Easton

“You think he’s got any idea why he’s behaving this way?” Karson asked.

“Nope. It’s Easton. He believes he doesn’t have to have a reason. This is who he is, and he really does like to play the martyr. Give him a reason to throw himself down on his sword.” Axton helped to lift Easton. With the alcohol and the punch, Easton would be out for long enough for them to get him to the rehabilitation clinic.

They had all been warned there was only so much the doctors could do. The true test would be on Easton, if he could survive without the booze or drugs.

He hoped Easton wasn’t on drugs. He really didn’t want his best friend to be going down that path.

Axton got it, to a point. Over ten years ago, Easton had gotten a girl pregnant, only for that girl to end up murdered by Easton’s father. From what he remembered, Easton was willing to sacrifice a life of wealth to be with her. Carla, Taylor’s best friend, had been poor. At first Easton was only having a bit of fun, but it had soon changed. Carla had been the girl to change everything for all of them. She’d been the girl Easton truly believed he was in love with, and to anyone who didn’t know Easton would have believed it too.

Karson, Romeo, and himself knew the truth.

The guilt eating away at Easton wasn’t because he was missing Carla, or that he wanted her back.

No, he was feeling guilty because the truth was, he wasn’t in love with her, had never been in love with her. He’d knocked her up and was doing the right thing, and what made it even worse was Easton was thankful he didn’t have to do the right thing.

****

Easton had a really bad headache. Opening his eyes, he felt the pounding behind his skull, and his mouth was incredibly dry.

He licked his lips and started to sit up, realizing immediately he was in some kind of hospital.

“What the fuck?”

“Water is by you,” Axton said.

He looked toward his best friend, who was sitting in a chair, looking way too calm and collected for his liking.

“What is going on?”

“No recollection of the past twenty-four hours?” Axton asked.

He remembered arriving into his office, doing some work, and around lunchtime, he got the bottle of whiskey and began to add little drops to his coffee, until most of his drink was the whiskey.

“Vaguely.”

“You remember buying drugs?” Axton asked.

Easton tensed up and waited.

“I will take that as a yes.”

Again, he didn’t say anything. He had bought the drugs a few weeks ago but hadn’t used them. He’d left them in his drawer for when he finally felt ready for that total oblivion the dealer had told him about.

The booze wasn’t helping. He’d hoped the drugs would.

It wasn’t perfect, but then, his life wasn’t perfect either and hadn’t been for a long time. He didn’t know why he was even trying any more.

“This has got to stop, Easton.”

He stared up at the ceiling, wondering if by some miracle it would collapse and he wouldn’t have to hear all the bullshit spilling from Axton’s mouth. That’s what he wanted.

“You’re going to be in here for a month.”

“A month? A fucking month! How is that even allowed? I can let myself out at any time. I’m not staying here.” He sat up.

“You will.”

“Why?”

“Because of the Four Kings.”

“Oh, please, you guys don’t need me, and you’ve been running things pretty smoothly without me there. Don’t give me all that crap.”

“If you don’t do the month and stick to it, you lose your rights to your position and all of the assets. Not only that, you will be under the police radar as well,” Axton said.

Easton glared at his friend. “I had nothing to do with any of that shit. The police granted us full amnesty.”

“No, they granted the Four Kings full amnesty. You think they’re going to take into account wording now that you’re gone? I bet your dad told them everything. How you got her pregnant, were going to run away. You know what a piece of work Nial is. You think you can survive poverty, but can you hack it in prison? Pretty princess like you, they’d eat you for dinner.” Axton’s voice filled him with dread.

The truth was, he didn’t even think he could hack it without money. He’d spent so much time relying on being wealthy.

Of having the money as a fallback.

Prison.

He didn’t even know if he could hack it for an hour in a jail cell, let alone any stretch of time.

“Why do you care so much? I’m not hurting anyone.”

“Your drinking affects all of us, Easton. This isn’t you.”

This time he laughed. “You’re going to pretend that you know who I am and what I’m capable of. Good one.”