Page 90 of Ruckus

“I think it’s best that she leave,” I tell him, toking back on my cigarette and trying to stay calm.

Corey shakes his head at me as the girl continues to his room, and when she comes out a few minutes later wearing herwaitress uniform, I keep my eyes to the floor while she kisses my brother and heads for the door.

“Mill, I would…”

“Don’t worry.” She shakes her head and smiles at him, before turning her attention to me. “Sorry, again, Mr. Kendrick,” she adds like I’m some kinda old fuckin’ man and I feel the growl vibrate in my throat as she leaves.

“You're an asshole.” Corey heads to the refrigerator and grabs himself a beer.

“I’man asshole? You’re the one who just let your girlfriend leave without a ride home, and you're too young for this shit,” I point out, taking the beer out his hands and thinking about all them young girls who have been showing up dead.

“Yeah, well, I’ve had a few beers tonight,” Corey admits, looking guilty as fuck and ready to hear me go at him.

“Jesus Christ.” I slide my hand over my face and snatch his keys from the counter. Against all my better judgment, I follow her out.

“Wait!” I call out when I see her walking down the street. “I’ma give ya a ride.”

“Honestly, I’m fine.” Her eyes hold that same fear for me that Jean’s do.

“Just get in the fuckin’ car,” I tell her, opening the driver's door and getting behind the wheel.

“Haven’t you been drinking?” she asks when she slides in beside me.

“I had one at the club, that's all,” I tell her, getting impatient while I wait for her to fasten her seatbelt.

“You know, you really don’t have to do this, my house is just a few blocks away.” She smiles politely.

“Ain’t no mansions a few blocks from here, darlin’.” I huff a laugh as I pull off. We’ve barely left our street before I hang my arm out the window, the air feels fuckin’ thick tonight.

“You know, I think you have the wrong impression of me,” she speaks up, proving that she has no intention for this to be a silent journey.

“You do, huh?”

“My parents are rich and my daddy does an important job, but I’m not spoiled.”

The fact she just called him ‘daddy’ tells me otherwise.

“I never said you were.” I look at the waitress uniform she’s wearing. It ain’t the kinda job that will keep her in designer bags and fancy heels. I’ll bet her parents make her do it to teach her values.

I’ve given this girl's body far too much of my attention tonight so I choose to ignore the fact the dress is far too short and tight around her tits. You can tell the Lotan brothers, who own the diner where she works, cater to a certain type of customer.

Sinner’s a fuckin’ regular.

“I work hard, and I study hard too,” she informs me proudly.

“Didn’t see much studying goin’ on tonight.” I light myself another smoke as I head toward the Dawson place. I bet it makes Frank Dawson's skin crawl to think of his precious, little girl being with a poor wretch like my brother, he has no idea that one day Corey’s gonna change the fuckin’ world.

“Sir, I don’t wanna talk out of turn but–”

“Can you drop the fuckin’ ‘sir’ and the ‘Mr Kendrick’ shit?” My snapping causes her pretty, blue eyes to widen in shock.

“I’m sorry, I just… I don’t really know what I should call you. I don’t know your first name and Dev sounds kinda stupi…I don’t mean…I… oh fuck.” She drops her head into her hands like she just signed her own death certificate. I don’t know how to feel about the fact she’s so afraid of me, but I’m gonna take it as a good thing and hope it keeps her at a distance.

“What did ya wanna say?” I ask, wishing I hadn't cut her off.

“Don’t worry.” She shakes her head in her hands before looking back up and taking a deep breath.

“Come on, I wanna hear ya talk outta turn.” I pull up outside the gates to her parents’ mansion and look at her.

“Fine.” She turns her head so she’s facing me. “I think you put a lot of pressure on Corey. I get that you don’t want him to be like you.” Those fearful eyes look over me again and I can tell by the way her hands are shaking that she’s being real brave. “But, he’s just a kid, wanting to be like his big brother, you should let him have a little fun.” She goes to get outta the car and when I grab her arm to stop her she gasps so fearfully, I immediately retract.

“You don’tgetanythin’ about us, little rich girl. You ain’t seen the shit we’ve seen. Corey is gonna be somebody. Somebody who yourdaddywould be proud to open them gates for. He’s gettin’ outta here, and if you got any sense you’d get outta here with him,” I warn her because no fuckin’ good ever came outta Long Beach, specially for young, pretty girls like her.

“Thanks for the ride, Mr Kendrick.” She smiles sadly over her shoulder before getting out and closing the door. The headlights shine on her as she rushes around the hood to get to the gates and I allow myself to see all the things that has my brother so crazy about her.

Millie Dawson isn’t just a pretty girl, she’s a nice girl too, and as I pull away and head for home, I put to the back of my mind, just how fuckin’niceshe would be.