Page 9 of A Very Merry Unbirthday
Blood.
Bodies.
More trafficked women, kids, and clean up.
Always clean up.
It’s gonna be a long night.
3
White Boy
The Unbirthday
Carrying the cake in from Gunz’s truck that I borrowed to get the giant three-tier monstrosity here, Blimp chuckles from the door as he holds it open for me to dip inside. All the woman cheer as I cart the heavy fucker toward the cake table, set up next to some weird caterpillar on a mushroom. Kids’ music pumps through the speakers, lower than party volume, as a gaggle of loud children races through the common room. It’s wild. Who would’ve thought, in just a few short years, I’d be a patched-in brother, and we’d be throwin’ the prez’s daughter an unbirthday? At least the theme is on brand withAlice in Wonderland.
Joining me, Bink dances a little jig in her Alice costume, complete with white stockings and a blue dress that looks a lot more like it was made for the bedroom. Big’s a lucky man.
Once I set down the cake, she grips my bicep. “It’s prettier than I expected!”
“Sure is.” I flash her an uncomfortable smile before she rushes over to claim the mini-Alice, aka Leech, aka Harley, to show her the cake covered in 3D depictions of all the famous Wonderland characters.
Now that my deed is done, I find my way to the wall, where I prefer to be, away from the craziness. Deke, dressed as a mouse, dances with his daughters as Jez, dressed as the Queen, does the same with her kids. Janie and Dom are right there in the mix. As are Dixie and her baby. It’s cute. If you’re into that kinda stuff. I’ve never been one to want kids of my own. I’m not down to be a responsible parent. But I make an okay uncle. That suits me just fine. Maybe a good friend, too. Given that my best friend, Jade, has a teenage son named Hunter, whom I just happen to like.
Speaking of Jade.
Hiding away from the kids and the brothers, who are kids, too, when they wanna be, I find her hidden behind the bar. Alright. Perhaps hidden ain’t the right word. You can see her. But she’s there for a reason, away from everyone. She’s a different person now after the kidnapping and the shit that happened to her and the sisters.
Fuck.
She won’t even talk to me about it.
Or the sisters.
Or the therapist Big hired.
It’s work and home. Home and work. Occasionally, she drops by the compound, but it’s not like it used to be. I’m surprised she even showed up. Then again, she’ll do just about anything for my mom and Bink.
Rounding the bar, I prop my back against the wall beside her, but we don’t talk. There’s no need. She’ll fight me. She fights me a lot these days. I’m the only one she lets her anger out on. Everyone else seems to think she’s fine or getting along okay since everything went down. But it’s not like that. Not really.
Hunter sees it.
I see it.
Hell, she kicks me out of her house at least a handful of times a week because I push her. I push her to talk. To open up. To work through her demons. She was raped, for fuck’s sake. She needs to talk about it. I know it’s not my place to push, but I can’t help it. I need to. Don’t ask me why. But I do. Just as I need to stand beside her in my clubhouse, with my brothers having a wild time, to show I’m here. It annoys her. The glare she sends my way is evidence enough. I get it. But I’m not goin’ anywhere—tough shit.
Bink rushes over to the bar and waves for us to join the party. “Come dance.” She breathes, face flushed with excitement.
I knock my shoulder into Jade’s. “Go on.”
She side-eyes me like she wants to stab me in the face.
I don’t take offense. I never do.
My mom, Jade’s best friend and neighbor, races over in her clown costume and pulls Bink back into the fray so shit doesn’t pop off. This is about Leech. It’s about the sisters. This is about letting off some steam when we’re at war.
“You want some food?” I nod toward the buffet tables.
