Page 5 of Running Winter

It’s who I am.

“You’re thinking about getting laid again, aren’t you? Why don’t you get a girlfriend?” Chase laughed, twisting his baseball cap backward as I scowled at him.

“Why would I do that? I’m leaving this town as soon as I can. Me and you, little house on the beach—”

“Come on, Rafe,” Chase said quietly, gazing out of the window as I drove. “Your Dad wants you in the business. One way or the other.”

“Mom won’t let me join the mob, Charles,” I teased as Chase sniggered.

“You know your dad doesn’t give a shit what she thinks about that,” Chase pointed out. “But I meant Deacon Enterprises.”

“I don’t give a shit what he wants,” I muttered. “I want to be a tattooist, fuck what he says.”

I knew deep down that the battle that loomed between my Dad and I was on the not-so-distant horizon.

According to my Dad, it was only a matter of time before I got some ‘dumb bitch pregnant’ and ended up stuck here forever, penniless. He never ceased to remind me that he wouldn’t be giving me any money once I’d left school, knowing that tattooists took a while to gain a client base.

I didn’t give a fuck, though—I knew I could do it.

Luckily for me, mom had told Pops, and he said they would support me regardless, and he had told me point blank he had money if I ever needed it.

I was lucky to have the family I had.

My dad could be a dick when he wanted to be, but he would do anything for his family. Sometimes I felt like he thrived on violence and danger, but he denied it whenever I pointed it out.

“Let Raven do it. She has bigger balls than both of us put together,” chuckled Chase as I pulled into his driveway.

The mention of my sister made me nod thoughtfully, knowing that Raven was a carbon copy of my father, albeit the younger model.

Somehow, Raven had managed to weave her charm through all the Fallon and Deacon men and was so heavily guarded it was ridiculous. Something about Mom getting kidnapped years ago meant that Raven didn’t get to go anywhere without a guard. She was trained in kickboxing, too—and was currently getting Pops to train her to shoot.

I shuddered at the image of Raven with a gun.

“Meet me at Lacey’s, yeah?” I said as Chase hopped out.

“Yes, dear. I’m stoked.”

I couldn’t hide my laughter and sped off his drive.

I needed to get ready.

SHITTY FUCKING PARTIES

C H A S E

“You look like shit,” Rafe declared as Dad dropped me off.

I was already bored, but I had lost—fair and square.

“Don’t play any games. Don’t start any fights,” I warned as Rafe rolled his light green eyes.

“Don’t be a bitch. Instructions over.”

I followed Rafe into the party, aware that Rayna was pissed at me.

Rafe always ended up dragging me into bullshit affairs like this, but even Rayna couldn’t argue with the logic that was Rock, Paper, Scissors.

The party was pretty timid, really, but then Rafe and I had only just arrived. Rafe had the most vibrant personality of anyone I’d ever met—he could start a party at a funeral. He had done this in the past, getting everyone incredibly drunk and laughing about great memories.

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