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And I know senior year just got a hell of a lot more difficult.
Chapter Five
Ace
When we walk back into James’ after what was probably the most enjoyable breakfast of my life, it’s like an entirely different house to the one we left earlier. The smashed bottles, empty cans, and cigarette butts no longer litter the floor and every available surface. Instead, everything is back to how it used to be. It’s a show home once again.
“What the fuck?” Conner asks, crashing into my back when I stop abruptly, not able to believe what I’m seeing.
“Apparently, money can buy happiness. This is fucking epic.”
I nod as Conner sidesteps me and heads toward the kitchen. How the fuck he can still be hungry after the number of pancakes he put away earlier god only knows.
I glance at Cole, who stands silently beside me, taking in the scene.
“Neat,” he finally says before pulling his cell out and disappearing toward our staircase to hide.
“You need to spend the weekend making sure you’re ready for Monday.”
He glances over his shoulder and narrows his eyes. I don’t need his words, I know he’s telling me to tone it down a notch and let him do his thing. But my brother needs to realize the only reason I’m here right now is for him and Conner, to ensure they have a decent shot at life. There has to be something good that can come out of this. Chances are, I’ll still end up in prison, with or without this place. But my brothers? They’ve now got the world at their feet and enough money around them for all their dreams to come true. And I’m going to make fucking sure they do. Starting with Cole.
“Get changed. Grab a ball. Meet me in the yard.”
He rolls his eyes but moves to do exactly as he’s told. He’s been on the wrong end of my fists more than once to know it’s in his best interests to just listen to me.
There may only be a year between me and them,
but never doubt that they know who the oldest is around here.
At hearing voices in the kitchen, I come to a stop just out of sight. It wouldn’t be out of the question for James to have returned early. He knows all about the party, or at least I’m assuming he does after the twenty-five missed calls and handful of texts demanding that I call him. But I’d like to think he’d have heard us by now and would already be attempting to rip me a new one. If he thinks I’m going to do what I’m told over text, then he really needs to realize who he’s invited to live in his house. He might have been absent for most of our lives, but I thought he knew the kind of kids he was dealing with.
“This smells incredible, Martha,” Conner says as the sweet smell of more pancakes hits my nose.
“Martha?” Ellen asks, sounding confused. It’s a common thing where Conner is concerned. Some random ass shit falls from his mouth at times.
“Yeah, Martha. Like the legend that is Martha Stewart.”
Ellen chuckles. “Well, I don’t know about that, my dear. But I do my best.”
“Your best? You saw this place this morning. That’s some mad fucking skills you’re rocking to get it whipped back into shape so fast.”
“I have my ways.”
“Apparently so,” I say, marching into the room, gaining both of their attention the second I do. “But what I want to know is why? Why not leave it for us to deal with? For James to find?”
Ellen looks between the two of us, a sympathy in her eyes that I don’t want to fucking see.
“It was the right thing to do. I know you’re just settling in, trying to find your feet. I expected it.” She shrugs and turns back to her batter.
Conner’s brow creases, but he soon accepts her words, whereas I’m suspicious as fuck. No one does something nice like that just because. There’s always a motive. Always.
“Would you like some pancakes?” Ellen asks, looking at me.
“No. I’m going to help Cole with practice. Maybe you’ll join us when you’ve finished filling your face,” I bark at Conner before marching from the room.
As I walk down the hallway toward the back of the house, Cole’s feet thunder down the stairs, and when he catches up to me he’s wearing his old Heights jersey and has a ball tucked under his arm.
“You’re going to be the best damn player this town has ever fucking seen, you hear me?”
