Page 11 of Peaceful Chaos

Memories

Sin

"Where the hellhave the two of you been!" Holbrook shouts as soon as we return home.

"I hate to agree with uncle dearest, but this isn't a good time for the two of you to be out gallivanting all over town," Lucien quips.

"Relax, we're back, and we're safe," I tell them both.

Holbrook glares at me. "And I'm trying to keep you that way." The look he gives me makes me think he’s lying, at least where I’m concerned.

My fists clench by my sides. "I'd never let anything happen to Raven."

He sighs and sits down on one of the bar stools. "And what about you? Who's going to look after you?"

I roll my eyes. Not the most mature reaction, but being babysat seems to have turned me into the teenager I never got to be. "Don't act like you care. I'm a monster, remember?"

"Sin," he calls after me, but I can't stand around and listen to him. I storm out of the room, grabbing my emergency stash of weed from one of the end tables before heading toward the backdoor.

I hear him call my name again, but Raven stops him. "Leave him be. We're home, and he doesn't need you in his face. You've done enough."

It's all the reassurance I need that she knows I'm not trying to get away from her. I'm not running, but the feelings inside me are overwhelming. I need to dull the edges before they rip me to shreds.

I haven't indulged since we left Devil's Crossing. It's not something I regularly do. I know it goes with the bad boy persona, but I don't do anything expected of me. However, the lure of escape calls to me. Raven and I can't physically leave here right now, so I'll have to take flight through chemical means.

The paper of the joint crackles when it meets the flame from my lighter. I pull a burning drag down my throat and fight the urge to cough. It's been a while since I even had a cigarette, but the feeling dissipates after a few seconds. I hold the smoke in as long as I can and start to feel the stress melt away.

The back door opens and I see Lucien step toward me. He says nothing when he comes to stand by me, only holds out his hand for the joint. I hand it over, and he takes a hit before handing it back.

"Just say it," I growl.

Lucien shrugs. "I've got nothing to say."

"Then what are you doing out here?"

"Can't I just want to hang out with my brother?"

I level him with a look. "You rarely do anything without a motive."

"I'm hoping you have a plan. I just spent half a day with Marks. My uncle called every fifteen minutes acting out because he’s angry we shoved him aside today. He's pissing me off, and if we don't do something to get out of this mess soon, I'm going to kill him."

"I don't have a plan, but maybe a possibility." I fill him in on my conversation with Carina.

"What are we waiting for? Let's find your uncle and get the ball rolling." Lucien starts to stroll back to the house.

I grab his shirt and pull him back. "Luce, wait. Carina is working on getting in touch with him, and I only spoke to her this morning. We need to give her a bit more time. I'm afraid for now we're going to have to let Holbrook take his shot at the legal route."

Lucien gives me a scathing look. "Please tell me you aren't that naive. You know that's not going to find anything to hold my father. Even if he does, that shit will magically disappear."

"I know, but he doesn't. He was right about one thing, we can't keep doing the same thing and expect a different result."

Lucien grunts. "I hear you, but do you know how many times Whitmore has tried to go after him through legal means? How well has that worked out?"

"It hasn’t, but we can use the time while he's distracted to meet with the Soldiers of Chaos as soon as Carina comes through. I believe she will. Once she does we'll need the diversion, because we're being watched too closely for us to go around meeting with soldiers for hire."

Lucien smirks. "That sounds more like you. I was afraid my sister was making you go soft."

A chuckle bursts free. The weed has managed to loosen my tongue with the rest of my body. "Trust me, I'm never soft around your sister."

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