Page 20 of Between Brothers

I couldn’t help the way my mouth twitched toward a smile. He always had possessed the ability to puppet Kingston’s temper.

“You got jokes today, huh? Motherfucker,” King grunted, giving a playful jab to Paxton’s ribs.

“Everyday.” Pax groaned from the love tap, “That’s what happens when you keep company with clowns.”

“Oh, you’re really on one today, huh?” Kingston laughed. “Since you got all that energy, how about you help me out with that painting gig I got over on Monroe tomorrow evening?”

My stomach soured so fast my mouth watered. I couldn’t take my eyes off my brother.

“Nah, I got a thing.” Paxton rubbed the back of his neck and caught his lower lip with his teeth before letting it go with an exaggerated sigh, “Yeah, I gotta walk the kid’s pet rock or something.”

My brother started to casually nod when it sounded like an honest refusal, but the shit about the pet rock left his gaze snapping back to Pacman.

Pac swatted Kingston’s arm hard enough to make him step backward a pace. “Fuck off, of course, I’ll help you. But I’m working the sprayer this time, asshole. Don’t think I’m gonna be in there with none of your little boy toys.”

He pinched his index and thumb together and pretended to paint the air with something the size of a toothpick.

Kingston gave a guilty laugh.

“Did I tell you this fuck had me painting with a brush that was barely big enough to cover the trim last time I agreed to help him,” Paxton exclaimed, the disbelief still evident in his tone, even if I’d heard the story a half dozen times already.

“Mhmm.” My voice sounded weird even to my own ears. I cleared my throat before finishing his tale “Then Kate walked in and he gave her a roller.”

“Yeah!” Paxton exclaimed.

“Alright. Alright. You can have the sprayer, but eh, send a few of the girls over early to tape everything off for us, would ya?” King caved.

Paxton widened his eyes and scoffed, “Unbelievable. I’m spraying, they're laying drapes and tapes… What the fuck are you doing, holding your dick in the corner or signing autographs, stud?”

King’s shoulder raised like he hadn’t yet decided.

“I’ll text you the address then?” He laughed.

“Bet.” Paxton saluted him with his chin and stopped fucking around. “Why are you waiting until the evening to paint it, though?”

“Chick is a nurse over in Centralia. Guess she works the night shift or whatever. She was hoping it’d air out a little before it was time for her to come home and sleep in the morning. Anyway, it’s a cash job. So…”

“Oh,” Paxton nodded like it made perfect sense, perking up at the mention of cash. “Right on.”

My face scrunched, but before I could point out how ridiculous his ventilation plans sounded, my brother elbowed me low in the ribs.

“Come on, Dad’s looking for you. He said something about a run up to Peoria or something.”

“Fuck that,” I scoffed, unable to contain the panic flooding through me.

Paxton curiously smiled and watched our interaction. I wasn’t afraid of Paxton’s reaction toward me if I disclosed their coup plans. We’d been friends since we were kids. I was terrified, however, of swaying one way or the other.

If I alerted him to any of it, King would tell our dad and I’d be dead. If I said nothing, I was a third to this fucked-up conspiracy, and likely to be killed by the club with our father if it went wrong.

I closed my eyes and took a deep, steady breath, before attempting to convert all my inner chaos into what would pass as frustration.

“I’m not sitting in a fucking car with him for two hours, just to stand through an auction of cars that are more trouble to fix than they’re worth. He only goes there because he thinks you and I will fix them up for free, off the clock.”

“He ain’t wrong.” Paxton laughed. “Birdman’s tight ass would pay a nickel an hour if they let him.”

I might not have spoken up often, but I knew what was going on around me most days. When it came to my father, his motives were usually pretty shallow, almost predictable at times. Business, or otherwise. So, the outrage was real.

“Tell him that.” Kingston grinned, tipping his head toward the street.