Page 10 of Property of Quake

When Rowdy died, a weight settled on Lyric’s shoulders, and it never left. Even after Mellie got her memories back, after we hunted down the bastards who were responsible for her amnesia and the accident that took Rowdy’s life, there’s always been this shadow surrounding him.

Most days, one would never know he’s hurting, but he is.

But today, right here, right now?

The weight, the shadow… It’s gone. Not forever, because that’s not how it works, but for the first time in a long time, Lyric isn’t looking back because the future is full of hope.

My chest is tight as I watch them, as I soak up something that is so rare in our world. We deal in violence, death, drugs, revenge, and the ugliest parts of humanity. The dark is normal in a way that feels like that’s all there is sometimes.

But then a day like this comes along. A brother becomes a father, a family grows, and we laugh until we cry. All of it swirls into a bright ball of light that breaks up the darkness.

The hours pass as jokes, stories, and congratulations blur. Brothers, old ladies, and club whores come and go until the common room settles into something quieter.

Conversations continue, and I silently slip away, returning to the armory and the secured cages at the back of the room.

The biometric lock disengages, and I release a pent-up breath when my eyes land on what I’m after… Rowdy’s weapons.

They’re still there, right where I put them a few years ago, waiting, maintained, protected, preserved. I made a promise to Lyric, and I kept it.

An image of Rowdy springs to mind, and I smile. The old man was hard, stubborn, but he was also one of the finest men I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. Lyric is just like his father, and I can only hope that I never have to do this for his child someday.

I gather the cases and carry them back to the common room, not saying a word as I set them on a table in the middle. One by one, conversations stop, and attention falls on me.

Lyric’s eyes shift from mine to the cases, and his shoulders stiffen for a moment. It’s on the tip of my tongue to crack a joke, tease him about forgetting that he’s the one who came to me earlier to get the weapons, but I refrain.

This isn’t the time for words or smartass comments. This moment isn’t about anything other than a legacy that will live on through more than the shotgun, pistols, and knives contained in the cases.

“Thanks, brother,” Pres says softly. “Maybe I’ll hear echoes of Rowdy in my baby’s tears.”

Mellie snaps her fingers. “I know that one! Um… it’s… Oh, give me a minute…”

“He’s referencing The Living Years by Mike + The Machine,” I say, and Lyric’s eyes snap to mine.

“You knew that?” he asks.

“Yep,” I confirm.

“Damn, Q,” Zombie says before whistling. “I’m impressed.”

“Don’t be.” What I don’t say is that I know the song because I listened to it over and over after I lost my own father. I don’t say that my relationship with my dad was more than a little strained, and only when he died of a heart attack did I realize that it was too late to fix things. “Anyway,” I say, nodding toward the cases on the table. “I’m happier than I can say that you want those back.”

Nothing more is said, and I lose track of time as the energy in the room settles into something more reminiscent of a normal weeknight. When there’s only a few brothers and prospects remaining, I start cleaning up the mess. I’m just dropping a handful of empty bottles into the trash when Lyric’s voice startles me.

“Got a sec?” he asks as I turn around to face him.

“Uh, that depends. You planning on telling me any other life-changing news?”

“Funny.” He juts his chin toward an empty table. “Let’s talk.”

Once we’re seated, I rest my forearms in front of me, bracing for something bad. “Hit me, pres.”

“Sister Beatrice called earlier today,” he begins.

That gets my attention. “And you’re just now telling me?”

His brows shoot up. “I was planning on telling you earlier, but you went and screamed your fucking head off. Didn’t really want to shit on the party.”

“Right, sorry.” My shoulders drop.