CHAPTER NINE
“Jesus, this is way more than a simple birthday party,” I grumble at Carter as I meet him in front of his car.
He surveys the parking lot. “You want to leave?”
“No.” I glance at the brown paper bag in my hand. “Let’s drop this off. I don’t want to listen to Mom’s bitching if we don’t show up.”
People are scattered throughout the parking lot, which is really more of a backyard with a lot of gravel strewn around. The occasional moan and groan reaches us as we weave through parked cars and motorcycles. Carter stays close behind me.
My own personal bodyguard.
I have to be out of my mind to set foot in this place again.
“You okay, sis?” Carter asks in a low voice, touching my back.
“I’m fine.”
A few dark figures are clustered around the back door. I don’t recognize any of them, but the shirt Carter insisted I wear, is enough to get us through the door.
Throbbing music vibrates through my shoes and a haze of smoke hangs in the air. “Just as I remember,” I mutter. A cold shiver of revulsion works turns my stomach.
“You sure you’re all right?” Carter asks. “You look green.”
“Shitty lighting.”
“There’s my favorite niece!” Uncle Chuck shouts.
Turning, I peer into one of the rooms on my right. It’s a small office and Chuck’s behind the desk with one of his buddies hanging out on the other side. “Hi, Uncle Chuck. We made it.”
“Char!” He stands and circles the desk, embracing me in a rib-crushing hug. “So happy you’re here, sweetie.”
While his words sound nice, his tone, eyes, face, all of it are completely flat, cold, and lifeless. I can’t tell if he’s drunk or his soul slithered out of his body for good.
Either way, I force a smile on my face and remember to wish him a happy birthday. “We brought this for you.” I hand over the brown bag and his grin widens when he pulls the bottle of whiskey out.
“That was very nice of ya, Char. Thanks.”
“Happy birthday, Uncle Chuck,” Carter says in a respectful tone, even though I know he’d be happier telling our uncle to fuck off.
He barely glances at Carter, giving him a perfunctory nod as if I’d brought some random guy with me instead of his nephew. After circling his desk, he drops into his chair and opens the bottle. “Your momma stopping by, Char?” he asks, pouring the whiskey into a mug.
“She said she’d be here a little later.”
“Good. That’s good. She needs to get out of the house more.”
If by “out of the house” he means “drag her ass to an AA meeting” then yes, she should get out more. I force out a sound of agreement.
“I worry about her,” he says more seriously.
“You should stop by more often.” Carter’s voice comes out free of sarcasm, but our uncle still throws a scowl at him.
Ignoring my brother, Uncle Chuck focuses on me. “She get those repairs done?”
“As far as I know, yes. Carter really knows more about it since he lives there.”
“Your guy did good work.” Carter steps up next to me. “Mom tipped him in her own special way.”
I elbow my brother in the ribs and he backs off.
“I’ll have a talk with him,” Chuck says, waving his hand in the air. He takes a healthy sip from his chipped mug and nods at the open door. “Got a lot of folks visiting tonight.” His face cracks into a creepy smile and he points at my chest. “Keep your shirt on.”
The smile tightens on my face. “Will do, Uncle Chuck.”
“Keeper’s daughter is here. She was looking forward to seeing you,” he adds. If he’s trying to make me feel guilty for avoiding this place for so long, he’s out of luck. Although, I am excited to see my old friend.
“Great, I’ll go look for her.”
“Good girl,” he says and I barely stop myself from flipping him off.
“What’s wrong with you?” I hiss at my brother once we’re out of Chuck’s office. “You probably got the guy who helped Mom out killed.”
His shoulders lift as his eyes scan the room, giving me the impression he’s not listening. “If he doesn’t want Mom sleeping with every guy who gives her a peek of plumber’s crack, he shoulda claimed her ass years ago.”
Now there’s a mental image I’ll never be able to scrub from my brain. “Gross. It’s bad enough having him for an uncle. You really want him as a step-father?”
He pretends to consider the question before shaking his head.
“Come on,” I urge, dragging him into the room. “Help me find Liberty. She’s the only one in this dump I’m actually excited to see.”
“Think she turned out as hot as her mom?”
“You’re twisted.”
He flashes a grin but doesn’t disagree. His gaze scans the room. “I’ll be in a dark corner watching out for you.”
“If you weren’t my brother that would be totally creepy.”
He chuckles. “I always got your back, sis.”
My anxiety eases for the first time tonight. I glance at my wrist as if I’m wearing a watch and he does the same. “Let’s sync our watches. One hour until departure.”
He grins at me. “Deal.”