Page 30 of The Heir

He let go of my shirt, and reached up to roughly grip the back of my skull and make me look him in the eye. “You’re all I got left of them, Blaze. You would be wise not to provoke me into providing you with proof of what I’m willing to do to keep those I love safe.”

I was speechless. I stared at him. The indignation over Mak’s bullshit was gone in an instant.

I knew from pictures that Easy and my father looked alike, but at that moment, I realized that it didn’t matter if I’d never have memories of my father telling me he gave a fuck, advising me, and all of that. It didn’t matter if I couldn’t even conjure thesound of his voice to imagine what such a thing might have sounded like from him… I heard it through Easy.

And it shook me.

I wondered what my father would have said to me. What advice he would have given me in handling my mother and the need to expand my education or find a fucking career. I’d been feeling like I was in the middle of a sea with no shore to swim to for so long.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, “For upsetting you… Not about the girl. I guess you’re just going to have to accept that I inherited that Aviston gene, too. The one that makes you want to keep someone safe at any cost if they’re special to you.”

I thought he was going to cuss at me but I spoke fast, and by the time I was done, he was exhaling like it pained him and giving a slow nod.

“Just… give me a few hours, okay? Let me sort him… and… this. May,” He motioned at his son, and I stepped back, glancing toward Marchella.

“I haven’t ever seen anybody stand up to my dad the way that you do. You should give him time to adjust.” She smiled and winked, while making an inch gesture with her index and thumb.

Chapter Twelve

Blaze

May was snorting like he’d just done a line of something. His chest was violently heaving.

“What the fuck?” I was speed walking to keep up with him as we shot across the yard. When we reached the shed, I heard a commotion behind us like someone had tried to toss a cat in a tub of water, but much louder.

May held his ribs and cackled while snatching at my arm.

“... Come… On,” he managed, despite his tears. “He’s awake already. Man, you got balls. Legendary balls. Either that or you’re a supersized dumbass!”

He cackled like some granny at a bingo hall. I couldn’t help it, the sound grated me so badly, I shot my arm out and whacked him in the stomach with a full-forced back hand.

He violently coughed, but it didn’t disperse his laughter any.

“You’re worse than my sister. Are you fuckin’ giggling’ right now?” I glared back at him while following him down the driveway. “Man, I got a whole fuckin’ bike, back there.”

“Might be… But you ‘bout to have half an ass if we don’t get some pep in your step.” He laughed and grabbed my arm, tugging me down the road even as I whacked at him.

“May, what the fuck?”

“Dude,” he whispered, his voice oozing with admiration.

I realized his eyes were hauntingly similar to Mak’s. He licked his lips and glanced back at Mak’s bike.

“Someday…” he whispered.

“What?” I squinted, not following.

He looked at me and a chill ran down my spine. I opened my mouth, but something inside me snatched the question away before I could formulate it.

He laughed and tapped my arm, cutting down a side alley. The further we got from the house; the noisier things became. Not overbearingly so. It was a small town, but there was a tune drifting from the distance. The humming of a crowd.

“Ah shit! The fair is on.” May reached to whack my arm again, but I froze, letting him step forward and slap at the air.

“Bastard.” I scoffed when he looked back to check on me.

He sighed, still amused, but at least he contained his fucking giggles.

“You don’t think he’s gonna hurt her, do ya?” I paused again and glanced back at the direction we’d come from.

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