“I think you saw what was happening and became chickenshit.”
He balked. “I--what--the fuck did you just say?”
I took a step toward him. “You heard me. I think you came downstairs, saw what was happening, and got scared. Poor little Benji, not wanting to get his hands dirty.”
“I get my hands dirty all the fucking time! Like that bullshit job we never
got paid for.”
His hands came down against my chest and he shoved me away. Or at least, he tried. I stood there like the rock solid human being I was. And the second he realized what had happened, he took a step back.
“Max, I’m sorry.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You’re what now?”
He held up his hands. “I’m just pissed off that you’d think, even for a second, that actual blood-family would leave you hanging out to dry like that.”
I shrugged. “My father does it all the time.”
“Well, I’m not your fucking father.”
“No. At least my father has a pair of balls.”
“Are you kidding me right now with this shit? I come over here to see how you’re doing and you attack me like this?”
I held up my hand. “Save it. I don’t have the energy for it. I’ll only say this. You don’t get to fuck around and go back on your word and only show up when it’s convenient for you, and then get what you want. It’s all or nothing. All of the damn time. You don’t get to slack off because we’re related and then get inducted. That isn’t how shit works around here.”
He shook his head. “Get the stick out of your ass, Max. You think I want to be part of that hellhole now? I’ve got better things going for me. Like school, for one. Hell, I don’t even want to be part of your little rinky dink operation anymore anyway.”
Good. “Glad to hear it.”
He started backing up toward the driveway. “Oh, and another thing. What I’ve got brewing? It’s better than the Red Thorns. Better than what you, or anyone else, could’ve provided for me. You can’t even get us paid for fucking jobs we work. How pathetic is that?”
I quirked an eyebrow. “Oh? Did a better opportunity fall into your weasely little lap?”
I felt my anger mounting, but I was proud of how I kept my cool on the outside. I stared Benji down as he kept backing toward the road. His words were music to my ears. My cousin was young and stupid. He had too much going for him in terms of book smarts to be part of some shit like this anyway. This kind of life was for men who had nowhere else to turn. Nothing to give the world, except for their darkness. But as he continued backing toward the driveway, I noticed something.
I didn’t see his bike around.
“And what if I did find a better opportunity? Huh? That make you worried?”
My eyes darted around the curb. “Not at all.”
“You sure? You’re not worried that your little Red Thorns might be in trouble without me?”
I snickered. “Gotta show up in order to contribute something, cuz.”
He frowned at me. “How about you worry about your little small-time crew, and I’ll worry about me. How does that sound?”
“Get the hell out of here while I’m still allowing you to go.”
“Allowing me? With the condition your body is in, I’m sure you couldn’t--shit!”
I charged him again, pushing through the pain as I ran after him. He spun around like the little pussy he was and raced for the road. Took a right and just kept on running. And running. And running. Until his body faded into the darkness. I panted for air as I stood there, waiting for the sound of a bike. Or the sound of an engine. Anything to signal to me that Benji was actually leaving.
I didn’t hear anything, though.
Just the chirping of crickets as darkness fell upon my home.