Page 143 of Restless
“Uh, I live here.”
While Ryan resembled Uncle Val with the same dark hair and turquoise eyes, Devon had Aunt Zoann’s whiskey-colored eyes. Nor was he stocky like his father and brother. Rory bet he was already a little taller than Uncle Val.
“I know you live here. Why aren’t you at school?”
“CJ isn’t, and I heard through the grapevine the Bryds might be returning soon.” Devon yanked a handful of grapes. “If I knew Ryan was home, I would’ve taken my chances with Willard and Wallace.”
Rory snapped his brows together and stared at his cousin. “Goddamn. Ryan must be a beast if you’d prefer to deal with those two motherfuckers.”
“He’s that and more, Rory. Which brings me back to my question. Why are you here?”
Devon chomped the grapes, his lips smacking loudly. Rory frowned.
“Your dad dropped off Ryan and me. I don’t feel like going home, so I decided to chill here.” It wasn’t a complete lie. If he wanted to be a real motherfucker, he could tell Devon that his big brother was a loud-mouthed pussy, but he’d keep that information in reserve. It might come in handier at another time. “Ryan went upstairs to shower and I was hungry.”
Devon headed toward the hall. “I’m going for a walk. If Ryan leaves with you, text me. Otherwise, I’ll be at Aunt Ophelia’s.”
“You shouldn’t let Ryan best you, Dev. You have as much right to be here as he does.”
“Don’t underestimate Ryan,” Devon said quietly. “Mom’s the only one who can keep him in line and he hates her for it. He hates Dad because she’s the one person he’s afraid of too. But Mom isscary. Still, she’s blind to Ryan’s viciousness because he’s her son and she loves him. I’m just staying in my own lane and waiting for the bottom to fall out.” Sadness marred his face, and he shrugged. “I’ll be here for my dad, so he can be here for Mom.”
He started off.
“What do you know, Dev?”
It was obvious he knew something.
“Stuff I wish I didn’t, Ro. I never meant to see…if Ryan ever found out what I knew, he’d kill me.”
Debatable. Ryan was a fucking coward.
“If Uncle Christopher ever finds out, Ryan’s dead, Rory.”
This time, Rory didn’t try to stop him from leaving. Without being told, he knew Devon’s secret had to do with Bash.
A few minutes later, Ryan walked into the kitchen. His hair was damp, but his clothes were clean.
Rory had lost his appetite and sat quietly on one of the stools at the breakfast bar.
“Have you talked to Bash yet?” he demanded.
“How’s that your business, cuck?”
Back on familiar turf, Ryan’s assholery returned.
“After this morning, it’s my fucking business.”
“Not. Harris killed his cunt and beat Molly.”
“You fucking sure about that, dickhead? Bash wants tokillAunt Meggie. Are you sure this wasn’t his way of sending some type of message?”
Ryan clenched his jaw and glanced away. “If you think Bash is involved why didn’t you tell?”
“You know why,” Rory scoffed. “My dad would be as dead as you, since I’m sure he’s involved with Bash.”
Ryan slid into the stool across from Rory. “If I don’t respect you for anything else, I respect you for putting your father ahead of fucking CJ and the slut he dropped out of.”
Rory recoiled, feeling like a crybaby, and wishing he could talk to Aunt Meggie or Uncle Mort. But he wanted comfort and reassurance. He was so afraid that life would never be the same again. Even though his childhood was interrupted by visits to the meatshack, there had been an ease to his life before Dad disappeared.
