“Hey, what did I say? What’smyvoice inside your head saying?” He taps my temple with his finger.
I stare into his impossibly dark eyes, and I can’t help rolling mine back. “Your voice is saying ‘Don’t listen to all those other frickers, you can do this, Loyal Blessing’,” I put on a deep voice, mimicking his.
He bursts into laughter, as do the rest of the brothers that I never realized were all in the common room as I was so busy trying to get to Vex to tell him my news. I dip my head in embarrassment, cheeks flaming. Damn my red hair and pale skin, everyone will see my tomato face.
“That has to be the best impression I’ve ever heard. Although you need to use more curse words.” Omen winks at me, before ribbing his brother.
Vex shoves Omen and then, like the years between us never existed, the three Landry brothers start shoving each other until Saint manages to get Omen into a headlock.
“It’s like everything is different, but the same, if that makes sense?” Justice says quietly, coming to stand next to me.
I nod in agreement. “Watching them like that, it’s just like when we were kids.”
Justice grunts. “Before The Change.”
“Yeah.”
Justice and I are some of the few survivors who remember The Change. Lovely remembers, possibly even more than us. It was a moment in Keep history when we knew things were never going to go back to what they were. Gone were the days where we lived in innocence, just kids playing. We’d go to classes our moms taught and do laundry when we got older. I had it tougher than some of the other kids because my father believed in tough discipline, but that was just my lot. I knew other kids didn’t live like that and I didn’t begrudge them for it. Then one night, Royal Landry came into Eden’s Keep with a truck full of women. They were crying, begging us for help, some had bruises, some were bleeding between their legs. I don’t even remember what we were told. One day they weren’t here, then the next they were all married to men within the Keep.
When the truck of women arrived the Landry brothers were long gone and I had been married to Goodson for around six years. He already had a wife when he married me. It was her who taught me when Goodson slipped into bed with me that I go to my happy place. That I protect my mind and my soul while he grunted and thrust away at me. It was also she who taught me that the most power we could hope to wield was the power to free others. I sniffle at the thought that she was never free. Goodson beat her so bad one night that she died on the floor of my bedroom with her head in my lap.
“Never again, Loyal. Not for us, not for anyone that comes through those gates.” Justice’s clear blue eyes, much like my own stare back and I link pinkies with him, wiggling them between us.
Chapter 4
Vex
“Where the hell is this fucker?” Dex growls, looking around the dive bar we’re standing outside, waiting for the old guy’s grandson to show us around.
“He said he’ll meet us here at 3pm,” Sniper murmurs, eyes scanning our surroundings.
I get it. The dive bar is around 2 minutes walk from the bait shop, on what the Adonner locals call the marina but is slightly more like a run down pier.
“What’s the fucker’s name again?” Prez slaps at a mosquito on his neck. Damn swamp.
“Damian Devereaux,” Sniper answers, head tilted. “He’s here.”
The rough sound of a motor comes from behind the bar so we follow the direction, coming to a stop on the rotten wood boards.
“Salut! Thanks for stopping by, gentlemen.” Damian waves at us, throwing a rope onto the short pier then heaving his massive body up out of the small boat he’s traveled here in.
“You’re late,” Dex says, arms crossed over his chest.
Damian clearly isn’t bothered, he just grins and rubs the back of his neck. “Swamp time, cher.” He grins at us. “Come on, let’s poke around this joint.”
We follow behind him as he unlocks the back door. Or maybe even the front door. It’s hard to tell as there are entrances on both sides of the building. Inside the bar has a large area with high top tables and bar stools dotted around out here, overlooking the water. He flicks on some lights, constantly narrating his every movement.
“So, to the left are the bathrooms. Got one for the fellas, one for the ladies, and one that’ll suit whoever’s feelin’ bold enough to pick. Manly women, womanly men, take your pick,” he waves a hand in the air. “Lemme flip on the rest of the lights, you take your time pokin’ round, see what you think.”
I look at Prez, and then Sniper. Sniper has his usual mask on, seemingly relaxed but I know there’s more working under the surface. Prez looks…intrigued. Glancing around the bar room I can see it’s been well maintained, everything looks like it was updated not that long ago. Obviously not with high end shit, this is a bar that probably sees its own fair share of fights, but still. The booths are taken care of, there are no holes in the walls or ripped upholstery.
“If you look to your left, that’s the very spot Louis and Milly-May went and made themselves a little one.”
My head snaps to Damian, arms crossed leaning on the bar, a huge grin on his face. “You’re just fucking with us.” My eyes narrow.
“I gar-ron-tee. It’s right there, on the wall.” He nods his head.
What the fuck? Looking around I beeline to the booth Damian pointed to. There, hanging on the wall is a security still of a woman riding a man in this very booth. Next to it appears to be the same couple in the same spot, this time eating fried fish holding up a pregnancy test and thumbs up. Well, she is; helooks shellshocked. I share a look with my Prez then I turn to look at Damian who has moved on to talking the ear off Sniper about what cleaner he uses to make the bar top shine.
