Page 25 of Ethan's Sky

Their girl? The fuck?

5

SKYLER

I’m driving down the road, headed back to Daddy’s safe house, yelling.

“I told them all this was going to be a shitshow of epic proportions, but what do I know. I have tits and onlyonebrain to function my entire body, how could I possibly know what I’m talking about? I punched Ethan! I wouldn’t have struck if I thought it was him.Okay, I might’ve.But let’s face it, he deserved to get slapped for all the shit he said and the way he was acting, but I didn’t mean…Uggghhhh!” I groan. “Assholes! The lot of them!”

I probably look like a lunatic shouting into my phone to people passing by with my exaggerated gestures.

I pull my truck into the driveway and stare at the old farmhouse I’ve missed for so long. We vacationed here in the summer sometimes. It gave Daddy the opportunity to maintain the upkeep. Ghost is the only other person who knows about this place.

It looks like the eaves and porch have been painted white recently. It pops against the dark red brick. The broken step has been repaired. The bushes along the porch are neatly trimmed, fresh flowers are blossoming in widow planters between the two wooden rocking chairs, and the front lawn is freshly mowed.

Daddy always took pride in our yards. Of course, if he didn’t take care of it, Mama would pitch a fit and threaten to do the work herself or hire one of the neighbor’s boys to do it, knowing Daddy didn’t want anyone anywhere near his tools.EspeciallyMama. He swore whenever she touched them, they’d disappear or mysteriously break, and he’d end up spending a small fortune to replace them. It was less hassle to do the work himself between trips.

The memory of their silly argument brings a smile to my lips.

He kept up the backyard neat and clean near the house, but the woods lining the property he said were never meant to be touched, just enjoyed. There are even a few trails I used to run through the trees leading to a creek and a few small fishing pockets along the property.

We don’t have next door neighbors around here. Most people have a couple of acres this far off the main road. We like the beauty, and the privacy nature provides. The seclusion and privacy were the reason Daddy purchased the place for me.

That’s right. No one knows about it because it’s mine. Well, it was my mother’s and when she passed on it was left to me.

Take our property for example, Daddy put a porch all the way around the house with a deck extending out into the back where a firepit sits out in the open. We used to roast marshmallows and drink hot chocolate wrapped up in one of Mama’s throw blankets out there most nights we came to visit. He’d tell me about his trip on the road and the amazing places he saw, and I’d fill him in on the latest book I was reading.

He made a path leading down into Mama’s garden where she had her rose bushes and some fresh produce. I tried to keep up with it, but I didn’t have the patience she did when it came to sharing our vegetables with all the animals in the area. She didn’t seem to mind, but it pissed me off to work so hard only to watch a rabbit or deer eat my hard-earned food. Daddy was never good at growing vegetables, but he did manage to keep her roses coming back every year.

He’s driven an eighteen-wheeler for as long as I can remember. He could be on the road for days, even weeks at a time until Mama passed away. Then he took a job for one of Garrison’s clients, West International Freight, allowing him to work shorter runs and fewer days a week. On the nights he was on the road, my Uncle Chris or Gus and his wife would stay with me.

Once I got into high school, I was allowed to stay home alone, but there was always a motorcycle or two driving by the house a few times a night. They’ve watched over me.

Even when I didn’t want them to.

Dating in high school was a nightmare until Ethan. I guess since he had Daddy’s approval the guys didn’t give him as much shit as they did the others. Not that there were many others. I wasn’t popular by any means. Not until Emily decided we were going to be best friends. Her crazy ass was popular, though not for the reasons most girls were. She was a live wire and tended to put snobby bitches in their place. She was liked for her carefree, Devil-may-care attitude. She did what she wanted and didn’t give a shit about what anybody thought.

Most people didn’t bother messing with her. I’m certain it had everything to do with the fact Ethan would kick their ass if they did. He took his job of protecting his baby sister very seriously.

It’s why I knew becoming a King would be good for him. They are protective over what they deem to be theirs. Especially their women and families.

With the possible threat in the air, and Daddy’s murder, I’m sure everyone’s going to be on hyper alert. They’ll all be up my ass now. They all see me as Ghost’s family, which makes metheirsby extension. It’s going to make working at the Pearl difficult, but I’ll find a way. At least this house being where it is will make the commute a little easier.

I can’t lose this job. Not when I know Vincenzo knows something about what happened. According to Eli, Vincenzo had his men tail me home. I find it hard to believe that’s coincidental.

At least I’ll have Cash as a buffer. I’m sure I can convince him to be my babysitter. He knows about Scarlet. He helped me put the costumes together. And I’m sure I could bribe him with getting more one-on-one time with Sherrie while I’m on stage.

IfEli will let him stay and Gabe approves, I’m sure I can get Cash to cover for me.

We have to follow protocol.

My eyes roll at the thought of these men and their bullshit rules.

They’ll protect you. You’ll do as they say because it’s what Daddy would have wanted.

I hate when my internal voice is rational. But I also know it’s true. I’ll do it. For him.

At least for a little while.

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