I pulled the phone away from my ear and peered down at it to be sure I was speaking to my brother. He didn’t sound like himself in the slightest. My Cancerian senses were already tingling, and I started to get an uneasy feeling before I cleared my throat.
“Um, okay. When?”
“Obviously now, Nuri.”
I sighed, not even in the mood to argue with him. “Okay. I’m on the way.”
Instead of a response, I was met with a beeping sound indicating the call had ended. I stared at my phone, debating whether to call him back, but decided against it. I was close to the estate that’d been passed down in our family. What started as an acre and a mule grew to become so much more thanks to my grandparents and parents. I would be there faster than I’d likely get a response from my rude ass brother.
I felt a wave of emotion as I pulled up to the wrought-iron gates with the St. James emblem carved in the middle of both gates. After punching in the security code, the gates cracked open and allowed me to ease my car down the long and winding gravel driveway. Eventually, the estate came alive before my eyes.
The estate sat on nearly one hundred acres of land. It had a beautiful colonial build with large pillars in the front and a huge wraparound porch. This home was all I’d known in my lifetime. Its roots pressed into the soles of my feet every time I walked the grounds barefoot, making me feel the history to come through this land.
I shut off my engine, then grabbed my things from the passenger seat and climbed out. The warmth of the sun on my brown skin was comforting. The walk from where I parked in front of the garage to the large mahogany doors was short. Since I knew Ry was here, I pressed the handle down to let myself inside.
The house smelled fresh and clean just the way I loved it to. I placed my things down and kicked off my sneakers before venturing deeper into the house. My feet carried me to the room that was used as my father’s home office. Of all the rooms in the house, I knew I’d find my brother there. He fancied himself on believing he was the best businessman walking the earth, even though he’d yet to show and prove as much, but that was neither here nor there.
As expected, he was leaning back in the rickety chair with a glass of cognac in his hands. His eyes were cast toward the lake in the distance. I thought maybe his tone on the phone was a fluke because he looked so at peace. That is until he spun around so I could see him, and it took me controlling every muscle in my body for my mouth not to pop open in shock.
Rylas looked bad. His clothes were unkempt and dirty. He hadn’t gotten a cut in a while, which was unlike him to have his hair so untamed. My brother loved to look clean and fresh. He operated best when women were fawning all over him. However, the man sitting in front of me was a far cry from the man I knew and loved.
“Ry,” I called out his name shakily as I lifted a hand to my mouth. It hurt to see my brother in this condition. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”
He stood up slowly and swiped at his runny nose. “No. I’m not alright. I need money, and the only way I’m going to get it is to sell the estate.”
I felt like that SpongeBob Meme with Mr. Krabs when it was like the world was spinning. Huh? How was selling our legacy even up for debate? Our grandparents and parents had set us up so well that the next five generations of St. James children should eat without the need to pinch a penny from here or there.
“Wh-what? I don’t understand.”
He pressed his fists into the desk. I noticed the way his shirt fell forward off his thinning frame. My brother had lost an alarming amount of weight since the last time I’d seen him. Not only that, but the look in his eyes was so unsettling. He looked like he was willing to do anything to get that money.
“Ain’t shit to understand except what I need.” He slid some papers across the desk. “I already have a buyer lined up, but I need all the profit to clear my debt.”
My mouth grew dry. So, he wanted to sell the estate and keep all the money to himself? “This is a joke, right?”
“Does it sound like I’m fucking joking, Nuri?” There was that bite in his voice again that stiffened my spine. My heart began to race in anticipation.
He moved to walk around the front of his desk. I noticed there weren’t any shoes on his feet, and they were caked heavilyin dirt. How long had he been walking barefoot? Where the fuck had he been to cause a mess like that on the floors? When he made it to the front of the desk, he motioned to the papers.
“Come sign, Nuri. I need to get the ball rolling on this sooner rather than later.”
I pulled at the collar of my cotton t-shirt. His intense stare increased the temperature in the room.
“No, I’m not signing shit, Rylas.” I folded my arms over my chest, standing up for myself. This was no simple thing. “Not until you explain to me how it’s come to this. There is no way you could’ve blown through all your inheritance.”
He scoffed. “Don’t worry about my shit, Nuri.”
I tossed my hands in the air, then allowed them to slam to my sides. “How can I not when you’re trying to take our namesake away from me? I’ve allowed you to sell so many things I’ve wanted to keep over the years, but getting rid of the estate is where I draw the line. This is my home, and the only way I’m leaving it is in a body bag.”
Nothing could’ve prepared me for the wicked smile that appeared on his face. He lunged at me with lightning speed, grabbing a handful of my hair and pushing me back against the wall. His breath was foul as he spat in my face while talking.
“I’ve done nothing but look out for you all our lives, and you can’t do this one thing for me? I know you still have money left, so you will be fine if we sell. You can find a new place to stay.”
“I can’t find shit!”
A deafening slap echoed off the walls. I looked at Ry in horror. I could taste blood from the force of his hit. He pointed to the papers on the desk. “Next time, I won’t be so gentle. Sign the fucking papers, Nuri.”
He looked like a lunatic, and I knew two things to be true—I wasn’t signing those papers, and I needed to get far away from him. When he turned to walk back to the desk, confident that hehad me in line, I used all my strength to push him down and take off running out of the office.
