Blizzard (The Brotherhood Journals #1) (19 page)

The first thing to hit me as we walked through the door was the smell of pot and it made me cringe. It was something I’d always stayed away from through high school and college. I had nothing against the people who did it. It just didn't interest me. I preferred standard old alcohol if I was going to a party or something.

Being high just wasn’t my thing.

Screwing up my nose I followed Edge into the living room where his men sat, a haze of smoke surrounding them.

“You bring us a private show for the night, Edge?” I shuddered as the guy leaned forward in his seat, his eyes roaming my body.

“Lily, this is Sith.” He pointed to the man who was leering at me. He gave me a little wink and a disgusting smile. “This guy is Rip.” He walked past the sofa where Rip sat and scrubbed the top of his head roughly.

I forced a smile. “Nice to meet you guys.”

“Take a seat, Lil.” Stepping past the small coffee table that was littered with all kinds of drug paraphernalia and cigarettes I sunk into an armchair. Edge dropped onto the couch next to Rip, who immediately handed him a joint. He took a huge hit before holding it out to me.

My stomach dropped.

“Um, I’m good.” I pushed myself back into the chair.

“You don’t smoke?” Edge raised his brow at me. My eyes flicked to his brothers who were watching me with curiousity.

I cleared my throat, trying to stall while I sifted through my head for an excuse.

“My uncle says no. May not be living under his roof, but sometimes I feel like he is God and always seems to find these things out.” My eyes stayed focused on Edge, hoping he would accept my excuse. Not wanting to piss off my mafia King Uncle was a pretty good one, I thought.

“Yeah, I get that.” He turned and tossed the joint across the room to Sith, who caught it in his hand before raising it to his lips, his eyes still watching me.

“You live with your uncle?” he asked casually.

Nodding, I brushed my hair back from my face and crossed my legs, the movement drawing all their eyes. “Not at the moment. I needed a break. Doing the whole rebellion thing. And what better way to piss off your
‘respect is everything’
family than being a stripper.”

They all chuckled.

“I think stripping is respectful,” Rip mused as he picked up a bong off the table and started to pack it with weed. “I mean, those bitches can move their bodies in ways other chicks couldn’t dream of. You’ve gotta respect a chick that can turn herself into a pretzel while you’ve got your cock up her ass.”

I wanted to gag as he flashed me a smile, his front tooth missing and the others a glorious shade of fucking gross.

He was an addict. I could tell instantly. And it was not pot that was his preference.

I choked out a laugh. “That is impressive. Can’t say I’ve been at it long enough to be able to do that, though.”

Blowing a plume of smoke into the air, Sith relaxed back into his chair again. “That’s a shame. Edge here could have done with the excitement.”

“Oh really?” I joked.

“Shut up, fucker,” Edge seethed. “Peach is back home waiting for me. Don’t act like you forgot I had an Old Lady.”

Sith snorted. “Yeah, coz she’s been the
perfect
Old Lady so far.”

I wanted to question what he meant by that, but thought better of it and went with the obvious. “Her name is Peach?”

Sith and Rip both fell into laughter. “Yeah, fucking Peach. Her parents named her after a fruit.”

Edge just shook his head, picking up another joint from the pile that sat on the table and lighting it. “Says the guy named after a Simpson’s character,” he muttered.

Sith sat a little straighter, glaring at his friend. “Hey, Bart Simpson is a badass.” I couldn’t help but laugh which earned me a dark stare. “What about you,
Lily
? That your real name, or your stage name?”

There was a loud banging sound that cut me off just as I opened my mouth. The three boys all looked at each other with varying expression.

“I’ll go,” Edge offered, standing from his seat.

Lane.

My mind suddenly raced. “Oh, hey! Can I use the bathroom?” Edge stopped but didn’t turn. “I think I had too many wines earlier…” I let out a small laugh, “…don’t usually get to drink on the job.”

I watched Edge turn his head to Sith, who gave a slight nod.

“Come on,” Edge said, stepping onto the first step. “You can use the one in my room.”

“Thanks.” I jumped up from my seat and maneuvered my way through them feeling their eyes on me the whole time. Following Edge, we headed up the small staircase. There was a modest landing at the top with a couple of doors off it, but Edge led me to the hall that was off to the left.

There was banging again and I jumped. Edge stopped and came around behind me now, directing me with a hand on my back. He pushed open a door and herded me into his room. “There someone else here?” I asked, turning back to him.

“Yeah, Sith’s niece is with us. She has a tendency to be a brat and run away, so we have to keep her door locked.” The explanation was weird, but playing Lane off as a rebellious teen was not so stupid. Parenting these days could be pretty extreme, so it wasn’t unheard of for parents to feel like they needed to keep their children captive if they were the type to sneak out at night and go to parties.

I nodded. “While you’re home, though, isn’t she allowed out where you can watch her. Must be pretty boring being locked away all the time.”

Edge gestured to the bathroom that was off the side. “I’ll go see what she needs. Stay here and I’ll come back to get you.”

I stepped inside and closed the door, making sure I lifted the toilet seat and sat down so it at least sounded like I was going in case he was listening carefully. The bathroom was reasonably clean, men’s products in the shower and the vanity. It seemed normal.

But this situation was everything but normal.

I gave it some time before I flushed and stepped out.

Edge wasn’t back yet, so I tiptoed over to the door and poked my head out. He stood with his back to me, watching the door at the other end of the hall.

“I’m gonna give you a bucket soon if you keep peeing this fucking much,” he grumbled, throwing his head back to stare at the ceiling in exasperation.

The door he was guarding swung open and there stood a beautiful tiny blonde. Her hair framed her thin face. Her eyes had dark circles under them, but they were still bright. She had bruising around her wrists but otherwise looked okay. I relaxed a little, knowing she wasn’t hurt.

Lane turned her lip up in a sneer as she faced Edge. “I’m pregnant dipshit. That’s what happens.”

My hand flew to my mouth to cover the gasp. The movement must have caught her eye because suddenly her eyes were on me. I shook my head and placed one finger up to my lips, hoping she wouldn’t say anything.

He finally brought his face down to look at her and she flicked her eyes back to him. “Not my baby. Not my problem. Should’ve told your little boyfriend to wrap his tiny cock.”

“Fuck you,” she spat.

I slipped back into the room, walking softly over to the bed and sitting at the edge with my back to the door. I needed him to think I couldn’t have heard their conversation, so I pulled out my phone and quickly changed Kev’s phone number so it read Uncle Anthony and pushed call.

It rang once before he answered. “Are you okay?”

“Look, Uncle, I’m not coming back, no matter what you say,” I grumbled into the phone. I heard a door slam and footsteps coming down the hall. “It’s my life.”

“Clear your throat if you’re all right.”

I did exactly that before I spoke again. “You’re just like him. Trying to control me all the time.”

“Have you seen her?” Kev asked quickly.

“Yeah. Okay,” I murmured like I was sad. I hoped that Kev would get my double meaning. “Bye.”

I sighed, hanging up and running my fingers through my hair in frustration.

“He’s not happy, I’m guessing.”

I jumped like I hadn’t known he was there. Groaning I turned to him. “Apparently I’m ruining his reputation.” This was the truth. I knew that’s exactly how my uncle felt. Instead of going back, I’d gone to the club who had killed a member of his family, his eldest son. I was betraying them essentially. And for a family that was built on secrecy and loyalty, that was the worst thing I could do.

“It can be hard when your family expects so much from you.” He stepped into the room and took a seat on the opposite side of the bed. “My dad, the only thing he gives a shit about is me having kids, breeding the next generation of Vultures.”

“And that’s not something you want?”

He pulled his cap off and tossed it onto the bed. “I was a kid that grew up in our world. Look how fucked up I turned out. Not to mention Peach isn’t exactly mothering material. The boys laugh because they reckon she’s getting it on with the boys behind my back. I don’t know, though.”

He seemed a little broken. Like this world isn’t exactly what he wanted, but because it was how he was raised it was what he was stuck with.

“You’re not fucked up, Edge,” I told him softly.

He laughed. “You know why they call me Edge?”

I was surprised but I shook my head.

“Because my emotions change so fucking quickly. I’m always on that edge. Someone could say something I don’t like and I’ll flip.” He smiled. “Most kids would go to anger management or some shit, I guess. But not me, my dad encouraged that shit.”

A heavy feeling settled in my stomach. This was not good. So far, I’d managed to keep in his good books, but what would happen when I said the wrong thing.

“Aren’t families just great!” I murmured sarcastically, hoping to play off the tension I was feeling so he wouldn’t feel it.

He smiled. “Yeah, but he’s my dad. My family.”

Edge was where I was a few months ago, stuck in that
‘blood is thicker than water’
mentality. But Blizzard and The Brothers had shown me that wasn’t always the case. Sometimes it’s the people who went out of their way to be there for you and care for you that mean the most. Sometimes it’s the people who were there for you even though they weren’t blood related that are the most loyal and the most trusted. They don’t feel obligated. They are doing it because they want to, not because they feel they have to.

“That’s exactly what I thought about my dad,” I told him quietly, battling the emotions that came when I thought about what he’d put me through. “He forced my hand onto a hot stove,” I held it up so he could see. The skin was still different despite the burn not being as bad as it first seemed.

Edge just stared at it in shock. “Fucking hell.”

“Are you two fucking or what?” I heard Rip yell from downstairs. “This hit isn’t gonna last forever.”

Edge shook his head as if trying to get it out of a fog. “Come on.”

I followed him out but paused at the top of the stairs. “Do you think I could steal a cigarette and a light off one of the guys?”

“Sure, babe.”

I hoped Lane had heard me and she understood. I hoped it gave her some kind of relief.

We were here and she would be coming home.