Page 15 of Breaking You Open

“Too busy to take care of your job?” I hear him light a cigarette at the other end of the line and take a sip of something, likely something strong. “A girl died last night.”

The familiar smell of urine, old socks, and oak furniture hits my nose as I make my way into Moe’s Den with Ravi in tow. Maurice sits in the back, off by the pool tables. He’s got a whiskey in hand, and judging by the amount of cigarette butts in the ashtray, he’s already smoked enough for two days. With a few hours yet until opening time, he’s stinking up the place something fierce.

Joshua sits next to him, a backward ball cap on his shaved head and a sullen expression on his usually smug face.

“How the fuck could this happen?” I growl.

“You tell me,” says Maurice, eyes dark under his gray eyebrows and the MC club vest showing off his bulging biceps. I’d count myself lucky if I had that amount of muscle at his age. Who the hell is this ripped at sixty-two? Next to Joshua’s skinny frame, he looks almost comical.

“Who was the girl?” I ask, sending Ravi a glare.No worries, huh? Becauseof him, because ofme, a girl is dead. Well, it’s not strictly either of our faults, but if we were there, we could’ve prevented it, I’m sure.

“Doesn’t matter,” Joshua says with a shrug.

“Who told you to open your mouth?” I growl. Joshua bears his own brand of guilt, and it’s easier to convert my remorse into anger at him than let it burn in my chest.

Maurice frowns at me. “Manners, Louis.”

“What the hell do manners matter in a situation like this?”

Joshua stands up. He’s obviously trying to put on a nonchalant appearance, but I notice the tightness of his jaw and the clench of his fists.

“Wasn’t much of a surprise if you ask me. She was one of Eric’s.”

I show my teeth in a grimace. “Well? How did it happen?”

“You should know; you were the one at the job.”

“How about you? You’re the fucking host.”

“Now, now. We shouldn’t push the blame on other people for our own negligence, should we, Louis?” Joshua grins, and if I didn’t want to smack his smug little face before, I sure do now. He yawns and stretches his arms over his head. “You know I always pass out by one o’clock. That’s what we have the guards for. Isn’t that right?” He gives me and Ravi a pointed look.

“That’s correct,” Maurice says. “And they’re supposed to be present for the entirety of the party, however long it goes on. Not leave at their whim and fancy,” he adds, glaring at me.

I look away, clenching my fists at their sides. “I had to take care of some things.”

I had to take care of a wing-clipped bird that couldn’t take care of itself. It wasn’t easy, but it was right, and for someone who rarely does the right thing, I had fucking hoped this time would be different. That I’d done good for once. But no, turns out I should have left Sparrow to stumble back to wherever he lives and be subject to a robbery or worse so I could’ve prevented a girl from fucking dying.

“Tell me, what’s more important than taking care of your job?” Maurice asks.

“Getting laid,” Ravi coughs.

“You’re serious?” Maurice throws his head back in a menacing laugh.

“Eric had a busy night,” I grumble. “He fed vodka to some kid who ended up puking his guts out.”

“If someone starts throwing up, you throw them out,” Maurice says. “Not take them home and fuck them!”

“I didn’t fuck him,” I growl.

Ravi waves a hand. “Guys, how about we just—”

“Shut up, Ravi!” Maurice and I yell in unison.

Ravi’s mouth falls closed.

Maurice rubs his temples, shaking his head at him. “You’re lucky you’re Tara’s brother. And you,” he says, pointing his cigarette at me. “You’re lucky I don’t throw you back to where you came from.”

My gut turns over. Maurice has been plenty fair with me so far—allowed many infractions he otherwise wouldn’t have. Members of different chapters of the Black Claws are rarely taken in like I was, but since my former president and Maurice had a past, I had a head start, so to speak. When I first came to town, Maurice and Ravi accepted me right away. Since then, my track record of befriending people has been sparse, to say the least.

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