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“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Reap. Lilah’s like a little sister. You know that.”
“The reaction you both just had to each other was not even close to being sibling-like, Ringer. And you know it.” He stands up and gestures for me to walk outside with him.
I’ve never in my 30 years of life thought about Lilah in a romantic way. But after tonight, I would be lying if I said she isn’t the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen and causing thoughts to race through my mind. The thoughts I’m having are anything but brotherly. The tightness in my jeans proves that as a fact.
Lilah has always been the princess. Someone I would’ve never touched.
I’ve been gone a long time though.
Reaper leads me over to the fighting ring where a new pair is facing off. “I wouldn’t do that, Reap. I mean shit, this is Lilah we’re talking about.”
“That girl has been in love with you since she was twelve, Ring,” Reaper laughs softly.
“What? Nah.”
“Keep telling yourself that, brother. Just do me a favor. Don’t break her heart. Hell, she might not feel the same as she did when she was a kid. But that girl was destroyed when you got locked up. Didn’t leave her room for weeks. Dropped out of school. Honestly, I thought I was going to have to admit her, then I finally got my head out of my ass and figured out what was going on. Right when she was starting to do better, my ma died. She’s had a rough go of it over the past eight years. She’s grown up and a woman now and finally doing so much better. I can’t tell you how she feels about anything anymore cause she’s her own woman. But I’m telling you, if she tries something and you aren’t feeling it, tell her. Don’t lead her anywhere, because she’d follow. If you’re only having brotherly feelings for her like when you were younger, you need to tell her.”
I’m shocked silent at his words. I didn’t realize her nana died so soon after I went away. I feel so fucking bad knowing I wasn’t there for her. I try to remember all the times I’ve ever spent with her, playing every memory over in my mind, looking for any sign or clue that Lilah liked me in that way. But fuck.She was a kid.I wasn’t thinking those thoughts about her. After thinking about all of the things she’s ever done for me, I can see it.
“Fuck,” is all I can muster in response.
Reaper chuckles. “Thinkin’ bout the past, huh?” he says.
“Yeah,” I admit.
“If it were any other brother, I would’ve already fucking killed ’em. But I’ve watched you both since I met you, Ring. You're a good kid.” Reaper pauses to light his cigarette. He exhales a large plume of smoke. “Only ever seen her with one guy the whole time you were away. Dated him for a while, but it didn’t last. She always claimed it wasn’t that serious. He felt differently.”
“Who?” I ask all too quickly.
I follow Reaper’s finger as he points across the yard.
“Is that that fuck Beau?” I bark out.
“Yep,” Reaper nods, clearly disgusted.
“You let that shit happen?”
Reaper shrugs his shoulders. “I love my daughter more than anything in this entire world, brother. But if you for one second think I can control a damn thing she does, you don’t know her at all. I’m not gonna push her away trying to control who she can and can’t date.”
“One of us is about to,” I say as I stomp away, tossing my empty beer bottle in a nearby bin with a loud clang.
“Ringer!” Reaper calls after me. “Ringer!”
I walk over to this fuckhead Beau and point towards the ring.
“Want another round?”
Beau looks at me curiously. “Who the fuck are you?” he spits.
“You in or not?”
He looks towards his few buddies with a smirk before turning back to me. “Sure.”
He follows me over to Tiny, who is standing by the door of the ring. When Tiny sees who is standing behind me, he smirks.
I flash him my best smile.
“Alright everyone! Last fight of the night! Give our boy the warm welcome home he deserves! Ringerrrrr!” Tiny’s voice booms over the crowd.
