Rise by Cassandra Robbins

 

 

 

 

RHYS

Past – Twenty-seven years old

San Francisco, California

“Brother, we need to get the fuck out of here.” I stare at Ammo, and for a second I see two of him. With a grin, I bring the warm bottle of Jack to my lips.

“What time is it?” I look around. We’re in a seedy, downtown strip club.

“I fucked Lacey and it’s time to roll.”

I snort. Leave it to Ammo to blow his load and hightail it out of here.

“Come on, man, I called Ace to come get us. We need to get to the stadium.” He rolls his neck as I slowly sit up.

“Christ.” I look around again, trying to forget the last twenty-four hours.

“Did Gia call?”

Ammo reaches over for the bottle, his blue eyes narrowing. “No.” He takes a swig.

“Call Rafe and have him check on her,” I say gruffly. Ammo raises an eyebrow, then dramatically sets the bottle down so he can lean forward like he’s about to reveal the secrets of the universe or some shit.

“I’m gonna try real hard to put myself in your position, because I feel for you.”

I reach for my cigarettes. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about you. Gia. You’re fucking obsessed with her.” He looks around, then back at me. “But the fact is, you knocked up another woman and you need to figure out how you’re gonna deal with this.”

That sobers me up. I open my eyes wide, needing Visine. And here it comes. Like dominoes, every piece starts to topple on me. Gia, Renee, pregnancy.

“I didn’t knock that bitch up. I don’t even remember her. Wasn’t she with Cash?”

“You fucked her. I remember. Wait, was she with Cash? Look, it doesn’t matter. She’s saying you’re the dad, and until that kid comes out and we can get DNA, you need to figure out what you want to do.”

I scrub my hands up and down my face. The sting of Gia last night not trusting me, believing the worst… Actually, it was more than that. I fucking needed her. We are supposed to be a team and she fell apart.

“She’s eighteen.”

Ammo looks at me “Are you telling me this or telling yourself? Because I love Gia, she’s got fucking balls, but this? Can she handle our kind of life?”

“I left her. Just fucked her, picked up my clothes, and left.” I lean my head back on the leather booth.

“You need a bump.” Ammo takes a snort, then hands me the vial. My head rolls to the side. As I take it from him, a couple of haggard-looking dayshift strippers stumble over.

“You want to party?” They smell like stale cigarettes and knockoff perfume. Rather than smell them, I snort the coke. There we go.

I blink as my eyes water for a second. “Fuck.” My heart pounds and I can’t see straight. All I smell is vanilla sun-kissed skin.

Ammo smirks. “Hello, Sunshine. Ready to rock and roll?”

“Fuck off.” I shake my head and run my hands through my hair. He laughs and turns his attention to the strippers.

“Thanks, gorgeous, but we’ve got to go. You gonna dance for us while we wait?” Ammo slaps the heavier one’s ass as she laughs and winks.

“I need to piss.” I stand and stretch. One of the numerous things I love about strip clubs is the anonymity. No one makes a big deal about who we are. They seat us in the corner and let us do anything.

“Granger.”

I blink over at the front door, squinting to make sure I’m seeing correctly.

“Axel.” I hold up my hands, my fingers almost beckoning him. The light from outside fades as the door closes.

“You motherfucker.” He charges at me. “You really thought you could fuck my sister and live?”

I don’t even get the chance to hold my hands up before I’m lying on the stale, crunchy carpet, while Ammo and a bouncer pull Axel off me.

“Take it outside,” the bouncer yells, picking me up as I smile. Yeah, this is what I need. I’ve been waiting for this.

I spit blood and shake off Ammo. “She’s mine, Axel, so fucking deal with it.” What few customers there are in this joint start yelling and filming as Ammo pats my shoulder and pushes me toward the door.

“Hey, Axel,” the bouncer says as he escorts him outside with me. “You give my best to Blade, man.” He lets go of Axel and walks back inside.

We stare at each other. “Look, I should have told you.”

“Are you kidding me, Granger? You fucked my sister, then knocked up another bitch?” he explodes. “You just don’t learn, do you? Gia’s coming home with me. Forget you know her, or I’ll kill you.”

“Axel, do you think you scare me? I don’t give a fuck,” I yell at him as the limo pulls up. “Gia’s an adult. She can make her own decision—” The sting of his punch makes my head swing to the right, and I wonder if he broke my nose. I don’t care. Physical pain always feels better than watching Gia cry.

“Goddammit, Axel, watch his face. He’s got to perform in an hour.” Ammo stands to my right smoking a cigarette, holding up his hand to stop Ace from interfering.

“That’s it, Axel?” I pound my chest. I need this, want this. My fist makes contact with his eye.

Rock God Twins is what they used to call us because we used to look alike, but as we beat the shit out of each other, I realize we look nothing alike. Axel is changing. His eyes have seen and done shit that I don’t understand.

“Enough.” Ace grabs my arm.

“She’s my sister, you fuck,” Axel bellows. “Have some respect. I should put a bullet in your head.”

“You’re so full of shit, Axel. You’re gonna put a bullet in my head because I’m in love with Gia?”

We’re both panting as he sneers, “Love. You don’t even know what that word means. You can’t make her happy. You must know deep down that all you’ll bring is misery, and I can’t have that.”

He shakes his head and scowls at me. “Dude, you and I both know you’re like Christie.” I take a step forward, but Ammo holds me back.

“Come on, brother. We have to go. We’re gonna be late.”

“You know nothing, Axel, because you’re a sociopath,” I spit, rage radiating through me as I shake Ammo off. “And if you mention my mother again, I’ll put a bullet in your ignorant head.”

All he does is smile and take a step forward. “I know you, man. Those demons run deep. You don’t want your mom brought up, then stay the fuck away from Gia.”

I can’t hear anymore. I’d rather we beat the shit out of each other than this, the reminder that he’s right.

My hands open and close. The skies open and rain pours down on us. “Gia, is mine, Axel, and you know it.”

Axel snorts. “Oh, really? Let’s see how accepting she is when you’ve got a kid you want her to help raise. That’s not her thing, brother.” He’s not even yelling anymore just stating all this as if it’s a fact.

“If you try to take her or tell her lies—” I lunge for him as Ace and Ammo hold me back. Axel stands there, shaking his head, laughing. And all I can think of is if I had a gun he’d be dead. I’d beat that smirk off his face and pull the trigger.

His eyes narrow as he stops laughing. “She’s coming with me. Forget you know us.” He turns to get on his black Harley.

“Come on, Granger. Let’s go, man.” Ace pushes me back and opens the limo door as I watch Axel, his hair already dripping wet, start up his bike. He’s texting someone.

“Where’s Gia? I need a phone.” I get in, the adrenaline rushing through me. Ammo and Ace follow and the limo pulls out.

“I took her to the stadium. I’m not gonna lie, she’s pretty upset about all of this.” Ace’s voice is calm, as if he can help me extinguish the murderous rage that runs through my veins.

You can’t make her happy… you’re just like Christie. I run a hand through my wet hair and realize I’m bleeding. Who cares? He knew exactly how to come at me, exactly how to take me down. This is not about my external bleeding; this is about him threatening my very existence if he gets to her and takes her.

“A phone. Give me one,” I bellow. My energy is so off-balance Ace holds up his hands as if that will stop my hemorrhaging.

“Here, man, take a breath.” Ace hands me his phone, and for a second I see myself through his eyes, as if I’m in a tunnel. All I see is pity. He thinks I’m nothing but a fucked-up rock star.

I stare at him as he cocks his head at me.

Dismissing me.

Axel, Ace, Ammo the three A’s, all of them dismiss me. Staring at me as if I’m crazy. Just one breath away from the psych ward.

Leaning back in the seat, I exhale. I’m calm now. I toss the phone back to Ace, who looks shocked, but catches it.

And I face the truth… I did this.

Axel’s not gonna take her away. Gia will willingly want to leave me. I thought I was worthy of her, that I could love and be loved. But the universe always reminds me, slaps me in the face and tells me that it’s not the case.

My path is alone.

“Granger?” Ace’s concerned face comes into focus.

“Fuck it.” I turn and look out the window as Mother Nature weeps for me.