Page 40 of Full Throttle 2

“You wouldn’t understand. You’re a man! Youth is currency.”

“And that has worked out so well for you, did it?”

“Cyrus!”

Cyrus sat up on the edge of his chair. “Faye. I’m not going to let you mess that girl’s head up. Lila is beautiful, but she is also smart, funny, fun, and thoughtful. She’s not even thirty years old. Give her room to make her own decisions.”

“You didn’t say that about Colby.”

“You think I would choose NASCAR for her? Well, let me tell you something. I wouldn’t. I would have chosen any other profession. But like a good parent, you nurture your children’s God-given talents and hope their choices will be better than the ones you made for yourself. But you wouldn’t know anything about that because you’ve always put yourself first. You’ve beenso busy running away from who you are and where you come from that you haven’t had time to get to know your own child.”

Faye pulled a handkerchief out of her purse and started dabbing at her eyes. “That’s a horrible thing to say to me.”

Cyrus didn’t see any tears. “Maybe, but it’s true.” His sister had truly missed her calling. “Faye, I love you, and I’ve always protected you but you’re a woman fully grown. Lila and Colby are just getting started in this life, and they need our support. If you came here to suck them dry or, in any way, take from them, you’ve got to go. You cannot stay here. Do I make myself clear?”

“Is that what you really think of me?”

Cyrus didn’t respond to her question and was resolute. “Do I make myself clear?”

She nodded. “Perfectly.”

A black SUV pulled up behind Faye’s car and honked the horn. Cyrus softened his tone. “There’s some left-over lasagna in the fridge and a list of information you need to know on the counter.”

Faye was still smarting from her brother’s words but couldn’t hide her curiosity. “Who is that woman in the car?”

Cyrus stood and lovingly placed his hand on her shoulder. “I’ve got a date.” He winked. “See you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yep. You’ve got my room.” As he climbed down the stairs, he stopped mid-stride and turned around. “Things have gotten pretty hairy around these parts.” He pointed toward two cars parked across the street. “That’s Hank and Tony. Security. They will always be posted there. Make sure you close and lock the doors when you leave, and the security code to park your car in the garage is on the list.”

“Security? Why do you need that?”

“The last time you called, I told you things were different around here. Colby is high-profile. That comes with a lot more attention and some craziness.”

Faye frowned. “Why not just move into a more secure neighborhood? It’s not like you can’t afford it.”

Cyrus shook his head. His sister could be so insensitive. “I don’t know, maybe because I have a lot of history here and don’t want to move.” He turned and started walking back toward the SUV.

Faye rose from her chair and yelled out after him, “Maybe I’m not the only one who needs to realize that their children are grown.”

Chapter Nineteen

The car was quiet as Brian and Lila rode home from Georgia’s in silence. He linked his hand with hers while she rested her head on his shoulder.

Lila sighed contentedly. The past year had been the longest period where she had felt totally at peace and looked forward to the future.

Brian lifted their entwined fingers and kissed the back of her hand. “You should stay over.”

“Again? Three nights in a row?”

“Yeah. I sleep better with you next to me.”

She wouldn’t lie. She slept better next to Brian too. “I would, but I can’t. I’ve got to finish my paper. It’s the final for this class.”

“You do?”

“Yes.”

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