“What about your mom? Do you know anything about her?” I asked.
“Last I heard, she was still using and was whoring herself to pay for her drugs, but that was also a few years ago. Bitch is probably dead by now,” he said, his voice full of disgust.
“Gotcha. So, do you want me to tell her I talked to you?” I asked.
“No, probably better if you don’t. But I do want you to keep an eye on her. Regardless of what she thinks, I do love her and care about her. Now, my mother? I don’t give two flying fucks what happens to her,” he said.
“Will do, man. How’s Ember doing?” I asked.
The tone of his voice noticeably changed. “She’s doing great. Only a few weeks left before we get to meet our baby girl.”
“Awesome, man. Keep me posted.”
After getting off the phone with Dash, I sat back and wondered what could have happened that made River hate her brother so much. I could understand her dislike for her mother, but her brother was a good guy.
Before I could talk myself out of it, my phone was in my hand making another phone call.
“Brother Judge,” Harper answered cheerfully.
“Hey, little sister cousin. You busy?”
“Not at all. What’s up?”
“I think she may have been a grade or two ahead of you in school, but do you remember Rain Lawson?” I asked.
Harper inhaled sharply. “How could I not remember her?”
“What do you mean?”
“You seriously don’t know? The whole thing that happened at prom the first year I went? I didn’t think people would ever stop talking about it.”
“Well, they did, because I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I grumbled.
“From what I remember, she went to prom with that douchebag, Brett Owens. They had been dating for a few months. Anyway, she went to talk to some friends and then went to the restroom. She came out of the bathroom to find her mother sucking Brett’s dick in the girls’ locker room. She started screaming at Brett and kicked the shit out of her mother. Some teachers came in to see what was going on, and it turned into a huge ordeal. Her mom started having a seizure and foaming at the mouth while her wrinkled, saggy tits flopped around for all to see. Brett’s junk was hanging out on full display, and they were threatening to arrest her for aggravated assault. If that wasn’t bad enough, Brett told everyone Rain’s brother paid him and her mother to do it.”
I was on my feet and pacing from one side of my living room to the other. “What happened next?” I asked through clenched teeth.
“Nothing really. I don’t think she came back to school after that. It was near the end of the year anyway, but I don’t remember seeing her again after prom. Why are you asking about her?”
“I ran into her a few days ago. So, I’m guessing you don’t know who her brother is?” I asked.
“No, should I?”
I snorted. “Yes, Harpy. Her brother is Dash.”
Harper’s shriek damn near busted my eardrum. “He would never do something like that!”
“Yeah, I know, but listen, this isn’t our business. He knows she’s back in Devil Springs, but she’s asked him to leave her alone, and he’s respecting her wishes. So, can you not mention this conversation we just had? It just seemed like there was something I was missing, and obviously, I was.”
“Yeah, I can keep it to myself. I mean, my big scary biker is right here listening to everything we’re saying, but he knows how to mind his own business. Right, pumpkin?”
“Call me pumpkin in front of a brother again, and I’ll put you over my knee,” Carbon rumbled in the background.
“And that’s my cue to go. Talk to you later, Harper. Love you,” I said and disconnected the call before I heard anything that would mentally scar me. Even though Harper was technically my first cousin, she came to live with my mother and me when she was ten years old and has always been more like a sister than a cousin to me.
I sat back and wondered if what Harper had said was the reason River hated Dash. But then I reminded myself that we were all adults, and it really wasn’t any of my business.
Chapter Six
