Page 5 of The Heir

“Two degrees?” Monty asked, checking me in the rearview mirror.

I met his gaze and gave a short nod of confirmation.

The old man’s smile lit up his eyes. “Atta boy.”

“What’s next then?” Aunt Daisy asked the question that usually caused the dinner table to implode. “Will you find an amazingjob, or continue your education? Maybe go hiking in Europe for a year?”

“What?” I laughed when she started talking about international travel.

“I don’t think people do that anymore, Babe.” Monty spoke up again, “That hippie shit wore out with our generation.”

He and Oak laughed while Daisy swatted playfully at the back of his seat. I didn’t have the heart to tell her my mother would probably put agents on me if I crossed state lines without her at my side. I was as likely to explore Europe as I was Mars. Sure, I could do what I wanted. I was a grown man, but her fear mongering, hovering, and anxiety-induced lectures often sucked the joy out of anything that didn’t include smothering under her rock in rural Georgia.

“I don’t think the jobs are all that outstanding at my level. I don’t really know yet,” I found myself mumbling and hoping the conversation died there.

“Oh, bullshit,” Daisy countered, drawing my gaze back to her big, brown eyes. “You’re bright, Blaze. You’re going to do wonderful things.”

Oak nodded in agreement, a smile resting on his features as it usually did. It was hard to put him in a foul mood.

“What are your degrees in again?” Monty asked, as he flipped the turn signal on and slowed the van.

I took a deep breath even as my mother forcefully exhaled behind me.

“Uh– Psychology. Psych and History.” I cleared my throat.

“You could probably get a job anywhere, honestly.” He shrugged, making the turn off the highway.

The minute he was on his street, the old man started cursing, “Ah, shit, Daisy. I– Honey, I thought you said it would be a small affair with just Easy and his family?”

“Wha–?” Daisy managed, popping her head up just as my mother landed a hand on my chest and the other on Daisy’s.

“Nope. Not happening,” she announced, propelling herself forward and rounding on the door.

She grabbed the handle and went to jerking on it, but it apparently, wouldn’t open while the vehicle was in motion.

“Let me out!” she barked, causing Monty to slam on the brake.

She slapped off the back of Oak’s seat, threw the door open and leaped from it like she was under duress.

“What the fuck is going on?” Monty clipped, as Oak flung his seatbelt off and hopped out after her.

“Get the kids out of here, would ya, Monty?” He didn’t wait for an answer before shutting his door and shoving Daisy’s closed.

A small flock of people in leather vests had flocked from the overflowing yard to stare down the street at us. Meanwhile, Monty stayed parked, eyeing Daisy in the rearview mirror.

I cleared my throat and drew their attention toward me.

“It’s my experience one should get while the getting is good in these situations.”

Monty grunted and Daisy blinked.

“This… uh… This is normal?” she quietly asked, giving a glance back to Karlotti.

Karlotti put her head down and I gave a stiff nod.

“Anytime my father or the history surrounding him comes up, she loses it. Anytime we venture too far from her nest… she loses it,” I quietly admitted.

A slew of half-silenced curses was emitted from the driver’s seat before Monty threw the car into drive and we slowly rolled toward the bikers.

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