Page 56 of Property of Chaos

“What’s actually the issue?” I narrow my gaze.

“Aside from the sheriff uncovering a potential body onourland,” he chokes out. “How about you start with where the fuck you’ve been every night the last week?”

“What does it matter?” Since when do I need to check in with these fucks?

Jinx rolls his lips and tilts his head. “Do I need to say it?”

“You don’t trust me?” I lift an eyebrow.

“What wouldyouthink if you were in our position,” he challenges. “Put yourself in our shoes, brother. Our president disappears night after night without saying where he’s going or why and suddenly, our goods yard is on fucking fire. Where would your red string lead you?”

“You think I had something to do with the blaze?” Is this asshole cooked? “What the fuck would I have to gain from that?”

“What did your father ever have to gain?”

“Are you for fucking real?” I match his stance by folding my arms across my chest. “You’re honestly going there?”

“Already went. Already stinks.” He scowls. “It’s a fair question, Chaos.”

“It’s fucking bullshit, is what it is.” I snatch up my helmet and yank it on. “You’re skirting with accusations of mutiny there, mybrother.” His face puckers harder. “I’ll go talk with Marty, and then I might stop off somewhere to have a shit on my way home. You need any more details than that?” I stab the starter hard enough that my fucking thumb hurts. “I’ve got a goddamn tracker on my phone, for fuck’s sake. Use it.”

“Easy enough to leave your phone lying somewhere,” Jinx hollers as I tear the back end around.

I don’t catch the rest of his bullshit. I don’t care to.

Not when I know he’d never understand.

TWENTY-ONE

VANESSA

I knewit was a bad idea when I laid the box on the shop counter. Knew this fucking thing would get me in trouble more than it’d give me any relief. And yet, mere seconds after ditching the smartphone on the bedspread to save my diminishing mental health, I reach for the fucking thing.

You’re beyond help, Ness.

“Don’t judge me.” I snarl at Murphy as he regards me through slitted eyes.

It’s only one time.Yeah. Sure. Likethiswon’t become my latest unhealthy addiction.

Still, I lift the phone and swipe up to wake the screen, clicking through to the next story. Article after article about my goddamn brother’s disappearance, but nobody cared to write a single thing about my mother.

Seems some priorities don’t change.

I skim another article touting the same rote facts about Gage’s final moments. He’d been himself in the days leading up to his disappearance, so-called friends say. There’s no other explanation but foul play, community members speculate. He would have called by now, hisgirlfriendcries.

A girlfriend.Fuck me.

The guy’s thirty-one years old. Do you still call them a girlfriend at that age? Or is it a partner?You know why they’d never use that term for her.Because that would infer that she and Gage are equals, and the men-folk can’t have that now, can they?

Imagine if the women believed they had importance. Value.Gasp.How shocking would that be?

I internally roll my eyes and toss the device aside before deciding better of its proximity to me and throwing it across the room onto the pile of washing near the door.Fuck that thing.It hasn’t given me any answers—only more questions.And an elevated heart rate.

Why the fuck was there a goddamn biker watching my house this morning? And why did he follow us to the darn airport? Are they tied up with my stepfather?Did he send them?

The thought that Chaos may be just another ofhissoldiers sours my gut, and I cringe, fighting the sudden rush of nausea. It’s so fucked up to admit, but having somebody that interested in me made me feel good. For the first time in so fucking long.It’s not fair.Why is it every time I find something, or someone, that makes me feel good, it’s ruined? Taken away.

Don’t I deserve nice things?What the fuck did I do in a past life to piss someone off?

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