“I can have any one of your cars?” she challenges.
“That’s what I said,” he deadpans.
“I want your G-Wagon.”
His jaw goes slack, same as mine. “There’s a fucking Koenigsegg Gemera in here, and you want a G-Wagon? The Gemera was imported.” I throw my hands up.
She looks at me like I’m crazy. “I have no clue what any of that means.”
I grab her shoulders, lightly pushing her toward Vance. “You need to teach your sister about cars.”
“No fucking kidding. That’s my everyday car, Soulless. Why do you want my G-Wagon? I have a nice Range Rover you can have?” he offers.
“Then you drive it. I want the Mercedes.” She plants her hands on her hips and I watch as Vance physically melts.
“Fucking fine.” He pulls the keys from his pocket, shaking his head in disappointment. Which I feel, because look at this showroom! He doesn’t even let us in here, and he was about to just give her one of these babies. “Happy Birthday, Soulless.”
She catches the keys, grinning. “My birthday is not until next week.”
“Yeah, but you need a car now.” She throws her hands around his neck, jumping up and down. “Don’t be excited, you just gave up cars worth millions for a car that cost a couple hundred thousand.” But I see him grin as he holds her.
She steps back, waving the key in his face before she’s bolting out the door. “Need you to clean your shit out ofmycar,” she yells over her shoulder. I laugh as Vance stomps after her, mumbling profanities under his breath.
I’ve waited most of my life for my rabbit to come back to me and once I got her, I almost lost her. If she thinks she’ll ever leave my sight again, she’s got shit fucked. Because until my dying breath, I will protect her. No matter what.
28
Brixley
I knockon the door that’s been my comfort space for most of my life. Sure, it wasn’t anything luxurious, but it felt that way due to the love and laughter that were constantly ringing within the walls of the house.
Aunt Beth opens the door, her eyes widening. “Brix!” she screams, pulling me into her strong embrace, her head resting on my shoulder. We’ve talked on the phone, but after everything that happened, I couldn’t tell her what happened. Worry her about my fatal injuries. I just wasn’t ready for the questions I knew she’d throw my way or the answers I had to offer her. And maybe, I felt as if she, too, has been lying to me this whole time. And that hurt. “Holy crap. Nice car, whose is it?” she asks, pulling back.
“Mine. My brother gave it to me.”
There is a beat of silence, and then she nods. “So, you remember?”
“I do. But I want to talk to you, get your side of the story, if that’s okay?”
“I would tell you anything, Brix. Come in, let’s make some tea and I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”
I basically dive onto the old fluffy green couch, the smell of my old home so comforting, I almost fall asleep waiting for my aunt. “Here we go.” She sits the tea on the coffee table, and I rise to grab mine. Closing my eyes as the chamomile slips down my throat. “Hit me with all the questions, Brix.” She smiles encouragingly.
“If my parents were so wealthy, why…”
She sighs, “Did we live in poverty? Because you were the sole heir, but the money won’t be available until you are twenty.”
“But still, you must have been part of The Misfits, yes? That’s everything at your fingertips.”
“I was, yes, but I fell in love.” I frown and she sighs. “The Misfits you know is very tame compared to how it once was. Thanks to your parents’ generation, they were able to establish alliances in order to put a stop to the decades of wars. Back when I was a part of it, we were at war and, well, I fell in love with the enemy. They asked me to choose, and I chose love. So, I was kicked out.” She laughs bitterly. “Turns out he was only in it for information, which I never gave up.”
“That explains why you never had boyfriends.” I grip her hand.
“Yeah, it broke me to lose him, to lose my family, but it was the choice I made. And I had to live with it.” She shrugs. “What else?”
“Can you…” My throat feels raw, like a knot is caught in it. “Can you just tell me about them? My parents.”
Aunt Beth’s eyes water but she smiles. “Of course.”