I came to the steak house alone, but I knew people there. My family was now three generations into our “business”, whichconsisted of selling black market supernatural items and spells, among other activities, and along the way, we’d gotten many enemies. While I’d resolved many of our generational disputes, this life could never be enemy-free despite my hard work. Therefore, I could never let my guard down. Even if I left this type of life, it would follow me somehow. It had been for my brother Marcus, although not often, and I could see that he had built a life that could actually set him free one day. I was jealous of that. Jealous of both my brothers. I knew that if I left, it would put them more in danger than safety. As long as I was around, I had the most control I could possibly have for all our lives.
I sat down in an empty bar stool beside my brother just as the bartender was giving him another glass of what appeared to be a whiskey drink. I took it before my brother could lay his hands on it. Sam shrugged and ordered another.
I raised the drink to my lips, inhaling a smokiness. I nodded in approval before sipping it. A smoky old-fashioned, and just my style. I was mildly impressed by Sam’s choice. I looked him over, narrowing my eyes. And that’s where my approval ended. “I thought I told you to dress up.”
Sam tossed his hands out to the side, brows raised. “This is dressed up.”
He was wearing jeans and a black polo shirt. At least it wasn’t wrinkled, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of a compliment. Bare minimum was not the goal. I cocked a brow as I sipped my drink, not speaking.
Sam rolled his eyes. “Look, I came all this way to visit you, and this is how I get treated? I should have stayed in Baltimore.”
“You can go back.”
“You know, sometimes I think you hate me. Like the time you almost let me die when I was kidnapped by that demon gang.”
I lowered my drink on the bar counter and closed my eyes, exhaustion starting to creep in. Or had it ever left? “You’re going to have to get over that.”
Sam snorted. “Well, that’s fucking rude. You almost let me get killed. Thankfully, I have another older brother who gave a shit.”
I opened my eyes and gave him a stern glare. “I was trying to teach you a lesson. Marcus didn’t know how bad you’d gotten, and if he’d let me do what I needed to do, it wouldn’t have gotten as bad as it did.”
“I thought you’d changed.”
“Who told you to think that?”
“That’s fucked up.”
It was, I knew that. I also knew that the path my little brother was headed down would get him killed. I’d like to believe that it took him almost losing his life to set him on the right path. I hadn’t been wrong about that, and if being considered the asshole brother was the price I paid, well, I was fine with that.
I waved my hand at him. “Dinner and drinks are on me.”
He gave a dry laugh. “This whole weekend is on you, bro. Thought you knew.”
I did. I had no doubt that I’d be paying for my little brother for the rest of my days. I raised a finger and immediately got the bartender’s attention, requesting a menu. As we considered what we would eat, I decided to poke into my brother’s life. “How’s work?”
Sam rolled his eyes. “Partying my days away was way more fun.”
I side-eyed him, and he shrugged. “Just telling my truth. Not that I’ll go back to the old life. It kind of feels rewarding to help people.”
Sam worked as a counselor at a rehabilitation clinic and was focusing on getting into hospital administration. I was mildly proud of him. I’d hold off telling him that. It was too soon. Weput in our food orders, and I leaned back in the stool. Another thing I liked about this place. Stools with backrests. I was getting too old to perch on a little piece of wood without back support.
“How’s business?” Sam asked before picking up his drink.
I crossed my arms, looking around the space. I was always on edge, assuming someone was listening in. Enemies, police. “Which one?”
He gave a dry laugh. “The one that you can submit for taxes.”
“Great, actually. I could retire from my other…business if it was feasible.”
Sam’s eyes rounded. “We’re doing that well?”
I scrunched my face. “We?”
He slapped me on the back. “We’re family. What’s yours is mine.”
I looked at him blankly. “Aren’t you missing the ‘what’s mine is yours’ part?”
Sam shook his head, giving me an exaggerated, confused look. “No, I don’t think so.”
