We spent the entire evening with Brantley and his ranch hands. His grandfather was a character. A real riot. Luke…he savored it all. Soaked all the male attention in. I saw for the first time what my mother’s harsh life has truly done to him. Even if he was shielded from most of it until recently.

I asked Brantley if Windbreaker could stay at his ranch, it killed me to ask for help, but I know if I want to get Luke and me out of this hell I need his help. Brantley had immediately agreed, and for a minute he looked like he wanted to ask for more but didn’t say a word.

We spoke for hours about what I want from life. My hopes and dreams. He hadn’t been happy when I explained about college, being kicked out of a scholarship because I wasn’t keeping up my end of the deal. I’m angry too, but I’m hopeful I can go back to it one day.

Mom wasn’t here when we got home, so Luke was hard to settle for the night. I forgot how much I love watching him be a kid. I think I’ve actually forgotten what it was like to be a kid myself. The hatred and conviction I feel towards the woman who birthed us grows and intensifies as the hour grows later.

She didn’t have to have us. She didn’t have to treat me like a slave or like I wasn’t even here. She chose this life, and I’m constantly put to blame for anything bad happening. I’m the adult in this house, not her. I pay the bills, buy the food, the upkeep. It’s all me. And its high time I start fighting for what we need.

Grabbing a notepad and pen, I head out to the barn where I find it easier to relax. I need a clear head if I’m going to approach her about this. Some may consider it blackmail, I call it leverage. If she doesn’t want to go to jail, she’s going to sign everything over to me.

Including Luke.

Especially Luke.

He’s the one thing I will not waiver on. If she wants to continue with the debt of this acreage, fine. Her problem, not mine. But Luke will come with me.

After an hour of writing out a statement for her to read and sign, I hear the sounds of her crappy car coming down the driveway. The revving of a diesel truck not far behind, and I know she’s brought another man home with her.

I wish she wouldn’t. I’ve begged her time and time again to stop, but she seems to do it just to spite me now. Knowing Luke’s door is locked, I stay in the barn with the horses. They leave me in peace while my drunk mother breaks a few laws, I’m sure.

Peeking out the barn door, I watch a man I don’t readily recognize exit his big truck, made black by the dark night. He wobbles behind my laughing mother as she stumbles up the steps and into the house. Just as he enters, I’m about to back away when he stops. His face shines brightly in the porch light, and I see his eyes clear as day.

Sinister is the only way to describe him.

His eyes are focused, calculated, contradicting the fact he’s not intoxicated at all. He’s faking, and it sours my stomach as the door closes behind them. A chill runs up my spine as I watch lights turn on in the kitchen and up the stairs to her bedroom.

I can only hope Luke has his headphones on as they get up to their sexcapades. Backing away slowly, I’m greeted by Midnight as I pass, “Looks like I’m bunking with you guys tonight.” I won’t go back in that house until that man is gone.

Pushing the couple from my mind, I sit against the wall across from Midnight and Sand Stone–who still hates me–and read over the letter I’ve drafted again. I want everything ironclad. No wiggle room and no way for her to renege on it. I need this to happen so Luke, and I can have lives.

It doesn’t take long for exhaustion to take over and my body is slumping to the side as my eyes close. A kink in my back and stiff neck wakes me sometime later and as I stand the sound of a raging storm meets my ears.

Rain pelts the ground as hail follows it like a thundering horse on the run. Lightning flashes bright, while thunder strikes with ease and precision. The sounds of cracking stone echoed as a flashing light comes from the house. I freeze halfway between the house and barn as I hear it again. Not thunder, not hooves. Something else. Something with deadly intent.

A scream disturbs the storm as I see Luke standing in his window. Fear etched in every line of his face. My sense’s feel heightened as I hear the unmistakable sound of boots storming through our small house.

With one last look at my brother, I dart for the side of the house. Stepping back just enough to be out of sight, but still close enough to the corner to watch the man from earlier come strolling through the front door.

The wind catches his laughter as his long strides take him to his truck. Shrinking down I wait for his tail lights to disappear before I move from my hiding spot. With one eye on the road, and the other guiding my way into the house, I race up for Luke’s room; even knowing my mother is likely the injured party.

“Luke,” I whisper, not wanting to frighten him more than necessary. “Luke, open the door.” I knock lightly. It feels like forever before it opens, but when it does, he flies into my arms, barely giving me time to steady myself before we hit the wall. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re alright.”

“I thought he was going to find you.” His sobbing breaks my heart while he shakes in my arms.

“Back in your room. I’m going to check on mom.” I have to push him through the door. Taking a breath, I fortify my resolve as I wander down the hall with purpose. I’m not even certain what I heard was a gunshot. It could have been anything.

Except…deep in my gut, I know. I know my mother is laying in her room either dead or injured. That man–whoever he was–he came here tonight with the intent to do harm. I can hear light moaning as I approach her door, and I push it open to see broken furniture scattered around the room. A trail of blood leads off the bed and towards the floor.

“Mom?” I call, scared to see her. My steps feel slow as I walk around the bed and see her lying in a pool of blood and vomit on the floor. “Mom!” I drop to my knees at her side. Rolling her to her side, I search for a wound, something to explain the amount of blood.

“Get off me!” She yells, shocking me into falling back.

It’s then I smell it. Bitter, acrid.

Whiskey.

Her vice. Her midnight lover.

Upon closer inspection, I can see that yes, she was hurt. Her blood is dripping from a bloody nose and split lip, but it’s the mix of that blood and whiskey that scared a few years off my life.

“What the hell happened?” I can’t keep my anger to myself.

“Mind your own business.” She snaps, as she limps away.

I can’t let her go, she can’t do this to us and think it’s okay. “No! You fucked up so bad tonight, and I’m sick of it!” I spin around the room, knowing I heard a gunshot. When I find the hole in the wall, I point to it, screaming at her, “What if this hit you? What about me? For Christ sake mother, Luke was in the house! What if it hit him? Huh, then what?” I’m so mad I’m shaking.

“I’ve had it, mom, I’m done. With this, with you. Luke and me, we’re leaving. You’re going to sign all your rights to him away to me, and we’re leaving.” I walk to the door, intent on grabbing the draft I created and bringing it back to her to sign now.

“You can’t do that.” She hisses, full of anger. “You have no right.”

“You stupid woman, you’re the one with no right! You’ve been abusing me for years. You bring strange men into this house with an underage boy here, and you think you’re going to keep him? That I’ll let you keep him? No. We’re done.” I need to leave before I slap her silly. “Get cleaned up and meet me downstairs in thirty minutes. You’re signing this tonight.”

Slamming the door behind me, I go back to Luke. He’s standing in the doorway, listening to everything I said and for the first time, I have a moment of doubt. I don’t even know what he wants.

“Did you mean that? You’re going to take me away from her?” I can’t read his normally expressive gaze.

“I love you, Luke. More than anything in this world, and I want you happy. I want you safe. Right now, that means taking you away from here. This hasn’t been the right place for either of us for a really long time.” I pray he understands why I’m doing this. Why he needs this.

I stand in scrutiny of his gaze for minutes before his arms are wrapping around me again as he says, “Thank you, Ady. No one has ever cared as much as you do.”

I stand there, holding my little brother in my arms, praying I’ve done the right thing by us.

“Let’s get this over with.” Mom comes up behind me, still smelling of her cheap whiskey. “I’ll agree to your terms, but I’m leaving, not you guys. You want the brat you can have the expenses of this shit hole house too.”

She waves the deed of the house in one hand while rolling a suitcase behind her as she walks down the stairs.

Gripping Luke’s hand tightly, we walk down together. Prepared, ready, anticipating this new start to our crazy lives.