More shots pop off as my world begins to fade.
r /> Chapter 15
Jagger
I run into the house and call out for Patience and Marcie. The only response I receive is the meowing of the cat.
“The barn has lights on,” Saw shouts and I take off running. I have tunnel vision and at the end of my tunnel is Choke’s death by my hands.
Vegas kicks the barn door open and what I see brings me to my knees. My sister hanging naked dead to the world. Tears blind me. A round pops off and then I see Patience’s body drop swinging next to Marcie. Her fingers claw at her throat. I pull out my gun aiming for the rope. She can’t die. I won’t lose her too.
“Need to cut her down.” Saw grips the back of my cut pulling me up.
I push off the ground rushing to save her as chaos erupts around us. My brothers go after that sick bastard. Choke has been forgotten by me for now. Patience is all I can think about. I can’t think about my sister in this moment, there’s nothing I can do for her.
Pulling my bowie knife from my boot, I stick it between my teeth. Saw grabs a hold of Patience’s body, to keep her from dropping to the floor of the barn when the rope gives way. I cut through it as fast as I can. Lifeless in his arms, he hands her off to me. I drop to my knees, laying her on her back, stroking her face, kissing her lips. “Breathe for me, babe.” Tilting her head back, I cap my mouth over hers and blow. Saw counts off doing chest compressions. “Don’t die on me,” I growl. “Don’t you fucking die.” I breathe into her mouth, praying for a spark of life to return.
“Huhhh.” The noise comes out as she gasps, eyes popping open. Her back arches up from the floor.
“Babe.” I pull her tight to my chest. Her tears burn into my neck as she sobs.
“Shh. I got you. I got you.” Her fingers grip my cut.
“You good?” Saw looks to me and I nod. No, I’m not okay. My sister is dead. I look over my shoulder where Rebel and Striker have Choke on his knees gun pointed to his temple.
Striker looks to me and I nod. I just want this shit over.
**
One month later
“How did he do?” Patience asks as I walk through her front door and punch the code in to turn off the alarm. Gus runs straight up the stairs to his room and slams the door.
“Not talking much. His therapist says it’s normal. I don’t know what the hell to do for him.”
“You’re doing it, Jag. Just being here and taking care of him. Making sure he knows he has support and that you aren’t going to leave him too. That’s all he needs.”
“I guess.” I go to the kitchen to grab a beer. I pop the cap off and take a hard pull. It’s been a rough four weeks. Buried my sister. Had to go through hell to get custody of Gus. The social worker tried to prove me unfit. Said my one-bedroom apartment wasn’t going to cut it. I thought about moving into Denny and Marcie’s place to keep things as normal as I could for Gus, but Patience stepped up and said we were getting married and that Gus and I could move in with her. The judge was a friend of her father’s and went for it even if he didn’t exactly believe the story that we’re getting married.
I haven’t asked her the question. It’s too damn soon, but one day I know I’ll take that bet.
The judge agreed that Gus needs a stable home and a fresh start and that living with Patience and me was in his best interest.
Patience told me what my sister said to her and what she did. I can’t be mad at Marcie for making that choice. She had given up on living the day Denny died. She had merely been existing but that doesn’t make me miss her any less. It does nothing to fill the void left in the space she occupied in my heart.
I know her memory lives on in my nephew and I’ll make damn sure he never forgets how much she loved him. The day he was born she told me she never knew what true love was until she looked into his eyes. I only wish she could have held onto that emotion for his sake.
I tell myself that she’s reunited with Denny. Where she wanted to be most. I hope she found the peace she craved and never found in this life. I sink down on the couch and Patience curls into my side. I meet her gaze having no idea what the future holds but knowing whatever it is we’ll face it together.
**
“Is he asleep?”
“Yeah. Him and Whiskers both.” The cat and Gus have taken to sleeping together. He’s still adjusting after losing both parents in a short span of time and going from living at home to us moving in with Patience. Hell, we’re adjusting too, but I like her a lot and look forward to developing our relationship further.
My girl closes the bedroom door and loses her robe.
I grab the strings of her pajama bottoms undoing them as she lowers to the bed. “C’mere, babe. Take these damn pants off.” I slide my hand up her neck and give her a gentle squeeze. Her eyes dilate, mouth closing in on mine. Breasts pushing against my arm, she maneuvers to straddle me. Tongue thrusting between her lips, I kiss her hard and deep.