by Emma Renshaw
Iris launches herself off the bed and scrambles around the room getting dressed. She doesn’t ask questions or stare at me like I’m an untrustworthy son of bitch, and when our eyes lock across the room, I don’t see disgust, anger, or hesitation. I only see concern. I just hope when I confess my sins, she won’t walk away from me.
Two minutes later we’re in my truck, barreling down the road toward Austin Memorial Hospital. I call James on the way, knowing that Corbin will need him. The hospital may have already called his foster parents, but they’re worthless. James and Tate are the only adults who matter in that kid’s life. His fosters would probably send a damn cab to bring him home, no matter what his injuries are.
“‘Lo?” James voice sounds gruff.
“I don’t know anything yet. Fucking Luca.” I spit out his name with venom lacing my voice. Iris’s stare is burning the side of my face, but I keep my eyes on the highway and focus on my conversation with James. “Called me from Brae’s phone and said Corbin is in the hospital.”
“Are you sure?”
“No,” I say. I glance at Iris, wishing I’d left her at home. There are too many unknowns in front of me, but my only thoughts while leaving the apartment were about making sure Brae is in one piece. “Could be a set-up for all I know. He turned off Brae’s phone after he hung up on me. Austin Memorial Hospital. I’m on my way there, and Iris is with me.”
“Shit,” James mutters. I hear the muffled sounds of clothes in the background. “I’ll be there.”
I swing my truck into the first available spot, and Iris and I run into the building. I hustle through the waiting room, turning my head back and forth, looking for Brae.
“Callan!” Brae barrels into me from the side, hugging me around the waist. I pull her closer to me and squeeze her while keeping one of my hands anchored in Iris’s. I step back, scanning Brae from head to toe, and don’t see a scratch on her. Luca steps up behind her, and I pull her and Iris behind me.
“You can leave,” I snarl.
“He saved me,” Brae whispers behind my back. Luca cocks an eyebrow, and I desperately want to wipe the arrogant smirk off his face. Iris squeezes my hand. Brae tries to step around me, but I don’t let her. There’s no way I’ll let that happen with Luca standing in front of me.
The last time I saw him, he shot me and the one time I answered his phone call—he reminded me of that fact.
Shot me as part of the agreement, because I’d left the mafia behind. His incessant calls—and the feeling I’ve had in the pit of my stomach since that night—lets me know that something else is coming down the pipeline. Something else Luca will try to hold over my head.
I’ll die before I go back.
“You should listen to your sister.”
“What happened?”
“Corbin was stabbed. He’s in surgery,” Brae chokes out. I spin, turning my back on Luca.
“What?” Iris gasps.
Tears are streaming down Brae’s face. Her and I finally take in all of her appearance, noticing that she’s physically okay, but her hair is messy, her cheeks are flushed, and her eyes are red rimmed.
“What happened, sweetie?” Iris wraps her free arm around Brae’s shoulders, closing us into a little huddle. Her hand is still glued to mine. I squeeze her hand and she squeezes back. Without this woman standing next me, I might not be able to be the brother Brae needs right now. My temper would be taking over.
“I needed to go to the bathroom, so Corbin went at the same time. He’s always out before me, but this time he wasn’t. I stood in the hallway, waiting for him. We’d gone to the bathroom that was farther from the ballroom, because the line was so long at the other one. It was just me in the hallway until a man came out of nowhere and tried to force me back into the bathroom.”
I look over my shoulder, glaring at Luca. “That look won’t be on your face for long, pretty boy.”
“He was huge.” Brae didn’t even notice the look and words exchanged between Luca and me. Brae had seen Luca a few times while I was in the mafia, but I kept her as far from that as possible. Luca is tall, but he’s not huge. If it had been him that came up behind her, she would’ve used his name.
“It’s okay, take your time,” Iris whispers, tucking a hair behind Brae’s ear. My jaw cracks from the pressure I’m putting on my teeth.
“He pushed me into the bathroom and shoved me up against the wall. That’s—that’s when he held a knife to my throat and told me he had a message to you from Pierce.”
Iris gasps and takes a step back as if she’s been pushed. I drop her hand and wrap an arm around her, bringing her to my side, and she sags into my body.
“What message?” I spit out through gritted teeth.
“That’s when I came in.” Luca joins our huddle with an amused smile on his face. “Shall I take over, little Braelyn?”
Chapter 26
Iris
Pierce.
His name echoes through my mind while Brae continues to speak. He did this? The terror written all over Brae’s face and Corbin’s stabbing are because of me. Bile rises in my throat, burning my esophagus. I squeeze my eyes shut and sway, and I hear James’s voice coming up behind us. “What’s happening? Where’s Corbin?” He steps into our circle, glaring daggers at the man I assume is Luca. Callan didn’t introduce us, but that’s the name he used earlier when he told James who called him. There’s no love lost between James and Luca, or between Luca and Callan.
“Just in time,” Luca says. “We’re getting to that part of the story.”
I can’t do anything or say anything. Fear locks every muscle in my body. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end, and my eyes sweep over the area. It wasn’t safe to come home. That’s more clear than ever. Pierce attacked two innocent teenagers tonight. It most likely wasn’t him but one of the goons that works for him. He only ever got his hands bloody when it came to me.
I clear my throat and slide out from under Callan’s arm. His gaze cuts to mine and I give him a tight smile, hoping that he’s too preoccupied to question me.
“Brae and Corbin’s dance just so happened to be at the same hotel I’m staying at,” Luca says. “Pure coincidence of course.”
“What the fuck are you even doing here?” James growls.
“I’m tired of you not answering my calls.” Luca glares at James. “Brae and Corbin would likely be dead if I hadn’t been there.”
“He’s been calling you too?” Callan ask James. “Funny how you didn’t mention that.”
Meanwhile, I want to ask what these phone calls are about. He hasn’t mentioned anything about receiving phone calls, but I remember him rejecting a few calls and looking angry. I never pressed.
“You just got out. Over my dead body will I allow him to drag you back,” James hisses at me through his teeth. James’s mouth snaps shut and he steps forward, glaring down his nose at Luca. “Where is Corbin?”
“Surgery,” Brae pipes in and swipes at a tear on her cheek. “That’s all I know right now. They wouldn’t tell me anything else.”
The tears that had dried on her cheeks just moments ago are trailing in rivers down her skin. James’s eyes widen as he looks at Callan.
“I don’t know. Luca was about to explain,” Callan says.
“I saw the man come out of the men’s restroom and rush Brae from behind, taking her back into the women’s restroom. He spun around, with Brae in front of him, holding a knife to her throat.”
My eyes sweep over Brae’s form. She’s shaking and there’s a red mark on her neck. “Have you been looked at?” I ask her quietly.
She shakes her head. “I’m okay.”
“You’re seeing a doctor.” Callan demands, walking away from the circle and to the admitting station. He comes back just moments later. while we watch him. “You’re going to be called back in a minute.”
Brae nods and her eyes move to Luca, waiting for him to continue the story of their night.
“I pointed
a gun at his head, but he said he’d slice her throat before I could pull the trigger, and I had to choose—get him or save Brae. I chose Brae,” Luca says and stands straighter. He repeats himself as his eyes bounce back and forth between Callan and James as if he’s trying to get them to understand something. “I chose Brae.”
I see the struggle passing over Callan. He hates this man standing next to him, but he owes him for saving Brae.
“He ran out of the bathroom. That’s when Brae started asking about Corbin. I went into the men’s restroom and found him there with stab wounds.”
“Did you call the cops?” James asks.
“I don’t call the cops,” Luca replies with a sneer. “Once upon a time neither did you. Besides, they’d want my name and then father would know where I am.”
Callan grits his teeth and takes a deep breath through his nose. James and Callan pepper Luca with more questions, but I’m focusing on the line across Brae’s throat, the one that’s there because of me. I didn’t hold the knife to her, but it happened because of my bad choices.
I grab Brae’s hand when a nurse calls her back to a room. Callan and I sit with her as she’s checked out and cleared of any injuries, besides the bruising on her neck, arms, sides, and back. She’ll be sore for a few days, but she made it through the ordeal in much better shape than the boy who’s usually attached to her hip. We go back to the waiting room and wait for an update.
Her eyes haven’t left the door we expect the doctor to come through to update us on Corbin’s prognosis. Corbin’s foster parents haven’t shown up, so when the doctor does come through the doors, James claims Corbin is his son.
“His injuries were serious, but not life threatening. He’s in recovery. He needs time to heal and replenish the blood in his system with the help of transfusions, but he’ll make a full recovery.” The doctor smiles. “I’ve already assured him that his girlfriend is fine and he can continue to play football in the fall.”
James’s body sags and follows the doctor to Corbin’s him. Brae follows him without even looking back at us.
“Heartwarming,” is muttered from behind us. I turn to see a small smile on Luca’s face as he watches James and Brae’s retreating backs.
“You can leave now,” Callan says without giving him any other attention.
“I’ll see you in soon, Callan,” Luca promises.
“Next time I see you will be in hell,” Callan returns.
Chapter 27
Callan
The door to the construction trailer squeaks as I open it and it brushes against the carpet of the floor. I kick my boots against the top step, kicking off the dirt, before moving inside of the trailer to find Iris. It’s nearing the end of the day and it’s time for us to home.
She’s been coming to work with me since the night of Brae’s dance. I haven’t been willing to leave her alone and Hudson is letting me go early enough so we can be there by the time Brae is home from school.
Tonight is the first night Iris and I are leaving Brae for an extended period of him over the last two weeks. Even though she won’t be alone, I’m still worried. Tate’s parents are hosting Brae and Corbin for a movie night with a few of their friends.
My eyes adjust to the dim light inside the trailer and the only thing I hear is the whir of the fan on Hudson’s desk. I step farther in, aiming my gaze to Hudson’s desk on the other side of a filing cabinet, expecting to find Iris sitting there doing her work, but she’s not.
Just as I’m about to turn around and look for her outside, I spot her bare feet on the couch in the corner. The edges of my lips tilt up when she fully comes into my view. She’s curled into the couch, completely knocked out, and sleeping.
I sit on the edge and brush the hair away from her neck. Iris pops up. “I’m working, I’m working.”
“Sure,” I say and chuckle.
“This is why I like working at home,” she responds and plops back down on the couch and closing her eyes. “No one there can judge me for my naps.”
“No judgements, birdie. If I could come in here in the middle of a day for a nap, I definitely would.”
“Lay down with me.” Iris tugs on my arm, but instead I stand and lift her into my arms. “This works, too.” Her head lands on my chest and she snuggles in deeper. I lean down to open the door without jostling Iris too much
I grab her bag from Hudson’s desk. “Let’s lay down at home. We have some time before leave for the karaoke contest.”
“Mmm. I like that you call it home. Not much time,” she says and nuzzles even more against my dirty shirt, but she doesn’t ever seem to mind the building dust or dirt I have caked on me at the end of the day. It hasn’t even occurred to me that I do call it home when I refer to Iris coming over my place, but it feels right. She hasn’t spent the night at her apartment in a long time and now that I get to sleep every night with her in my arms, I hope she never spends another night there again. “Carmen wants some input on her outfits. She’s says she’s going to blow Myrtle out of the water and give Arnie the show of his life before she blows him.”
My entire body shudders. “I really didn’t need to know that last part.”
“If I have to hear it, so you do,” Iris says and grins. “It’s what good boyfriends do. You can let me down now. I’m awake.”
We’re about halfway to my truck. “I like you where you are.”
“I do, too,” she says and kisses the underside of my jaw.
“You’re here,” Carmen yells as stands from a clustered group of small round tables. After Iris came home from helping her choose an outfit, Iris told me to be prepared for it. My eyes bug out of my head. The woman running toward us in a short red-sequined dress doesn’t look one thing like the conservative neighbor I’ve come to know.
Arnie is hot on her heels following her. My gaze moves to him and he’s eyes are absolutely glued to Carmen. Carmen wraps Iris in a long hug and rocks with her and then she pulls me into the same hug. I unattached myself from it after a moment and stand back to my full height, holding my hand out for Arnie.
He shakes my hand and claps me on the shoulder. “We have the two finest birds in this joint.”
I laugh and nod my head in agreement. “We sure do.”
“Carmen, what in the hell are you wearing?”
I look over my shoulder to find Hudson with his arm wrapped around Ava. He’s scanning Carmen from head to toe. Gotta admit, she does look great, just very different from what we’re used to seeing.
“The outfit that’s going to win me that trophy two years in a row,” Carmen says and points toward a booth where other active seniors are sitting with a three-foot tall trophy. On the top is a woman with her head thrown back and singing into a mic.
“I’m Hudson Wells,” Hudson says extending his hand toward Arnie. “I’m Carmen’s favorite surrogate son.”
“I’ve heard all about you Wells boy,” Arnie says.
“I’m sure none of it’s true and if she told you that I’m the one who broke her favorite vase—that was definitely a lie.”
“Oh, hush, mijo,” Carmen says and slaps him upside the head.
Hudson turns to Ava. “You’re going to let her treat me that way? I’m going to be your husband next weekend!”
Ava shrugs. “She’s endured years of you. I figure she can do whatever she wants. Let’s sit. I’m tired. The last part of the school year is killing me.”
We follow Arnie and Carmen to the tables they reserved for our group. Carmen sits in the middle, in the chair closest to the stage. Iris told me she has several performances planned, but only one for the contest.
By the time we sit and order drinks, the rest of our group has arrived. I lean over so Iris can hear me. “What do you think? Think you’ll get up there tonight?”
“Yeah, right,” she snorts. “I’ll do it as soon as you do.”
“You’re definitely going up there,” Valerie says. “I’ve already submitted us for a song.”
&
nbsp; Iris’s jaw hangs open. “No, I’m good. I’ll watch and take pictures.”
An older man in an electric blue tuxedo jumps on stage with a mic. “For the first performance of the night, we have our queen, the reigning champ of Greener Pastures, the one, the only Carrrrrrmen.”
Carmen stands and waves to crowd that’s applauding. Our area is loudest. Hudson sticks his fingers in his mouth and whistles, the women are cheering, and Arnie is claiming her for all to hear.
“This one goes out to Myrtle,” Carmen says into the microphone with a devilish grin and wink. “Respect” by Aretha Franklin starts blaring through the speakers. Iris hides behind her hands and cracks up. Carmen struts across the stage keeping eye contact with the woman in the corner—one glaring daggers at her.
“Oh my god,” Valerie sighs. “I love her. I want to be her when I grow up.”
Carmen shimmies and twirls without breaking for a breath. She finishes center stage with a spotlight raining down on her, her hand thrust in the air, mimicking the trophy she’s out to win.
The crowd goes nuts with a standing ovation when she’s done.
“I wish Brae were here,” Iris says when the applause dies down.
“I do, too.” Tonight is twenty-one up and only though, so we couldn’t bring her, she’d have a blast.
“I keep looking over my shoulder, waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
I turn in my seat, pulling her forward until she falls against my chest. I shake my head. “Don’t do that. This is what it’s is about, birdie—living your life surrounding by people who care and love you. Having a damn good time. He doesn’t get to win. He doesn’t get your fear. He gets nothing from you ever again. This is living, Iris.”
