Page 58 of The Heir

“I’ll pay double the wrecked bike’s worth. I’ll take care of the boy’s hospital bills, and I’ll pay you five thousand dollars in cash, if you’ll have him forward a written statement to the office of Owens-Stanford and Yent denying that Blaze Aviston had any knowledge of his age. He’ll say he was speeding, that there was no race, and that he believes Mr. Aviston is innocent of the charges against him.”

Demon grunted, nodding slowly, “Now that’s a mother fucker that doesn’t blow smoke, Mak.”

My father scoffed, “Why do you give a shit, Donovan?”

“I care because it is the truth, Michael. He didn’t contribute to anything. He just wanted to go look for a damn job to impress my granddaughter. To do right by her. And look where it got him fooling with the bikers. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.” He thumped his finger on my father’s chest, like he didn’t have anything in the world to lose.

The entire room went silent. Even I was momentarily lost for words. When I saw my father’s hazel eyes darken, and the pupils started to blow, I knew what was about to happen.

“No,” I snapped into motion, placing myself in front of my grandfather, just as my father leveled the gun at him.

“Fuckin’ move, Marchella.” He twitched his gun, but didn’t bother lowering it.

My grandfather struggled to get around me, but I was backing him toward the wall. I knew my father would shoot. I knew it in my heart of hearts.

“Dad, put the gun down,” Donnie pleaded.

I could tell by the fear in my brother’s voice that he believed it, too.

“Mak that’s enough, man. He’s a fuckin’ preacher, brother,” Demon added.

“Makaveli, I swear to fuck–” Easy’s cool rumble pierced the chaos. “If you don’t put that fuckin’ gun down, I will violate you myself.”

My grandfather jerked me toward the door, rather than trying to press past me, and I went stumbling after him. Easy stepped into the path between us and we fled to the truck.

“My stuff–” I laughed, once we were on the highway.

There was a smile in grandpa’s eyes when they cut toward me in a side glance, “We got what we went for, Sweetheart. Trust me…”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Blaze

By Saturday all I wanted was to soak in a bath. I’d have sold a kidney for the chance. Why not? It couldn’t possibly make the pain any worse. My side was bruised in an ugly oval pattern that was darker around one of the lower ribs. I was convinced I’d broken it, but nobody really gave a shit to hear it on the other side of the bars, and I knew better than to advertise weaknesses to those on the same side as me.

I was sprawled in a corner, making the most of the wall and the bench while reflecting over my Illinois trip.

What was there for me here, besides Marchella? I didn’t have a job. I didn’t have a place. I didn’t even have a plan. And yet, what the fuck was back in Georgia? A bedroom at my mom’s house? No job. No vehicle. Stress and fear mongering would be showered over me if I made any attempt to break the indecisiveness and choose a direction.

I rubbed my face and groaned into the temple of my hands.

“Aviston, you got a visitor,” the guard announced, while flipping through his keys.

Once he decided on one, he shoved it into the door and nodded to the guards at the end of the hallway. They ambled toward us, taking a pair of cuffs off their belt. I went through the motionsI’d seen a few inmates do before me, giving them my back and wrists so that I could be cuffed and escorted.

We took a short hallway off the cellblock, and they opened a door that might as well have been a closet.

“I ain’t going in there,” I blurted out.

“You will if you want that visit. Shit is done over the….” The guard flipped his finger toward a device on the wall and I realized it was some kind of video set up. “You know.”

“...oh,” I lamely agreed, and stepped inside.

“Give me your hands and I’ll front cuff ya so you can grab the phone,” he suggested.

I gave him my back and held still, turning when instructed, and soon found myself alone in the dimly lit closet.

“Fuck,” I whispered, certain everyone on the cellblock was about to hear my mother in a grand performance.

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