Page 8 of Marked By Myth

Fucking Bloody Scorpions.

I should have hit them hard when they came into town. No one encroached on our territory, and now we had supply issues. My anger at losing Camo, and seeing Rox but not being able to touch her, was going to need to be taken out on someone.

The ride to St. Michael’s wasn’t a long one, and we were there before most of the others had turned up, thanks to the back streets I knew so well. The hearse would arrive soon. The boys all lined up on either side of the driveway, awaiting our fallen brother. It was harder to see everyone milling about, wondering if she was here or not, but not being able to search for her.

I felt like a schoolboy with a crush. Hell, I always did around her, even back then when I was a schoolboy. There’d always been something different about her.

The boys were all solemn as the hearse was slowly making its way down the driveway, passing us by. I spied his casket, laid out in black just as he would have wanted.

Once the hearse pulled up to the side of the church, the boys and I all moved off our bikes, and headed to the doors. We stood on either side of the entryway, watching as everyone entered. Something caught my eye and I turned to see Camo’s brother, Lucas, motion me over to him. I signalled to Menace that I was heading over and he nodded, taking my place.

Moving down to where Lucas stood under a tree on the other side of the parking lot to the church, I braced myself for it. Lucas and Camo had been close growing up, but in the last couple of years, there’d been a divide. I knew it was because of Lucas’ substance abuse issues but he looked cleaner than he ever had.

“Lucas.”

“Hey, Myth,” he said, offering me a small smile. “Thanks for coming over. I don’t think I’m welcome in the church.”

“Why? He was your brother.”

“Not like he was yours.”

“No, I suppose that’s right,” I replied. “I never sold his Harley for drugs.”

Lucas winced, ashamed at the memory. “I wanted to pay my respects. I loved him.”

“I know,” I said, putting my hand on his shoulder. “He loved you too. How do you think all your debts got paid and you didn’t end up with missing limbs?”

Lucas nodded. “I know. I wish…I just wish he knew I could change.”

I looked at him, really looked at him, and even though his head was hung low, he wasn’t twitching like he used to. His hands were steady. “How long you been clean?”

“Six months.”

Fuck.

“You never told him?”

Lucas shook his head. “He had his own thing going on…with Grace and the kids.”

Fuck. We always thought we had more time. “Come inside, Lucas.”

“My parents…they won’t….”

“I’m telling you to come inside and pay your respects, mate. If they have a problem with that, they can come talk to me.”

I turned around, my hand on his shoulder as I pushed him along, toward the doors of the church. Most of the mourners were inside, as was the casket, sitting at the front of the church, with a photo of Camo on top. Fang and Menace hung back for me.

“Everyone in?”

Menace nodded, a slow smirk making its way on his face.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Fang shoved Menace inside and stood in front of me. “This is for Camo, yeah? No drama. No shit.”

I nodded, understanding what he was saying. She was here. She was inside.

But I couldn’t think with my dick.