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Kobra went to get the camper chairs. It wasn’t uncommon for us to sit by a bonfire in camper chairs when she was even younger.
“Kobra,” Dad shouted at my brother as he spun around mid-walk. “Get one of the armchairs from the lounge! Don’t want them on a fucking fold-out chair for the night.”
Kobra just nodded his head and redirected his steps towards the clubhouse.
“Dad, we would have been fine on a fold-out.” I knew there was no point fighting it. When Dad made up his mind, that was it.
Ollie was nearly asleep on my shoulder, and I was rocking her while saying bye to Trey. He was really doing me a favour taking over my hours for the next few days to give me a break. Kobra was back with an armchair, which he lifted like it weighed nothing.
The music was still loud, but I knew when I was little, it was comforting to go to sleep listening to it. It reminded me Dad was close, and I was safe because you’d always hear his tone when he spoke, no matter how loud the music was.
Sitting in the armchair, Ollie curled into me, asleep. Kobra also grabbed a blanket, not that she needed it in this weather and with the heat from the nearby bonfire. It was more for comfort.
My gaze was on the burning bonfire as I ran my fingers through Ollie's hair. I tuned everything out, my exhaustion catching up with me, and took a sip of my beer. I didn’t know how long I was tuned out, but Kobra offering me a relief broke my trance.
“First check-in to the Mother Chapter as president, and you did well, brother.” I heard Dad talking to Creed, and my heart pulsated nerves through my blood.
“Got through it,” Creed replied. Hearing his voice pulled me back to a time that I didn’t want to be in because, while the good times were amazing, the pain from his leaving was unimaginable.
I could feel his eyes on me, but I didn’t look at him. Ollie was in a deep sleep, and I wanted nothing more than to get a solid night’s sleep in my own bed, and not in a hospital bunk bed.
But it was the song playing that sparked my need to leave. Bon Jovi’s “Born to be My Baby.” It was my kryptonite.
“I’m calling it a night,” I said and got up while holding Ollie, though my arm was dead. “I’ll put Ollie to bed,” I added when Mum went to get up. “Night, guys.” I didn’t even brush Creed as I held Ollie and walked past him. No, I made sure not to touch him.
Walking through the lot, I swear I heard Kobra or Dad say which one of them was going, which made no sense.
Finally getting free of the lot, I was walking up the dirt path when I felt someone behind me.
* * *
13
Creed
My gaze hadn’t lifted from her since she sat in that armchair, not just any armchair but Hades’ chair. Kobra had picked the biggest one in the lounge. Holly was in a trance, her eyes locked on the burning wood while running her fingers through her sister’s hair.
She was different but not, at the same time. I could look at her, and she had no idea, that was how focused she was on the fire, and I would have loved to know what was playing on her thoughts. Part of me was begging her to look up so I could see those sea-blue eyes. Another aspect of me was thankful she was so out of it because it was allowing me to stare at her.
She was the price for the patch on my chest, right under my heart. President.
“First check-in to the Mother Chapter as president, and you did well, brother,” Hades said, breaking my stare on Holly. Clearly, my gaze on Holly hadn’t gone unnoticed by him. His eyes were on me, and he was silently telling me to get a fucking grip. Be a man. Not act like some teenager who was seeing a girl naked for the first time.
I nodded my head. “Got through it,” I said, and it was the truth. Just like now, I was getting through this moment. But I couldn’t stop my eyes going back to Holly.
I was throwing back a mouthful of my beer when I heard it. Bon Jovi’s “Born to be My Baby.” Memories flooded me, and my eyes went to Holly. Did she even remember that night? I doubted her family did, with the amount of liquor they’d had and drugs they’d smoked.
“I’m calling it a night,” Holly said as she rose from her chair while holding Ollie. “I’ll put Ollie to bed,” she added, seeing Zara start to get up. “Night, guys,” Holly said openly before walking right around me. Couldn’t help but think she didn’t want to touch me, but I could see that her grip on Ollie was weak. Her arm must have been dead.
“Should I go?” Kobra said, pushing a club girl off his lap.
“She’ll struggle to carry Ollie the full way,” Hades said. Then he threw back the rest of his beer. “I’ll take Ollie off her hands. Holly looks fucking tired.”
I didn’t know where I got the courage from, but I threw back the beer and tossed it in the nearby bin. “I’ll go. I want to talk to her.”
Hades’ gaze hardened on me. He opened his mouth, but Zara placed a hand on his arm, saying something to him as I turned and headed in the direction Holly had gone. I heard him say it wasn’t a fucking good idea. But I ignored him like I ignored common sense.
I didn’t have to walk fast to catch her. She had just opened the gate to the dirt path. The music was softer, and she must have felt me near because she froze.
