Page 35 of In It for the Long Ride

He softly cursed and looked away.

“It’s just a matter of who they’re dragging away for it.” I kept right on talking while he rubbed his face. “And I’m used to cage sitting, so…I’m taking that prez patch off of you.”

His head snapped up, and his expression shifted between so many emotions, “No.”

He blurted that word out and I smiled and finally looked away.

“Monty, I ain’t gonna let you go down for…” I looked back at him in the mirror and held my finger to my lips. He scoffed and shook his head, letting his words trail off.

“Wha–? What makes you think…?” he started again.

“Oak, where the fuck we standing, bud?” I turned and looked at him directly.

“My daddy–”

“Your daddy was a good man, but that ain’t got nothing to do with all this.” I shut him down.

“Oak,” Crystal casually called from the other room.

I jerked my head toward the door and stepped out of his way.

“What the fuck,” Crystal grew louder and steps thundered toward us.

I grabbed my pistol out of my waistband, but Easy threw the door open before I could fully aim it in that direction.

“Jesus Fuck!” I spat at him, “What the fuck is wrong with you!”

He shoved his arm out, holding a newspaper inches from my face. There on the front page was a picture of Joplin on a stage. The headline suggested she was one of Chicago’s Best Upcoming Artists from D & D Records.

Crystal was only a step or two behind him, “What’s going on? Why are you running into the house like that?”

We all turned to glance at her, or rather the pistol she had clutched in both hands.

“Whoa,” Easy blurted out, reaching for her arm. “You’ll take your foot off with that, give it to me.”

She jerked it away and stepped into him like she was some kind of bully.

“Crystal, honey…” I attempted.

“I didn’t ask you to come here,” she looked into Easy’s eyes and reminded him.

“You guys are gonna wake the boy up!” Daisy scolded, only to freeze on the path to join us and stare wide-eyed at the guns.

Her jaw set and her lips quivered. I could see the storm inside her brewing up even as she tilted her chin and fought for composure.

When those big, brown eyes finally shifted away, they met mine and I swear, I saw her heart frost over through those dark pools. The thought of her shoving me away again made something in me snap into action.

“Daisy,” The word was plucked from me, as she whirled and tore off down the hall.

“Figure it out,” I hissed at the guys and took off after her.

“Fucking, figure what out…?” Crystal snapped as I walked away.

I followed Daisy to the living room. She blew into one of the adjoining bedrooms and tried to slam the door on me before I could follow her in, but I pushed my way inside.

Her eyes were wide and wild as she backed away from me.

“Daisy,” I whispered, even as I pushed the door shut.

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