Authors: Amanda Heath
I move down the stairs and stand in front of them with my arms crossed over my chest. “The only people who matter in this situation are Rachel and Asher. And we will protect them with our lives. Now that might sound ominous but we all know this isn’t really going to end in death. Well maybe Donovan’s, but that’s another matter entirely.”
“He’s fucking dead,” Pierce mutters, looking up at me with all the hatred in his eyes. “I know I fucked up with him in the past and I deserved to be hurt because of it. Rachel and my son did not.” He rubs a hand down his face and looks at the ground. “My mother may never talk to me again but my brother is a dead man walking. No one hurts my wife. No one.”
“Good to hear you say that.” I give him a nod. This is about the time my future wife pulls up in Pierce’s driveway. The tiny little blonde jumps out of the car, not even bothering to turn it off. She stalks up the driveway and runs right past me before I can grab a hold of her arm. She raises her hand and then proceeds to slap the shit out of Pierce.
Channing and I are in shock and that doesn’t help Pierce unfortunately. “You stupid son of a bitch! How could you even for one fucking second believe Rachel did that willingly? Are you fucking stupid? Or do you just have your head so far up your ass you can’t see the fucking sun anymore?” Then she reaches down and takes her shoe off her foot. They are little black flats but that doesn’t stop her from using it like a bat. She swings that thing at Pierce and hands him his ass.
I finally come to my senses and pull her off of him. “Duchess, he feels bad enough as it is. Let’s not add a hospital trip to the mix.”
She struggles in my arms and I know she’s not listening to me. “How could you? You know this is all your fault? You fucking bastard!” Then she kicks me in the shin, startling me enough to drop my arms.
Pierce holds up his arms to protect his head from my little avenging angel. “Jesus, Wes. Stop beating me up, I know I fucked up. Okay?” When she doesn’t say anything he looks up and that’s when she punches him in the eye, just like I taught her. “Fuck!” Pierce exclaims, covering his eye with his hand.
“Wesley, I didn’t teach you how to throw a punch properly so you could beat the shit out of a man who can’t fight back. You’re making this unfair a little.” So I’m trying to make her stop when I think it’s funny as shit. There are more important things to worry about now and Wesley needs to cool the fuck off.
“I hope that hurts for a long ass time. And I don’t even care if you have a black eye in my wedding pictures.” Then she moves away from him and stands next to me.
Channing just makes Pierce face him and looks at his eye. “Fuck Wesley where did you get the power to do that? He’s already getting a bruise and we all know this asshole has a hard head.” Then he smirks at my fiancé.
“Well I wanted to punch him five years ago when this all got set in motion but I didn’t think I had it in me then. So yeah, that’s five years worth of pent up aggression.” Then she wraps her arms around my waist. “I did a good job right?” she asks with her face upturned to mine.
I lean over and kiss her forehead. “You did good, girl.”
Then she beams. She’s like the fucking sun when she does that. God, I love her.
“Well if we could move on from wanting to punch me in the face, I’d like to hear Royal’s plan, if you don’t mind. I kind of have a huge problem right now.” He glares at Wesley. Channing just shakes his head and runs into the house. He comes back a moment later with a frozen steak. He slaps it in Pierce’s hand and Pierce places it gently against his eye.
Wes looks back up at me. “What plan?”
I squeeze her before looking up at Pierce and Channing. “Pierce, you’re gonna have to stay away from Rachel.” His eyebrows furrow and I see him start to protest but I hold a hand up. “Donovan needs to think he’s won. He needs to think we are all divided. That’s the only way we can surprise him. He won’t see it coming and that’s what we want. Besides, we’re gonna need proof to convince Rachel. At this point she truly thinks she did something wrong and that this is all her fault.”
Pierce stands up and starts kicking the shit out of the wooden railing. The wood creaks and groans until he knocks it over. You can see the rage in every line in his body. Then he visibly calms down and faces us. Wesley and I have taken a step back and Channing moved further up the stairs. “This is all my fault. Even after four years of being rid of her that fucking cunt bitch is still ruining my life.” He looks up at Wesley with self-loathing in his eyes. “When will she leave me alone? When will I have paid for all of my mistakes?”
She rushes out of my arms and flings herself at Pierce. “I don’t know honey. She’s always been a cancer for this family. We may never be rid of the destruction she caused. I know we can never be whole again. Donovan will never have a place with us now, not after he took it too far. Aunt Lily is going to string him up by his balls and set his ass on fire.”
As much as I like the sound of that, “Anyway, we need to get proof, then we set Rachel on his ass. In fact, by the time we’re all done with him, there won’t be anything left.”
“Where are we going to get proof? He will have covered his tracks.” Channing mentions, crossing his arms over his chest and giving me a look. A look that says this isn’t going to work. Well then I’ll just have to change his faith in me. Asshole.
“Damien. He’ll know anyone who sells or makes GHB. And we search Donovan’s house. Not today or tomorrow, but next week. If everything goes like I plan, we can get in there one day while he’s at work. He’s not going to keep anything in the living room but there are several rooms in that house that his family doesn’t venture into.” And I won’t be the one to do it. I’d never leave that place the way I found it. I would destroy everything he owns. This motherfucker might think he’s won, but he really should have thought about the wrath of a pissed off brother. That’s one of the things I couldn’t believe. Is he so arrogant that he can’t see it? Hell, he beat up Ashley’s ex-boyfriend while he was in the hospital just because he almost got her killed. Does he not realize I would kill him for this?
“Oh fuck!” Wesley shouts and then runs towards her car. She throws open the back door and a few seconds later she pops back out with a tiny redhead in her arms.
Jesus.
BeeBee Vaughn lights up the second she sees Channing. Channing on the other hand looks like he might throw up. “Channing! Channing! Channing!” the little girl chants struggling to get to him.
Wesley finally sets her down. She runs at Channing with all that red hair flowing behind her like fire. Channing bends down and scoops her into his arms. “Hey there my precious girl,” he mumbles, kissing her on the head.
Channing
It takes one moment in time to break someone.
This is one of those moments. BeeBee and I have always had a special bond. Maybe it’s our love for her sister or maybe it’s because we are both old souls. I can’t really tell you but I know we have one.
I struggle with it every day that I don’t get to see her anymore. I miss the bitch with every breath I take but I also miss BeeBee. She’s a little miniature version of her older sister, lots of people used to ask if they were mother and daughter.
“I’ve missed you so much my tiny fairy,” I whisper into her hair. I hold back my tears but just barely. I’m not going to fall apart in front of the little girl in my arms.
I look into her blue-green eyes and I see knowledge a seven year old shouldn’t have. “I missed you too. Paisley misses you more though. She cries all the time.” I’ve spent the better part of a year not thinking or saying her name. The people around me haven’t been saying it either. So hearing it now is like getting shot in the chest. And I would know considering my sister described the experience to me when she got shot during the middle of a mob war.
I smooth locks of red hair out of BeeBee’s face and I look her deep in the eyes. “I miss her too. Every day. I miss her so much that it hurts all the time. But I can’t forgive her. There’re only so many wrongs I can handle before your sister can’t make it right.”
Wesley clears her throat and puts a hand on BeeBee’s shoulder. “Why don’t you go inside and watch TV, hmmm? Channing and the rest of us have some things we need to talk about that your little ears don’t need to hear.”
BeeBee curls up her lip and turns her head to look at Wesley. “You don’t have to speak to me like I’m a little kid. I’m seven now. I’m almost grown.”
Royal coughs to cover up the laughter I see in his eyes. Hell, I have to bite my lip. So much like her sister this tiny fairy is. I kiss her on the forehead, “You should go inside. We’ll talk later, okay?”
BeeBee sighs and nods. Then she races up the stairs and into the house. I stare down at Wesley until her cheeks start to turn pink. “Her sister called and asked me to babysit for a little while. Apparently your ex had to take Henry to the doctor. I think he’s having trouble with his heart.”
Margret didn’t tell me that. Of course you have to actually pick up the phone and call someone to learn anything. And this is something I haven’t done in weeks because I’m a horrible person. I’ve just lived my life for the past year in a fog. Nothing makes sense yet everything does. Most mornings I don’t know which way is up or down yet I get out of bed when my feet touch the ground.
“I guess I need to give Margret a call,” I mumble and move away from everyone. It doesn’t help though. I still feel like I can’t breathe. I feel like the first real breath I’ve taken in months came when I saw BeeBee get out of that car.
I scroll down to Margret’s name in my phone and hit dial. She answers after the third ring. “Why I do believe this is my long lost grandson calling to check up on my husband. Interesting, just interesting.”
“Margret,” I mutter, knowing I have a verbal beat down coming. This woman doesn’t let me get away with anything.
“He’s going to be fine you know. As long as I keep him on a strict diet and make sure he exercises, he shouldn’t have another scare.” I hear her heels click along. She must be walking on tile. “Paisley dear, do you think you can run out and get me a cup of coffee? Suddenly I’m quite tired.” I hear a voice in the background and I close my eyes because I know who that is. Margret never did play fair. “Don’t forget the Channing…ah I mean creamer dear.”
“You shouldn’t torture her like that. Or me for that matter,” I tell her as I start to pace up and down the driveway.
Margret laughs and while the laugh is evil I know she doesn’t mean us any harm. She’s actually been quite civil about the whole thing. But then again what can you do? When your step-grandson refuses to forgive your granddaughter, you don’t really have a choice. She knows if she pushes either of us, then she’d lose both of us. “Nonsense, Paisley needs a little torture. She’s been gone for far too long. At least she calls to check up on her family. Unlike some little boy that I know.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m not a little boy. And I’m not acting like a little boy either. I think I’ve handled the entire situation with grace and dignity.”
Margret huffs. “I know she hurt you. She hurt all of us. But she mostly hurt herself and you wouldn’t believe the amount of sadness she feels inside without you. Brings me to tears on most days.”
I rub my forehead and move my pacing faster. “Can we not talk about that? Jesus, I go weeks without hearing about her and all of a sudden everyone wants to talk about her today.”
“Yes, they may not talk about her, around you at least. Though you think about her all the time. I know you do. I spent years thinking about Henry and I couldn’t do anything about it.” She pauses and I hear it in the air. The bitch has entered the room again. “Though he was married with three kids while you and Paisley are free. You can fix this and you both know it.”
“Leave him be.” Chills break out all over my body. I haven’t heard that sweet southern accent in a year. It moves over me and I almost fall to my knees. It’s like the first time she ever spoke to me. I almost fell to my knees then. I was only held up by my anger over her being there. Now I’m held up by my rage with her. My broken heart can’t take it and I have to grit my teeth to stop a tear from falling from my eyes.
I hang up the phone without saying anything.
I stop at the end of the driveway and I think heavily about moving out in the main road and waiting for a car to hit me. Would it make this pain stop? Or would I have to wait in the afterlife for her? Only to be tortured by her for the rest of eternity?
“You know, at first I knew what you were going through. Rachel left me that one time, you remember? But we found our way back to each other. I thought for a few months after she left that she would come back. That she would apologize and you’d learn to forgive her.” Pierce moves to stand right next to me. He looks beaten and worn out. “Then I realized that she didn’t have the balls. We’ve all thought she was this badass chick that didn’t put up with anyone’s shit, but that’s not true. She’ll take her own shit and it screwed up both your lives. I wonder if she realizes that.”
I nod my head. “She does.”
“How do you figure that?”
“Because she and I are the same. I’d know it was all my fault. But I wouldn’t have walked away.” I scratch at my chin and decide I’m not going to walk into traffic today. If only to save Pierce from himself. And help off that jackass Donovan.
“This is all my fault. What happened with Rachel,” he tells me, looking down at the ground with his hands in his pockets.
“What happened to Rachel falls on the actions of three people. Annabella, Donovan and you. You can’t be blamed solely for this. Donovan shouldn’t have let his anger and hurt get this bad. Annabella shouldn’t have been with either of you. And you shouldn’t have loved that psycho bitch.”
“Did I ever really love her? What I feel for Rachel isn’t what I felt for Annabella.” He turns his head to the side and squints. “Speak of the goddamn devil.”
I look in that direction and watch in shock as a honey blonde struts down the street. There’s a little girl walking beside her. One with honey blonde hair. We had heard through Ashley that Annabella had gotten married to Sage. Then we heard she had a little girl. They must live near here for her to be walking down the street with a toddler.
“You felt lust and kindred with Annabella. You went through something horrible and she could relate too. That doesn’t equal love.” I put my hand on his shoulder knowing it’s going to be hard for him regardless to see Annabella. “Rachel hangs the moon and lights the stars for you. No one could ever take that away. The same goes for her. You’ll get through this. I know it. Everyone who loves you knows it. Donovan tried to bring you down. And he might have succeeded but he fucked with the wrong girl to get his revenge. I’m surprised he wasn’t smart enough to figure that out.”
“Hatred and revenge make people stupid,” Royal states as he walks up behind us. “Did we order a dose of crazy or something?”
“I don’t know. It would seem so since she’s coming right this way.” Pierce cringes the closer she gets to us.
I’m happy to note the baby girl has green eyes, unlike her mother’s freaky honey-colored ones. I’ve always thought Annabella was more sideshow looking than beautiful. “Can we help you with something, Queen of Crazytown?” Royal says sarcastically.
Wesley comes running down the driveway. Pierce catches her around the waist before she can get to close. “No need to punch Annabella in front of her kid, Wes.”
Wesley blinks a few times and looks down at the toddler. She goes down to her haunches and reaches her hand out for the kid. “Hi there cutie. What’s your name?”
The little girl looks up at her mom and then back to Wesley. “Ann.”
Wesley puts a hand to her throat and looks at Annabella in horror. “You named her after me?”
“Yes,” is all Annabella has to say. We all look at her for an explanation as to why she is here but she just stares at us.
“Seriously, can you explain why you’re here? I’m starting to get stalker hibbie jibbies,” Pierce tells her, never quite looking her in the eyes. The last time they had to interact, Ashley had gotten shot.
“I heard about Rachel and Donovan,” Annabella finally speaks. Then she reaches into her back pocket and pulls out a slip of paper. “I had Sage tell me the names of people who deal in GHB. This guy says he sold it to Donovan. It took Sage a while to get it out of him, but a bullet hole in the foot finally did the trick.”
We all stare at her in silence. The whole time she’s been standing there her face has been blank but now she slowly starts to smirk. That’s the Annabella I remember. “I know I don’t deserve forgiveness and I don’t want to be friends or anything. I just remember what it was like to have you and Wesley in my life, Pierce. If there is anything I can do to make the situation better, I will do it. I could do this.” She sighs and I notice her free hand tighten against her thigh. “Rachel would never do anything like this. I don’t even have to know either of you all that well to figure it out. You two deserve to be happy. Donovan deserves to be hung out to dry.”
Then she scoops the little girl into her arms and strides away. Before she gets too far Wesley yells after her, “Why did you name her after me?”
Annabella stops and turns around. “Because you were the best thing that ever happened to me. And I never wanted to forget how that made me feel.” She gives Wesley a real smile. “Besides, you have the purest soul of anyone else in this town. I was hoping you could bless that upon my child.” Then she turns around and we all watch until she disappears into the distance.
“That was seriously the weirdest thing ever,” Royal states while wrapping his arms around Wesley. Pierce and I exchange a look. That chick just keeps getting weirder and weirder.
We all head back up the driveway but I stop about halfway. Something just makes me and if you asked me to explain why, I couldn’t. It’s almost as if someone whispered in my ear, but not quite. When I do turn around it’s to see a black Camaro pulling into the driveway. She’s had that car for five years now and once upon a time it brought back memories.
The first time we fucked was on the hood of that car in the fucking rain. I couldn’t make that shit up if I tried. We were both drunk and when she kissed me I knew I couldn’t make it into her house, which was only ten feet away. Then again maybe I didn’t have it in me to take her to a bed. I didn’t much care for her then. She was this enemy I had no reason to be fighting with. In my head I knew if we made it to a bed I wouldn’t ever walk away. Though she didn’t deserve all that. I’ve been fucked in the head most of my life and I couldn’t tell you why I did certain things. I can only tell you I was protecting myself.
Maybe I should have protected myself better.
Royal and Pierce appear in front of me, like that will protect me from her. I should tell them to move because I don’t need it. And I really don’t. She could have talked to me before she broke my heart. She could have expressed herself better than she did. But she didn’t and she ruined everything. That’s all on her. They should be protecting her from me in all honesty.
“Why is it I find the two of you in front of him, when you both damn well know he doesn’t need to be protected?” Her voice reaches my ears and it’s like fireworks going off in my body. I love her voice. The southern accent and the dips in tones along with the dark undertone. When she speaks she means business.
“We aren’t protecting him, sweetheart. We’re protecting you. I remember what it was like while you two were courting each other. I can’t imagine what he could do to you now.” Royal smirks and raises his arms over his head. For the world he looks relaxed but I see the tension in his shoulders. He shouldn’t be this stressed the day before his wedding.
I need her to leave so we can drink some beer and chill out in front of the TV for his bachelor party. Not much of one if you ask me but since this is the third one we’ve thrown, it’s sort of routine.
I turn around and head towards the house. Wesley comes out the front door with BeeBee. I scoop the tiny fairy up and walk her down the driveway. “I’m not gonna see you again, am I?” she asks, her voice small and sad.