Page 102 of No Apologies
“Time for what?” Remy looked between them.
“I needed to get Colt away for a little while before he did something stupid.” Cash shot him a look and then turned back to Remy, “He seems to have a problem with the way things went down the night he was attacked. He’s mad at Skylar for getting involved and I thought, since you were the one there with her, that you could explain it to him.”
Remy’s lips pursed into a thin line and Colt felt some of his age old anger towards his big brother slip away. He knew that look. Cash did the same thing when he was mad at him. His lips always thinned with disapproval right before he threatened to smack some sense into him. They all really were brothers.
“Yeah, come inside.” Remy motioned them to follow him as he turned and headed back into the trailer, “It’s not much but I got the AC unit working.”
Remy went in. Cash followed. Colt was the last one through the door and he gaped at what he saw. It wasn’t a nice place, not by any stretch of the imagination, but it was clean. The smell of bleach and lemons assaulted his nose and his eyes watered. Clearly Remy had been busy.
There wasn’t much inside. No tables or chairs in the small kitchen. Only a stained couch in the living room and then a very out of place looking La-Z-Boy recliner. It was shiny brown leather and had that new smell to it. He raised an eyebrow and Remy only chuckled.
“I had to get somewhere to sit. Sue me if I like old man chairs.” He shrugged and motioned around the tiny living area and kitchen that was separated by only a counter, “The rest of the shit in here was junk, just like that couch, so it had to go. I don’t have the money to upgrade but I got a bed, a chair and a TV so I’m all set for now.”
“You know, if you downsized the car you could probably afford some furniture.” Cash pointed out with a smirk.
“Car isn’t mine. It’s Links... or one of his boys. I didn’t ask any questions when he turned over the keys.”
“Probably for the best.” Colt agreed with a nod, “You moved out of his place and kept his car?”
“I found somewhere else to live easy. What’re the odds I’ll find a car like that sittin’ around unused?” Remy joked.
“Yeah, just don’t get pulled over in it. Odds are it ain’t legal.” Cash warned.
“Nah, Trebly’s been on the take for years.” Remy shrugged.
“Maybe but Little Law ain’t and that bastard hates me so watch your back around him.”
Remy smiled softly, “Careful little brothers, I might get the idea you actually give a shit about me.”
Cash winced. Colt frowned. He didn’t like to admit it but Remy had a point. They’d kept themselves carefully separate from Remy since he returned. He’d thought it was because they were both angry with him but now he could admit it had mostly been about protecting himself. He’d worried Remy would leave again and it had hurt so badly the first time he hadn’t wanted to open himself up to that again. And as long as he didn’t know why Remy had left, there was no way to be sure he wouldn’t do it again.
“That’s part of the reason we’re here. We need to talk. Clear the air.” Colt motioned to the couch, “Can we sit? My ribs are killing me.”
“Yeah. Sure.” Remy looked between them, a sudden wariness in his eyes, “You boys wants a beer?”
“Nah, pain pills.”
“No thanks.” Cash shook his head.
“Cigarette?”
Colt scowled at the mere mention of it. He didn’t smoke. Neither did Cash. They both had too many bad memories, too many scars. But Remy didn’t have any and the reminder made his insides twist again as he remembered Skylar saying she knew what they were from and how he’d gotten them. He shook away the sharp longing that pierced his heart.
He had a feeling, a deep, sinking feeling that Remy had his own scars to contend with. Only his weren’t visible to the naked eye. They were internal and much, much deeper.
“Sorry.” Remy dropped his gaze and sighed heavily, “I forgot.”
“It’s ok.” Cash offered but Remy shook his head.
“No. It’s not. I should have been there. I should have… fuck.” He glanced between them and the wariness in his eyes turned to dread, “Fuck. Are we really doing this? Is this why you two are here? Not just to talk about Skylar. You want to know why I left?”
In another situation, he might have smiled that Remy had figured it out so quickly and easily. He and Cash had always been able to read each other. It was part of their twin connection. They had entire conversations without words, sometimes a necessity give Cash’s bouts with silence. There had even been times when they felt each other’s pain.
But at one point in their lives, it had been the same way with Remy. He’d forgotten about that or shut it out. But it was still there.
He nodded.
Remy’s face dropped as if he’d hoped to never have this conversation. And maybe he had. He’d stayed gone a long time. Colt had long ago faced that Remy had been running from something or someone but for the first time since his brother returned he wondered if he still was.
