The guys I knocked down all rise from the ground and rush over to check on fake Jason before turning to us with bloodlust in their eyes.
Connor and I turn to each other, making eye contact before we nod in unison and run towards my car.
Luckily, we’re a lot faster than them and manage to slide in without any issues.
“Whoo! That shit was crazy!” Connor exclaims as I peel off the curb and swerve into traffic. He pulls his shirt off and wraps it around his bleeding right knuckles.
“Yea, what the fuck were you thinking? Do you know who those guys are?” I ask through a clenched jaw, my adrenaline starting to wear off. I don’t give away too much information because I don’t want him to question my knowledge of the Brotherhood.
“I was minding my business. Not my fault he found out his wife likes me better.” He laughs.
“What’s up with you? You always come home bruised up thinking nobody notices,” I state. I’ve been wanting to ask him this for a minute, but he’s been hard to get a hold of and annoying when he finally shows up.
“Nobody does,” he says simply, his face turning into a scowl, “besides, why do you care anyway? You don’t know me.”
“Yea, but unfortunately, I found out you’re related to me. Why do you always have a stick up your ass?”
“Why are you always eye fucking Demi?” He shoots back in defense.
“What are you talking about?” I raise an eyebrow towards him. It feels like we’re playing 21 questions and getting no answers.
“Don’t play dumb. When I’m around having a ‘stick up my ass’, I peep shit. I peep everything. You and Demi have a hard on for each other.”
“Why do you always run away from your problems?” I ask and he gets silent.
“Touche,” he finally says after a minute. “I just don’t feel like dealing with them anymore. Tried to fix them, but it seems like I’m the only one trying.”
“Care to explain?” I don’t know when I started playing therapist. Lord knows I’m nowhere near qualified to help people with their shit since I have a pile of my own, but it seems this has been my role as of late.
“My dad…orourdad, whatever, hasn’t had time for me since his company took off. All he cared about was work and how to reach the next level. He doesn’t even know anything about me anymore.”
I smell the whiskey on Connor’s breath, giving me an explanation on why he’s so loose lipped tonight.
“Have you tried talking to him?” I turn on my blinker and ease onto the highway.
“Obviously. All he’s ever said was ‘not right now Connor’. There’s never been a time where he chose what I had to say over his work.” He clenches and unclenches his fists on his lap, staring out the window as I speed down the road. I don’t say anything to what he said, instead deciding to find out more about him. He seems just as alone as me.
“How often do you get in the ring?” I say, nodding my head towards his fists.
“How’d you know I fight?” He looks shocked for a second.
“Your stance and gracefulness when you were fighting gave it away. Where do you train?”
“At the gym in the city, and to answer your other question, I fight at underground events. Nothing major.”
“You mean like the illegal betting type events?”
He says nothing, understandably.
“Why fight?” I ask.
He studies my profile before answering. “It was the best outlet for my anger. Always felt free in the ring.”
I just nod, finally understanding why he’s such an asshole.
“I’ll tell Kane to take you to the race instead.”
“Nah,” Connor chuckles, “I’ve spent years trying to get this man to spend time with me. Besides, you just found out about him, so it’s only right that you go and get to know who he is for yourself. Don’t expect daddy of the year though.”