Page 5 of Moonshine Lullabies

I looked back at Jessie, who’d been all fire and brimstone right up until she got her kid back. Now she was cryin’ somethin’ fierce, but she was absolutely no less pissed.

She looked up at her boy and smoothed a hand over the side of his face, demanding if he was alright and lookin’ him over as he tried to pry her off of him. Red with embarrassment, he shot a sideways look in mine and Hex’s direction.

“Let your mamma have this, boy. Don’t matter how big y’ get – you’ll always be her baby,” I called out to him. He met my eyes and straightened up some and gave a nod in my direction. Hex and I turned and went into the house, through the shattered door just as Cy hung up the phone.

“She stuck him good,” Cy remarked, and I looked at the spatter of blood on the carpet between the living room and the combined kitchen and dining area. The blood was smeared on the tile of the kitchen floor, footprints – small ones – beatin’ feet in the direction of the back door.

“Jessie?” I asked.

“Fuckin’ right,” Cy said as a point of pride, but it was short lived as his sister came through the shattered door like a fuckin’ thunderhead, muscles coiled and eyes sparking lightning.

Her voice crashed into us about the same time she crashed into her brother as she shoved him violently and beat her small fists against his chest and screamed at him, “This is all your fault!”

Hex and I parted like the red sea before her onslaught. Neither one of usdaredcrack a smile. Nothing about this shit was funny.

“You and your fucking bullshit brought them into my house! I can’t believe you, John-Paul!”

“Easy, stop it! I ain’t playin’ Jessie-Lou, I saidstop!” He shoved her back off of him and bellowed, “Go take your ass in the shower and get cleaned up! I’ll fuckin’ handle it!”

“You’re goddamn right you’ll handle it, you fucking prick!” she shrilled, and he raised his hand like he was gonna backhand her. She flinched but stood her ground.

I couldn’t help myself. I stepped in at that point and caught my brother by the wrist and looked up at him with a cold, hard glare.

“Go take a shower, honey,” I urged her calmly. “But go an’ get me your first-aid kit first. I need you to go get cleaned up to figure out how much of this blood is yours. We’ll get you fixed up after you calm down, yeah?” I only turned my head to look at her when Cy’s eyes told me he had his shit together and his temper under control.

I went to let go of his wrist, but he jerked it out of my grasp, irritated with me. I didn’t much care about that. Let him have his little mini tantrum. He knew I was right. Hex raised an eyebrow in my direction and gave me an imperceptible nod.

I gave him one back.

Tate’s shaky voice came from the doorway to the front yard and said, “Mamma, how bad you hurt?”

Hex waved him into the house and said, “Come away from that door, huh?”

Tate followed Hex’s direction even as Jessie-Lou told her son, “I’m not, baby. It’s not my blood.”

“Some of it is,” I told her gently. “Now go on and get me your first-aid kit, get yourself cleaned up, and let me have a look at you.”

“Do what Collier says, then pack your fuckin’ bags, the both of you. You’re gonna stay in the city.”

Jessie-Lou puffed up at that and said, “The fuck we are, big brother. This is our home and we’re stayin’ in it. Get that down for me.” She thrust her chin at the crossbow over our heads.

“Go on and do what you gotta do,” I said. “I’ll stay with ‘em.” I pulled my gun out of the back of my waistband and checked it while Cy lifted down the crossbow and handed it to Jessie.

“Thanks,” he grunted.

“You better fucking go get ‘em,” she told him and stalked up the hall, making a disgusted noise at the mess. They damn sure had tossed the place.

“Back as soon as I can,” Cypress muttered. He turned to his nephew. “Sorry, buddy, but why don’t you go on and get your room put right? Don’t make your mom have to nag you about it.”

Pale faced, Tate nodded rapidly.

“First-aid kit?” I asked no one in particular, knowing Cy or Tate would answer.

“Under the bathroom sink,” Tate said just as his mom went into the bathroom.

“Go on and get it for me,” I told him.

He nodded, went to the bathroom door and called out, “Mom, don’t shoot me – I’m comin’ in.”

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