s living room, takeout containers spread across the coffee table.
Thomas had done another security sweep and was now positioned by the front windows, pretending to read a magazine while actually watching the street.
He’d set up patrols to walk the property and stationed guards at the front and back door.
“Okay,” Cora said, waving the remote. “Time for your education to begin. You’re going to love this.”
“What if I don’t?” I teased.
She gave me a deadpan look. “We’ll be getting you a health checkup.”
I yawned and rubbed my face with my hands. “I hope I can stay awake.”
It must have been contagious because she yawned as well. “Me too. If nothing else, maybe I’ll sleep sound tonight.”
“Are you worried about the funeral?”
“Not worried, just uncertain what’s going to happen. Colter and I only met briefly, maybe twice. Both times, my sister and I were fighting about him as she got on the back of his bike.”
I leaned my head on the back of the couch. “She must have fallen hard for him.”
“I don’t even know why.” Cora shifted on the couch until she was facing me with her elbow braced against the back of the couch.
“Maya was wild, don’t get me wrong, but she never went for the controlling type.
Usually, it was the guy fawning all over her, trying to keep her.
With Colter, it was totally different. She did anything and everything he wanted.
She met him at the beginning of summer, and by the end of it, Maya was a different person.
She was in and out of rehab for the next year and a half.
Each time, she’d get out with all these great plans, and he’d show up. ”
“I’m sorry.”
“She just couldn’t break away. It didn’t matter how much I begged or pleaded or what.
” She sighed. “Mostly, I’m just sad that the last time we spoke, I was angry and told her not to call me until she was ready to kick Colter to the curb.
That’s when I moved to Chicago. For a fresh start.
I knew that if I didn’t do something, I would never stop enabling her.
She had to decide to get clean and stay clean. I couldn’t do that for her.”
I stretched my arm across the space between us and covered her hand with mine. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry you lost your sister. I’m sorry you didn’t get to mend things with her. If I had the power, I would fix it, regardless of cost.”
Her gaze lowered to the couch, and she swallowed hard. “Thank you.” She drew in a shaky breath. “Why do I feel so guilty?”
“It’s human nature. You loved her. You feel like you should have been able to save her. Sometimes people can’t be saved.”
The number of times I argued with my father, trying to convince him that people weren’t commodities to be bought and sold. To remind him of his humanity. Of Anna. Her love for him. How it would break her heart to know he had such little love and respect for her.
He never cared. Never even so much as paused. He plowed on. Plotting with Marco and Benoit. Michael had called me weak.
He’d been thoroughly surprised when I pulled off the coup. He was right to call me weak, though. I should have killed him. Anyone else in our world would have, but I’d spared him. I’d let Anna’s love for him keep him alive.
It was a hard lesson I’d never forget, and I’d never make that mistake again.
“Are you thinking about your father?” she asked softly.
“Unfortunately.” I waved her off. “At least Maya wasn’t evil. She was just lost. If nothing else, you know she loved you; otherwise, she wouldn’t have given you Elias.”
Her eyes grew teary. “I hadn’t thought about it like that.”
I shrugged. “You’ve had a lot hit you all at once. It’s going to take some time to process all of it.”
“Yeah,” she replied. “I guess so. In the meantime, I think we’ve got just long enough to watch the first TMNT episode.”
Here’s to hoping I was a fan.
I was also hoping that the funeral tonight was cordial. That Colter Briggs didn’t try anything. The last thing I needed was a war on the border.