AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I was sometimes amazed he was still alive. He functioned for a few purposes, primarily pussy, getting high, and spending money.
I did not need this today. “Why are you here, Kipper?”
“Oh. Uh. Can we talk privately?” he asked. Tituss was behind him and made a signal that he could call someone.
“No. Just spit it out. What?” I asked and moved to put my bag in the back of my car. Tituss had already loaded his. He just got into the car as a means of affording some privacy. My brother watched him intently. I had one closeted brother. Why not two? I asked, “You into Tituss?”
“What? No. I…look, this is…family stuff.” He spoke low when he said those last two words.
“He is my family.” Maybe I was into Tituss. I sure seemed to be spending too much time with him clothed and naked, for that matter. Could do worse. He was a sweetheart. Unlike the woman we shared. Harpy was a true…well, harpy.
Kipper made a snorting sound and said, “Whatever. Look. I…I’m with her. She…I knew her before you did. The whole thing with you, that summer…was to prove something to me.”
This was about Helen? Holy shit. “Keep her away from my son.”
“Well, we find out—”
I stepped forward and fisted his t-shirt, pulling it and him up. He was almost my height but nowhere near my weight or level of intensity. “Keep that cunt away from my son or else.”
“Else what? You going to tell…uhem.” He cleared his throat. I let go of him that easily. I smiled. Oh, this was so simple. So fucking simple.
“Yes.” I smiled, so much lighter in an instant. “I’m going to tell Mom. Yes!” I shouted it. I was so happy. “I’m calling her right now.”
I reminded myself of my little brother the Christmas he got a drum set. He was so happy he almost cried. He didn’t, but he sure squeaked and squealed like a little girl as he ran over and hugged that set. He was in high school, a private school like every Winchester man, and he played in a band with his friends. I envied that little shit. He filled in nicely as a big brother to Rip, though, so between him and Greta, I knew my son was going to be normal. Not like me or the two before me.
When I hung up with my mother a moment later, my brother was talking to her on his phone, having a straight-up breakdown by the looks of it. I wasn’t sure. I was in my car and leaving the parking lot when I heard the clink and crack of glass. I looked in my rearview. My window was cracked. I slammed on the break and got out. He was getting into his car. I realized he had thrown his phone at me.
The next instant, I realized he was looking at me crazy through that windshield. I made a few quick but sure steps and—“That motherfucker!”
I punched the gas, and we were off. I was a better driver, so we got away from him. Tituss, holding the dash and the door, finally asked, “What the hell happened?”
“She did not approve of Helen. I don’t think she has ever told that particular brother no in his life before today.” She sure told my ass no, all the time.
“Damn, bro. Here I was wishing I wasn’t an only child, and then…this happens.” He was serious, and then he asked, “You think he’s going to come to the house?”
“He just needs to cool off, smoke a joint, ruin some more brain cells with some other drug. I don’t know, man. I don’t get it. Why would she mess with me like that?” I shook my head. “I thought she loved me. I mean that. I thought that bitch loved me, and then she got pregnant and…I thought I was going to marry her. Do the right thing, raise a family. Then…my mom was like, no. She doesn’t want you or the baby anymore, Ripley. That’s when I became Dane. Ripley fucking died that day.”
“Seems to be resurrected, though. Lately anyway.” He was looking at the reason Ripley was emerging as a decent human being element of my life again. It was already more than I expected. Harpy waved and smiled at us.
“She just wants to fuck me.” I looked over at him.
“I don’t know about that. But, we agreed. She needs a dick detox. A reminder that we can either be with her or she can be without.” He looked at her, and she stopped smiling. Seemed confused. “Be strong.”
“Are you talking to you or me?” I asked as I opened the door.
He said as he got out, “Both of us.”
Chapter Fifty-Two
Tituss
Harpy smiled up at us, and since she looked like she was heading to yoga but waiting on us in front of the Sophomore House parking section, I somehow doubted she was heading to workout. Unless she thought we would be her personal gym for a while. Nope. Thirty days. I could resist her for thirty days. Probably, mostly. Like, it was way easier to not think about all the things we could do when she was out of sight and partially out of mind.
She said, “I’m here to help.”
“Thanks.” I handed her my bag, and she almost dropped it. Dane gave her his with the same greeting. We walked past her like it was no big deal. I asked, “Did you make snacks? I’m starving.”
“Of. Course. I.” I looked back, and she was struggling with the bags. “Did.”
