Page 18 of Ethan's Sky

“I’ve got this. It’s fine.I’mfine.” The two men move almost shoulder to shoulder with me. Ghost takes a firm stance behind me, and I can feel the anger radiating off him from here.

Jesus, the testosterone in here is stifling!

Although, to be fair, my Uncle Chris has just lost his brother-in-law and is concerned about a threat to his only niece. Him snapping would be understandable. Scary and a little bloody, but understandable. Thankfully, he’s allowing me to handle it myself…for now. But I can guarantee with all he’s dealing with, his temper is holding on by a sheer thread.

This is exactly what I was trying to avoid when I asked themnotto bring me here.

“Hello, Ethan.” My voice is calm, and as polite as I can muster. I’m holding on by a thin thread myself. I haven’t had time to process through my father’s death or what it means for me moving forward. The time at the dock was only a band-aid. A temporary reprieve until I can get away on my own and deal with my own shit.

I have so many questions lurking in the back of my mind.

Will our agreement with the club still stand?

Does this mean the past is coming back to haunt me?

I can’t do this here. There’s too much to process and this isn’t the time or the place to do so.

Ethan has a reason to be angry, but so do I, and if he’s smart, he’ll realize the fact and let shit go for now.

“I asked you a fucking question,” he says through gritted teeth.

Not smart. Noted. One too many hits in the ring, I guess. Shame. I had such high hopes for him once upon a time.

“And had you been listening, you would’ve heard the answer.My. Father. Is. Dead.” There are muffled whispers heard throughout the room, most of them curses. “You probably would’ve heard Gabe announce it to the room if you had been listening to your president and not so busy focusing on the new pussy in the room.”

Shots fired, bitch!

It’s a dick move to point out his disrespect to not only me but to Gabe as well. I know it’ll only stir the pot, but I don’t care.

Not. A goddamn bit.

Ethan stands there glaring at me. He heard me, but he can’t see past the anger and deception he feels when it comes to me. I told them he wouldn’t. Ambushing him was only going to make shit worse. Did anyone listen?

“You haven’t been home in six years. You never came to see him, not once, andnowyou show up?Why bother?”His eyes narrow as he glares at me expecting me to feel guilty and crack, I presume. But he’s wrong. In more ways than one. “Why not stay gone. It would’ve been better for everyone if you had.”

Shy, timid, soft spoken, never wanting to engage in conflict Skyler from six years ago? She would’ve cowered to his threatening tone. Would’ve broken down at his hurtful words, hearing he’d rather I stayed away. Probably would’ve curled in on herself and hidden away in a dark room feeling guilty. Because I hated for people to be upset with me. Especially Ethan.

But now?Fuck that. I cower to no one. Never again.

These accusations aren’t true, and I’m done giving a shit about what people think about me.

I could set him straight. Explain what he doesn’t know and prove him wrong. Give him a reason to apologize and make shit right. But there’s no point. It would only serve to piss him off more to know Ihadbeen here. I saw my father once a month for the last five years, once we established it was safe. We kept in contact almost every day by burner phones. If he was busy with a run or was in a position where it wasn’t safe to speak to me directly, he would send messages through Eli telling me he would contact me when it was.

“You’re right. I haven’t beenhome,and I didn’t want to comehere.”I gesture around the room. “I didn’t make this deal. Like you, I’m just following orders.” I turn, narrowing my eyes at Gabe, whose face is an emotionless mask.

Ethan’s eyes darken, and his nostrils flare. He’s infuriated.So am I, baby. So am I.

“What deal? What are you talking about?”

I take a deep, cleansing breath and let it out slowly grasping for an ounce of patience. Really what I need is a magic carpet and a fast wind to carry my ass out of here.

“Daddy made a deal with Gabe and the club a long time ago. You’ll have to ask your president for the details, since I’m but a lowly woman and don’t have the privilege of knowing the specifics of‘club business.’Right before he called the club, Daddy called me and told me to get my ass to Oak Ridge. To Gabe. My being here hasnothing to do with youor the club. I’m simply here to keep a promise to bury Daddy next to Mama on the hill overseeing town.”

“You’re lying. The club has no reason to do a damn thing for you. For George, sure, butyou.No fucking way.” He’s waiting for a reaction from me. A sign his words have struck a nerve. When he doesn’t get what he’s after, he continues his tirade. “You, fucking left Oak Ridge after you got my sister mixed up in your bullshit. You’re the reason Emily is dead. Instead of owning up for your mistakes, like a goddamn coward…you ran. Leaving me here to clean up your shit…alone.No one here owes you a goddamn thing.”

And there it is.

The real reason he’s pissed.I don’t believe he believes I’m a junkie. He knows me too well to believe I’d ever do anything of the sort. But it’s easier to blame me than to accept the truth about his sister’s death.

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