Page 14 of Eternally Ginger

“Christopher Allen Blakely!” Aunt Hadley barked my full name before I had a chance to hurt him, and we both froze in place. “You get that gun away from that baby, right now!” She marched to where we stood and pulled him into her arms.

“But…He…I…” I stuttered, pointing between us, confused as fuck. He fired the first and only shot. I was just trying to do him and society a favor by teaching him some fucking manners. Clearly, I was still affected by my aunt scolding me and put my gun away, feeling like he and I were the same age.

“I was so scared,” he lied and squeezed her tightly while she petted his head with the palm of her hand.

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” she chastised, shaking her head back and forth, waving a finger in my direction.

“Come on over to my house. I’ll bake you some cookies.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, wrapping his arm around her back and flipping me off.

“Little asshole,” I mumbled under my breath as soon as they were inside and out of earshot.

“Do you believe that shit?” I asked, passing Spider, who stood on the porch. Fucker probably watched the whole thing because he was laughing his ass off.

“Now, I know why you didn’t want to come here.” He strolled leisurely to the swing and sat down. “That woman has your nuts in a vice.”

“The fuck she does,” I argued, grabbing my balls and shook them at him.

“Damn, Ghoul. Nobody wants to see you play with yourself,” Tin Man scoffed, rounding the house with Sac, Sleeper, and Sledge right behind him.

“And y’all thought I was bad,” Sledgehammer added.

“Where the hell were my brothers when I was chasing that little shit?”

Sac was quick to shake his head when Sleeper opened his mouth.

“I said, where the fuck were my brothers?”

“Out back eating watermelon,” Wily answered for them all and strolled into sight. In reality, it was hard to tell what the hell they were doing back there. I was mostly joking, but my pride was hurt.

“Some fucking VP I have. I was shot at, and there you were, leaving my ass to the wind for anyone to assassinate.”

“It was a kid, Ghoul. I think you had it taken care of,” Spider pointed out with a chuckle. “Here, go take your mind off it.” He reached into his pocket and plucked a joint out. “Go relax, Boss.”

It was the first time Spider had called me Boss since he’d stepped down as the Cleveland, Ohio Royal Bastards’ President, and I would be lying if I didn’t admit it was odd as fuck to hear. When I prospected beneath him, I never imagined we would be in this situation. Did I assume the position of his second in command fast and hard? I sure as hell did without regrets, and I was happy to do so, but stepping into his shoes and trying to fill them was a huge leap.

“Thanks, brother.” I took the joint and turned to walk down the road a piece, so Aunt Hadley couldn’t smell the pot. Pausing, I asked, “Y’all going to let me blaze this alone?”

“Hell no,” Tin Man said, and the rest of my brothers agreed.

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