Poison Angel (Kip Winger Romance)

Chapter One: Trail or Bail?

Jades's Point of View

Oh Brother, where art thou? No truer words have ever been spoken. It's been a week since my "Holier than thou" parents decided to kick my brother out of the house, and for reasons unknown to man. I hate to admit it, but I think I miss him. We've never been what you would call close, but we usually spend the majority of the day home alone together, so it's gets lonely without him. I assume that my parents kicked him out for a valid reason, but then again you never know they could've kicked him out for that messy room of his, that he never cleans.

I sit lazily I might add, on the couch burying my sorrows in the marathon of Head Banger's Ball on MTV. This is normal for me, I love rock and roll, and not even my parent's religion can change that. My father is a preacher, and as long as I've been alive and able to hear what he's talking about, he's always protested against rock and roll and preached that it is the Devil's music. I secretly laugh at this nonsense behind his back, and agree to it to his face. I'm knocked out of my reverie, when I hear a knock at the door. I quickly make my way to the window, and peek through the thick curtains to see that the prodigal son has arrived. I rush to the door, and swing it wide open, "Hello, brother." I greet.

"Sister," he mutters. "Did you miss me?"

"Reb, don't flatter yourself." I retort, with a laugh.

I close the front door, and follow after Reb. He acts as if nothing has changed, and he plops down on the couch where I had been sitting moments before. "You took my seat, douche bag." I say, sitting down beside of him.

He laughs, "I'm older."

"Really? You're gonna play that card, what are we twelve?" I grumble. Reb doesn't reply, instead he just grins. We sit silently and watch a couple more episodes before he trudges up the stairs, and then back down.

"Got my stash, I'm gonna go now before the saints get home." Reb says, and I give him an unsure look. "My money, Jade." he sighs.

I nod, and watch as he leaves the house, closing the door behind him. I take my chance, and move to the kitchen. I grab the keys to my mother's old Mercedes, and watch from the kitchen window as Reb backs out of the driveway onto the street.

When the coast is clear, I make my way out of my house and jump into the old sedan. I back out of the driveway, just as Reb had moments before and follow his Camaro down the street. I keep at a safe distance so he doesn't recognize the car, and successfully trail him all the way across town and we stop in front of a small house with a conjoined garage. I park and pull the keys out of the ignition, watching intently as Reb makes his way to the garage door and raises it. I can't see what's inside, but my instinct tells me my parents were stupid for kicking him out of the house. I jump out of the car, locking the doors, and I make my way to the now closed garage door, where Reb had entered. I was nervous about intruding at first, but I soon found the courage and I knocked loudly upon the white garage door.

Moments later, the garage door rose and inside sat the set up for a rock band, a set of drums, two guitars, one bass and the other regular, and a mic stand. Reb and three other men sat in the back on two couches, discussing something in depth. "Reb, what's going on here?" I ask, almost in denial. There is no way possible that Reb and his friends have started a rock band.

"Don't be naïve, Jade." Reb mumbles, with a short laugh.

"So, are you telling me this is real, you're in a band?" Again with another, question.

"What does it look like, sweetheart?" This time it isn't Reb, instead it's one of the other men. The guy speaking to me was attractive, but his attitude needed a tune up.

Before I could say anything smart though, Reb spoke up. "Watch it, Kip, that's my kid sister."

Now it was my turn to speak up, "I'm not a kid, I'm seventeen, Reb." I groan, placing my hands upon my hips.

"Whatever, that's not the point, Jade." Reb adds, with a sigh. "I think you should leave, and forget you've even been here."

"Why would I do that?" I ask, rhetorically. I see a look cross both Reb's and Kip's face, "Don't answer that, I'll be on my way."

Once I leave the garage, I'm home within ten minutes, and I just beat my parents getting home. I'm closing the drawer where the keys to the cars are kept, when I hear them both come in through the front door. "Jade!" My mother calls.

"In here," I reply, and seconds later she's in the kitchen questioning me.

"Why are you in the kitchen, you know I'll be making dinner in a few minutes?" She questions, giving me her signature 'are you stupid?' look.

"I was just leaving, I was having a glass of water." I answer, and she smiles.

"Oh, well then, go socialize with your father while I prepare dinner." She smiles in my direction, pointing her manicured finger towards the family room.

Socializing with my father consists of watching the daily news with him, so I sit watching the different scenarios that pop up upon the television's screen with different headlines attached to them, acting as if I am actually entertained by the information that is being displayed. Finally, my mother informing us that dinner is finished releases me from the news.

We eat in silence, until the normal routine questions start. I answer most of them, but I choke on my iced tea when my father asks, "Where'd you go today?" I'm rendered speechless.