Page 64 of A Brother's Secret

“Why does this bother you?” Kyle asked quietly and I sighed.

“Not exactly a shining example of my finest hour, you know?” Isaid.

“No, I don’t know… why don’t you explain it tome?”

“Later,” Trigger called out and he and Reaver were back down from the rooms. “Let’s get this over with, grab a few hours and headback.”

I sighed and felt my shoulders slump, nodding wearily and we headed over, the five of us, on four bikes. The shop was lit with its familiar blue neon and was as busy as ever. It was the middle of our day and I felt a huge pang of guilt. I mean, I guess it was better than me being dead which is where I thought I would be at this point, but nobody needed to knowthat.

Disney went in ahead of us, Kyle held the door for me, and I slipped through. He was right behind me, followed by Trigger and Reaver and the first thing I did was pick up my portfolio and slip it to Disney. If it were the only thing we got out of this, then let it be so. I didn’t know what kind of reception I was about toget.

Kit looked up from her computer screen and froze, her pink bubble gum she’d blown into an expert bubble, snapping. She took a full two seconds to pull it off her lips with her tongue and suck it back into her mouth.

“Hey, Joey!” she called and her tone wasn’t friendly, but it wasn’t exactly hostile, either. More of an ‘oh, shit… I don’t know what to do with this one’ which was fine. I wouldn’t have been so uncertain, though. I would have been pissedoff.

The guns in the shop stopped buzzing, people looked up and surprise flitted across Lissard’s face; Djinn looked nonplussed, but this was Joey’s shop and as the king, it was his job and his place to deal with me. Joey rolled across the checkered linoleum floor and his green eyes burned.

“And just where the fuck have you been?” he barked and I tilted my head. His voice was barely restrained and I knew this was going to be a knock-down drag-out.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” I said and let out a pent-up breath slow and controlled. “I don’t want any trouble, I just want to get my shit andgo.”

“No! Fuck that Lexi! You owe me a goddamned explanation!”

“Fuck,” I muttered.

“Which one’s yers again?” Trigger asked. I turned to look at him, standing behind me just inside the door, chewing on the end of a black e-cigarette.

“Back wall, central station.”

“No, fuck that! Who the fuck are you?” he demanded.

“We’re her new friends,” Reaver answered and followed Trigger to the back. They had a couple of tool boxes that would hold my shit, but that fit nicely in their saddlebags. Disney held a third in case they neededit.

“I don’t care about the gloves and saran wrap and shit. Just get my ink, there should be a rotary gun in the drawer, and whatever other essentials,” I toldhim.

“Lexi, seriously, what the fuck?” Djinn demanded from the corner.

“You disappear for a couple of months, no call no show on your clients, then just show up here rip out your shit and leave?” Joey demanded.

“Like I said, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you. I’m sorry, but this is really for the best. You won’t hear from me again. I promise.”

“Not good enough,” Joey came out from behind the counter and said, “Kit, call thecops!”

“What for?” I demanded.

“For robbing the place,” Joey said defiantly.

“Oh, fuck you, Joey. All that shit is mine – bought and paid for with my own fuckin’ money!” I shouted, outraged. He grabbed my arm and made to haul me in but Kyle stepped between us, a gentle hand on Joey’s chest.

“Don’t touchher.”

“Who the fuck are you?” Joey demanded and hauled off, and I got in it to win it then. I caught his wrist, stepped past Kyle and landed Joey on his ass. He slid back into some of the waiting area chairs, shoving them into the front window which shuddered with the impact but thankfully, didn’t break.

“Woo hoo hoo! She got me with that one last night!” Reaver cried. God, had it really only been last night? Too much shit was happening too fucking close together. That felt like days or weeks ago already.

Out loud I said, “No, different move,” adding dryly, “You’re not helping!”

“Sorry,” Reaver muttered.

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