Page 89 of Their Broken Legend

His brother’s brain is fucked.

My brother is a man of few words, but his actions speak and heal what his mouth struggles to articulate, and right now as he knocks down the wall in my mother’s room, he is physically manifesting his closure.

Or he’s just keeping me busy, so I don’t spiral with nothing to do.

Fucking Max Butcher.

Never change, mate.

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

kaya

The stale airtaps at my skin as we sit in the waiting room of the remand centre. It’s crowded. My older sisters, Natalie, Mae, and Lisa, slouch on the other side of my mother. Natalie is on her Kindle, no doubt reading some man-on-man dark romance story, while Mae and Lisa have mentally dissolved into the TikTok portal.

My skin is hot but not from the weather; it’s strange being together. Mae and Lisa go to university—a place I should be. They practically live on campus, only ever home to sleep. I understand why. The motel doesn’t exactly scream ‘charm and comfort; stay within my cosy walls.’

While my sisters aren’t mentally present, my mum smiles at the guards in the same way she might a priest who is here to grant us Hail Marys or whatever the fuck priests actually do outside of the movies. As though they hold all the cards, and we are at their mercy.

I don’t smile at the guards.Fuck them.Smiling at them won’t give us our house back or protect me from my encounter with ManXY tonight. Won’t give me the million dollars I need to get Dad out. Won’t help.

Fuck them twice.

I focus on the phone in my lap. After spending too much time with my hothead this morning, I was late to the motel. So, in Mac’s Mazda on the way here, I impulsively texted Chloe explaining, well,everything.

My skin prickles at the thought.

About ManXY. About tonight. What I did under the strong arms of my bitter pride.

I told her everything.

Kaya:

I know you’re pissed.

Chloe:

Shut up. I’ll be there.

Kaya:

No. I’m going to meet him ALONE. Tell him we will transfer the bitcoin back. And that I no longer have my virginity, so there. That’s that.

He might be dangerous. I don’t want you there.

Chloe:

Exactly. And Kenno will be there too. His punk arse got you into this mess. I’m fucking pissed at you both.

Kaya:

Chloe. I did this on my own.

Sighing, I shove my phone back into my pocket. This room smells like guilt and bleach; the latter probably used to dowse the former.

My gaze shifts around the waiting area, a narrow rectangular space with seating fixed to the floors in parallel rows along grey walls.

It’s busy today; I didn’t have to wait last time.

---