Chapter 4

 

“Are you sure about this shit?” Picking through the shit that the girls are throwing in the cart, I don’t know if this was such a good idea.

“Yes, Dragon. You asked for help! Everything in there is needed.” Aria smirks at me. Shaking my head, I follow behind them through the store.

“This was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done,” I mumble under my breath. Nessa spins around; her look is making me laugh.

“Remember who asked for this.” Sticking her tongue out, she walks off.

“I don’t think she likes you all that much.” I glance over to see Wiley standing behind me. This isn’t what I wanted to be dealing with today. I start to walk away when I say, “She has a pussy, she loves me.”

“Somehow I doubt that. We need to talk.” Fuck! I don’t want to deal with him today. Looking around to make sure that no one is around, I back him into the shelf behind him.

I growl when I grab his throat saying, “We do. Not here, not now. What I need to know is why the fuck your missin’ dead guy is goin’ to the Street Demons for security!” Wiley’s eyes slightly widen.

“What are you talking about?” Wiley seems surprised by this.

“Demons? Why would he go to them?” Hearing the girls talking, I know they’re coming back. I take a step back from Wiley before they round the corner.

“You tell me. Find that motherfucker.” I grunt when Nessa tosses some more stuff into the cart.

“Hey, Wiley.” I give him a glare before he smiles at her.

“You look good, Nessa. How're the kids?” Good boy, he better play nicely in front of the girls.

“Their good! Jordan’s wild as ever.” Wiley smiles, nodding before Nessa walks off again.

“Find out what the hell is goin’ on, Wiley, or I will.” 

***

As we stand in line paying for all the shit the girls have thrown in the cart; I watch the little girl in front of me crying for candy. Her mom told her no, but she cries anyway. Pieces of me melt inside. I watch them walk outside before tossing the candy onto the counter and pay. I don’t know why it’s bothering me the way it is, but that emptiness is there. The girl's push the cart out to the truck.  Walking over toward the car I saw her walk to I say, “Hey! I got this for her.” The woman looks up at me as she tries to climb into her car. Her eyes widen as she takes in my cut and my tattoos.

“No thank you.” Closing her door quickly, I step back.

My insides tremble when I actually think about it. It must have been a sight to see. That’s the typically greeting we get from outsiders, though.

“She’s a bitch.” Aria’s hand lands on my arm.

“She was scared of me. It’s not the first time.” Heading back toward the truck I start to wonder what people must think of us. Just because we do some questionable shit doesn’t mean we’re bad people on the inside. I climb in the truck when Aria climbs in the front seat staring at me. I glance over and say, “Say whatever it is you’re thinkin’ and stop lookin’ at me like that.” Aria laughs along with the other girls. It’s almost refreshing to hear them.

“I don’t understand how you don’t have a wife and kids, Dragon. You’re so good with them.” My chest tightens. My heart hurts.

“I did. I had all that once.” 

I didn’t let them question me any further. In fact, I was a bit of an asshole to them when they tried.

We brought all the bags in. The girl's put it away while I pour myself a drink. Vodka seems like the best choice to drown out anything else that might have filtered its way back into my head.

“Heard you lost your shit a little,” Ghost says as he walks over, grabbing the bottle from my hand. I watch as he takes it down before passing me a beer.

“Somethin’ like that.” I know I should apologize. I know I should go in there, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. Ghost grabs a beer for himself before he says, “We can talk about it, Dragon. I’m here, brother.”

“I thought doin’ this for them, for all of you would help, Ghost. I thought I could make that shit go away but I can’t. It fuckin’ haunts me every day.” I find myself breaking down. I don’t break down. I’m the strong one. I’m the one that keeps it all together.

“This about your dad?” He asks me. If only that were the truth. I wished it was about him.

“No.” Shaking my head, I almost let out a chuckle.

“Then what is it, Dragon. Talk to me.” I drop my head before sighing. I feel like I should get it out but fuck, that’s harder than it sounds.

My chest constricts when I think about what I’m about to say. Opening my mouth, I let it out. I say, “You know about Maggie. What you didn’t know—was about my daughter.”

“A daughter? Shit, man. What happened?” I swallow the lump in my throat.

“Long story. Maggie left that night, pissed at me. We had a fight. I put Emily in the back seat, in her car seat. Maggie took off before I got her buckled.”