by M J Knight
"What the hell you got to do?" Holder questions, being charming, as always. He could be charming if he wants, but we're still the monsters in this city. The monsters that kept the others in line. That's why I was looking for him now, to let him know about our last job.
"Well, we got the thumbs up from our last client. Why don't we make it an early day and go celebrate?"
She's looking at me like I had just handed her a puppy. She might have a body full of tattoos and piercings, but her face still looks like an innocent girl that needs my help.
"Thank you! See, Fletch agrees. I'm ready to eat, y'all can drop me off at Old Man's, and I can do what I need to do." I think I just made a friend. "Well, you all heard the lady. Let's get out of here before her pop catches us sneaking her out." They look at each other and shrug. I have won the battle!
Piling in my SUV we head towards Commerce Street. I don't even ask for opinions, I'm going to my favorite place, and everyone can kiss my ass. Judy's Place is a little hole-in-the-wall that serves Cajun, French, American, and a bunch of crap I think Judy just made up. Noticing their weird looks, I realize a crooning love song is softly playing in the background. I'm not exactly the hardcore kind of guy like the other Sons. Don't get me wrong I'll get my hands dirty, but I like the classics and have a love of art and literature. I know this isn't their idea of good music, so I switch my playlists to something more "badass." The guys seem happy and more at ease now that the love song is over.
Bunch of pussies can't deal with emotions or anything beyond blood and pain. They call me the runt of the group, but at least I'm not scared of showing other sides of myself than just the violent son of an asshole. I notice Ayida looks a little more relaxed too. I guess she isn't comfortable with feelings either, or she just has shit taste in music. I clear my throat and cut my eyes to the blue-haired beauty sitting next to me. I'm a gentleman and made sure she got the shotgun seat. "So, if you don't mind me asking, why the blue hair?"
Catching her off guard, her cheeks tinge pink while she runs a hand through said hair. "Well, I've only had it blue for a few weeks. It was my natural brown. When I moved here, I figured it was a new start, a new me. Might as well do something to change my appearance. Blue just seemed to fit my attitude at the time. Not depressed but dealing with some shit." Hmmm, well seems we got some deeper stuff going on here than just a daddy's girl coming home for the money.
"While we're on a personal subject, why did you come home after all this time?"
Her eyes went dark, and I swear the temperature dropped in the car. "That is my business, and I'm not in the mood to talk about it." She shut that shit down real quick.
"Okay, what do you do for fun?" Never corner a wild animal, always give them an easy out, or you might get your face mauled the fuck off.
"I don't know. I haven't had a lot of fun in the last few years. I guess getting tats and piercings is my version of fun. Well that and baking." Aww, little homemaker in a killer costume.
"I wouldn't mind trying your muffin sometime." Okay, so it was cheesy, but I couldn't help it. At least it got me a little smirk.
"I don't think you can handle my muffin." Damn. I'm really gonna like this girl.
Turning into Judy's I hear a loud groan; to my surprise it is the little badass next to me and not the guys. They're too busy whispering in the back like a bunch of old women to pay any attention.
"Not you too! Old Man loves this place. We were here all the time growing up. Judy might as well be my godmother,” she whimpers.
One of the reasons I love this place is because all the Family eats here, and nothing gets by Judy. Any info you may need you can get from her.
"They have the best étouffée in the whole city. Humor me and eat here and I'll get you some beignets for dessert." Girls like sweet shit, right?
"How about you buy me a beer with my lunch, and we'll call it even?" Well, okay, should have seen that coming.
"Deal! Let's eat. Oh yeah, forgot to tell y'all. Clint is meeting us here. He just got back in town last night and wanted to fill us in on what's going on up north." Ayida turns her curious gaze towards me, and all I can think is, I wish I could look at her all the time.
"Who is Clint? I don't know if Old Man wants me to meet the whole Family in one day without him." She seems nervous, but I guess I would be too meeting another one of the Family.
"He is the other head son in the Family. Like us three, he'll take over for his family when his father passes on."
Her eyes spark up in recognition. "I didn't realize y'all was ‘The Sons of Fortune'. I thought Holder here was a lackey of Old Man’s. It makes a lot more sense now. He is a privileged prick." Her taunts are getting the effect she wanted. Holder is red across the nose, giving a pretty stern glare in her direction, and crossing his arms tightly.
"Now listen here, you spoiled brat. You don't get to come in here and make assumptions about us. You're the one that ran away with the first man that gave you attention instead of staying and helping Old Man and taking a seat at the table when his time comes. Now he had to let his family name go because you were too busy with your new life, with your boyfriend. Keep your assessments to yourself."
Oh yeah, she pissed off Hold, but apparently, he had pushed the right buttons because she's striding up to him with death in her eyes, and her fists balled up at her sides. Before anyone could blink, she sucker-punched him right in the nose, sending a spray of blood over his shirt and her shoes. I run to pull her back. I'm not worried about Hold hurting her, but I am worried she might hit him again now that his hands are covering his eyes.
"What the fuck? You bitch!"
She is still seething. "Don't fucking talk about my dad or my life like you know anything. I was just joking about the prick comment, but I guess it was on the nose, huh?" Damn, this girl is savage. Hold gets the bleeding under control and is cleaning up, growling and grumbling. I need to calm this situation fast.
"Okay, Baby Girl, I know he pissed you off after you pissed him off, but no need in hitting. Let's eat and see if we can go back to being civil. Can we at least try? Everyone will be on their best behavior. Pinky promise." She gives me a shy smile, the complete opposite of the wild animal that was going for blood a minute ago.
"Okay. I'll do my best not to rip his eyes out as long as he stays far away from me." Cole, who has been standing beside Hold in complete shock this entire time, decides to break down cackling.
"Damn, girl! You are crazy like Old Man." He's not lying. This girl would fit in just fine with our little group of couillons.
Chapter Five: Clint
Hot damn! Judy knows how to make a mean burger. I'm just sitting there, minding my own business when the door slings open, the air went out, and my breath catches in my chest. She is my teenage dream come to life, and everything my mom would hate. Blue hair, piercings, and tattoos everywhere. I thought for sure my taste had changed over the last ten years, but the tightness in my pants tells me I've been very wrong.
I'm even more surprised when my best friends basically brothers file in behind her like the teacher had reprimanded them. Now that they are getting closer, I can tell Hold looks like a UFC fighter knocked him the fuck out.
"What the hell happened? Did y'all go on a job without telling anyone?"
“Little Miss Attitude” is giving me a strange almost ravenous look. Kind of how I looked at my hamburger when the waitress brought it out. "Hold doesn't know how to bite his tongue and figured out pretty quick Baby Girl here has a mean right hook." Cole looks damn happy about the whole situation. Hold looks ready to commit murder. Poor Fletcher caught in between. I know right away I'm going to like this girl.
It's easy to figure out who she is. These guys don't take girls to lunch, or anywhere for that matter. So, this has to be Old Man's daughter. She has her pop’s mean look. Its laser aimed at Hold now. They are just staring at each other like two dogs about to lock up in a fight. Whatever he did must have been pretty bad.
"So,
you must be Ayida. How’s it being back home?" She looks a little shocked, but gives me a small smile.
"It was going pretty good till him." She throws her thumb over her shoulder toward Hold.
"Oh, he is always surly this time of the year. It's the heat. Poor guy can't handle the humidity." That pulls a laugh from everyone but said person.
"You must be Clint. I think we'll get along fine. Now Fletch, what were you saying about a beer?" Fletcher smirks while throwing an arm over her shoulders and leads her to the front to order. Cole and Holder take their seats; Holder sitting way back, legs crossed, with his hands folded in his lap, and looking very closed off from any potential conversation.
"So, what the fuck did you do, man? Don't you know better than to piss Old Man's daughter off on the first day?" He looks up from his lap to give me a scathing glare.
"She has been getting on my nerves all day. Well, there were those few minutes in the office where I thought I could like her, but that didn't last long."
All I can do is shake my head. Holder won't ever open up to anyone. Dude seriously thinks having any kind of feelings, or getting serious with a girl, makes him weak- a liability. It has to be from his fucked-up mom and dad. I mean, my family is fucked up too, but in a whole different way. My mom just wants me to settle down with a calm, easily managed girl. Fitting in with the rest of the Family. Dad doesn't care as long as Mom is happy. He really does love her and has set a good example of how to love a woman even when she is bat shit crazy. Mom was one of the many reasons I enlisted in the Navy. Old Man was another. He gave me the push I needed. I got away and became my own man.
Hold’s mom and dad, both of them, are fucked in the head. They couldn't stand each other and didn't do anything to hide it. They cheated every chance they could. His mom stayed gone most of the time, and his dad wasn't much better. Hold was usually at one of our houses growing up; he did the best he could with what he had.
We sit in silence until Fletcher shows back up with Ayida carrying trays of food. After everyone starts digging in, I start my questioning. "So, Ayida, that's an interesting name... What's it means?" She swallows a fried oyster and nods her head.
"I don't know a ton about it, but she is a Loa, a goddess or spirit in Louisiana and Haitian Vodou. The rainbow and snake represent her. She also has a lot to do with fertility in the culture." She takes a breath before finishing like she has to work up the nerve to say what she has to say. "My mom had several miscarriages before me. She didn't think she would ever have kids. She was religious, but desperate. She saw a Vodou lady before she got pregnant with me. The lady gave my mom some stuff to drink and boom I was there nine months later. So, my mom named me after the goddess the lady said gave me to her."
I didn't see that coming. "That's awesome. I just got named after my dad's favorite actor. I bet you can guess who that is." She's giggling now.
"I have a rather good idea. I like Clint, though. It's unique." She resumes her meal, making little slurping sounds as she drinks her beer. From the looks of the other guys, well all of us besides Hold, we all like her sounds.
"How is living back with Old Man? Is he as scary as he seems, or is he a big softy?"
She doesn't even look up from her food to answer. "He is my dad, so of course he isn't scary to me. Now, y’all he would gut before you could blink. He might be old, but he is mean as they come. If he doesn't like you, you might as well move out of Louisiana. He is gonna make your life miserable." I guess I'm one lucky fucker. Old Man likes that I'm ex-Navy like him.
"Good to know. What about you? Are you as mean as you look?" Smirking, she cuts her eyes over to me.
"Oh, I'm much worse than I look." Message received loud and clear. Don't fuck with the rainbow.
"Is everyone done, chit-chatting? Let's get Princess here back home. We have business to discuss." That guy is just burying himself deeper and deeper. She just rolls her eyes and pushes up from the table. I guess Q and A is over then. I didn't even get to the good stuff yet. Damn you, Holder.
Chapter Six: Ayida
"This heat is gonna kill me." I like my air conditioning. Just walking out of Judy's into the humid Louisiana summer heat is pure, fucking torture. I’m sweating like a whore in church. At least I did get my belly full and learned a little about the guys I'm now surrounded by. Three of the four hotties seem like guys I could definitely enjoy spending lots of time with. Hold can kiss my sweet white ass.
I don't know what made him dislike me so much, or presume I am a bitch, but I'm about to handle the situation. I didn't leave the hell hole I was in to get talked down to, and I certainly won’t lower my standards for anyone like Holder.
"If y'all don't mind dropping me off at home, I have some stuff to take care of." I need to do some recon and make sure my ex is staying his ass in Tennessee and the hell away from me. I know Old Man will keep me safe, but I would rather not bring the fight to his front door. If it comes down to it, I'll take care of him before he causes problems. Having access to weapons, and unlimited swamp land to hide bodies, makes me feel a little more empowered.
"You still with us, Blue?" I blink back to reality. Clint, leaning against the SUV, is smiling at me with laughter in his gorgeous stormy blue eyes. He is shorter than Cole, but still around 6'2”. His caramel-colored hair is short and combed to the side. He has an old school style. He looks muscled up, and you can tell he takes pride in staying in shape. His handsome face is covered in a dusting of hair. I want to feel the stubble on my thighs.
"Sorry. Just have a lot on my mind. Interesting nickname, I like it better than Princess." His smile is gorgeous. How am I gonna stay focused with these guys hanging around?
"Well, it fits with that hair. I don't know if I've ever seen someone look so good with blue hair. It fits you." Okay, I can't help but blush.
That was one of the best compliments I've ever received. I mean, I haven't had many compliments in my life. It's not hard to impress me. "Thank you. I was a mousey brown a few weeks ago when I first moved back. I decided I needed more of a change. Blue reminds me of the water. Water is always moving, but it's also strong enough to change stone. I felt like that fit me. I wanted change, but also strength. I want to sculpt my future to what I want."
Damn, I went a little too deep. I can feel all their eyes on me. "Sorry. Got a little in my head." I start to get in the car and feel a hand on my shoulder. I don't know what happened next, but when I open my eyes, I'm on the pavement next to the SUV. Clint is holding his hand, cussing up a storm. Holder and Cole are standing between him and me. Fletcher is kneeling next to me, but careful to keep his hands to himself.
"You back with us?" He seems unsure of what to say or if he is even talking to a person.
I look down and notice my arms tight around my knees, and I feel myself slightly rocking back and forth. "What happened? How did I get down here? Is Clint okay?" I'm starting to really panic. "Clint was going to offer you a ride home, but when he touched you, I don't know how to explain it, but you grabbed his fingers and bent them backward. You dropped to the ground and started mumbling. Clint is okay. I think you just sprained or dislocated his fingers. Are you okay? Do we need to call Old Man?"
Oh shit. Even after getting away, that asshole is still fucking my life up. "No! I'm okay. I'm so sorry, Clint!" Aww damn, here comes the tears. I said no more crying a long time ago. I learned quickly that crying made everything worse. Robert would scream and hit harder, yelling at me to shut my damn mouth. I have never intentionally hurt an innocent person before, and my emotions are taking on a life of their own. Clint is just staring at me. He probably thinks I'm crazy. I'll probably never see him again, and that's for the best. I'm too fucked up for friends.
"Baby Blue, who the fuck hurt you so bad? I want to know. They will never hurt you again." I'm shocked. This is the first time in years I've done something wrong and am still able to walk away after it. More than that, he wants to protect me. He isn't even yelling at me.
"I'm s
orry. I didn't mean to. I just want to go home." He inches forward towards me with his hands out.
"Can I help you up, please?" I look at his hands. They are rough and calloused. His eyes are pleading, and I don't want to hurt him anymore. Reaching out, I grab his hand, and he hauls me up. I'm standing inches from him, and he smells like cinnamon and leather. Looking in his eyes, I see understanding, but I don't know how that's possible. "Don't apologize, Baby Blue. I know what PTSD looks like, and you didn't mean to hurt me. That was your fight or flight kicking in."
I don't even know what to say. So, I just reach around him and squeeze. My face presses against his chest and tears stream down my face. I feel my body relax. Tension leaking from my muscles. I didn't know I was so tight. I hardly know this man. I've only been talking to him for an hour, but the way he looked at me. The way he spoke to me. He didn't even get mad when I hurt him. He is the polar opposite of Robert.
He wraps his arms around my shoulders, and I let go of a breath I didn't know I was holding. It's just pure warm comfort. Is this what human contact is supposed to feel like? Is this what I've been missing? I pull away to look at his face. He smiles down at me, and I feel it in my gut. He is a good man. I know that because I've seen evil men and this man is far from that. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" He just chuckles. I can feel the vibration, and then I remember, I'm hanging on to him like an opossum on a limb. Jerking back with a blush, I mumble another apology. Old habits die hard.
"Stop with the apologies. You left a sore spot, but I'm fine! I'm ex-Navy like Old Man. You will have to do a lot worse than that to scare me off." He wiggles his fingers in front of me to show he still has use of the digits. "Now, would you like a ride home from me? The other guys really need to get back to work."
Looking around, I remember we are not alone. Cole and Fletcher are watching me like I'm a sideshow freak. Holder is giving me the same old stink eye. I think I like his reaction better than the others. I've had enough weird or pitying looks during my life. "You sure you don't mind?" He grabs my hand and starts leading me to a car a few spots away. "See you guys later. Thanks for the beer, Fletcher!" That’s the only goodbye I have a chance to give before Clint is opening the door to a seventy model Chevelle. It's black with white stripes running down the middle. It's gorgeous. "Damn, this is a dream car! How long have you had her?" Sliding across the warm leather seat. He shuts my door and makes his way to the driver's side.
