Page 92 of Heir

I could be an asset to him.

We could be an asset to him. I could prove myself worthy of pledging, and maybe then I could find my purpose and not feel like the weight of the world was crashing down on me so much.

I looked at Jude, who was like a brother to me.

Jude and I had been friends since middle school, when my Aunt Jenny adopted him. I had known since we met that shit for him at home, before Jenny, wasn’t good. It wasn’t good for me either, with Mom, but at least I had my dad. Jude had no one until now.

We were the same.

I was damn good with the computers, and Jude was a close second. It was a fucking relief to have someone to talk to who didn’t look at me like they couldn’t understand half of the shit I was saying.

“Where are we going?” Jude asked as we cut through a side street. I led him through the alleyway—a shortcut.

“To the bar.”

Even in the dark, I could see his eyes widening. The whites of his eyes shone through. “Your old man’s bar?”

“Yup.”

“Isn’t your dad there?”

“Nope. Club business. And I doubt anyone working there will kick me out.”

He shook his head. “You’re crazy. Of course, they’ll kick you out. They’ll kick us both out. Do you even have a fake ID?”

“Do I look my age?”

“How the fuck should I know? You look like every other fifteen-year-old fuckhead in school.”

I’d take that as a yes.

But I also looked like my old man. Nearly identical, from all the pictures I’d seen of him when he was my age.

“Come on, let’s just go there and see how it is.”

“Kai… I don’t know.”

“I don’t want to go back home, okay? She’s there. With some other bastard, probably fucking him on Dad’s bed and hoping Dad will come home and catch her. She’s probably bored and looking for a fight.”

Jude said nothing, but he understood. If there was anyone who understood, it was him.

“Where’s Braxton?” Jude asked.

“He’s with your mom.”

Thank fuck for that because I would have never left Braxton alone with my mother.

Jude nodded. “Fine, but if your dad catches wind of this, I’m placing all the blame on you.”

I chuckled and grabbed his shoulder. “I’ll tell him it was my idea only.”

“Itisyour idea.”

We turned around, about to walk toward the mouth of the alley, when a noise caught my attention.

I held my hand out, stopping Jude.

“Kai, what are—”

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