Gangs Aren't My Style (A Black Death Novel)

Chapter 26 - Restless in the Wind

Gangs Aren't My Style

Book I of the Black Death Trilogy

PART TWO: Memories That Don't Seem To Fade

Chapter 26 - Restless In The Wind

Ally's eyes felt heavy as they fluttered open, searching around the room for what had awoken her. When her gaze settled on a man standing beside the bed, she scrambled to find a weapon. Her heart beat a staccato within her chest and she could hear each thumb in her ears, drowning out all else. She grabbed the lamp from the nightstand beside the bed and ripped it free from the wall. The light extinguished and plunged the room to darkness.

She stumbled from the sheets of her bed and backed into the corner of the room where she could guard her back. She held the lamp up threateningly, prepared to act at any moment. However, through her adjusting eyes, she could see that her attacker was not advancing on her as she had thought he would. Instead, he stood where she had left him, his hands raised in surrender.

As the panic slowly began to fade, Ally realized that he was speaking to her in soft, soothing tones. She squinted in the dim lighting, then sighed in relief.

Ally dropped the lamp to the carpeted floor without a care and propelled herself at her brother, wrapping her arms and legs around him in a desperate hug. Sobs choked her and a few unwanted tears escaped as she lowered her head into the crook of his neck. "I thought they had come back for me."

James did not bother to find out just who she considered them, only held her and comforted her. Then, he chuckled. "A lamp?"

She smiled through the tears. "It would have done its job."

The both laughed quietly, then drifted into silence. James spoke first. "I've been thinking that we should start your training again back up. Whether you stay here or leave, it is especially important for you to be able to defend yourself now. There are too many enemies and threats for you to relax into a routine or let your guard down."

She nodded, then smiled up at him. "I have missed kicking your butt, big brother."

James growled in denial. "You little minx! You think you can beat an almighty gang leader?"

"Yep," was her cheeky reply. "Now get out, I need to get dressed. I'll meet you in the gym in thirty minutes."

He laughed like a good sport, bowing mockingly as he exited the door. "M'lady."

"Get out of here!" Ally called, tossing a pillow lightly in his direction. The door clicked shut only milliseconds before the pillow hit where James had been previously standing, sliding down to the floor.

She turned away and began searching through the drawers of the dresser her brother had had filled with clothes for her, picking out a random outfit from its depths. Ally then hurried into the attached bathroom, anxious and giddy to be fighting her brother once again. It was always a challenge and never failed to put her in good spirits.

Ally twisted the knob on the shower and turned it the entire way to hot so the water heat up quickly, then began to undress. When she stepped under the comforting downpour and pulled the curtain shut behind her, she sighed in contentment. The water cascaded over her with relaxing strokes, soothing the tight muscles in her back, and Ally imagined herself never leaving its refreshing grip.

When she finally stepped out, Ally got dressed quickly and shoved her wet hair up into a messy bun, not wishing to deal with it. She then exited the bathroom and slipped on a pair of sneakers before leaving for the short trip to the gang's gym. At the sound of her entering, her brother stopped the round of kicks her was unleashing onto a punching bag. He smiled at her in invitation but a challenge was clearly evident in his gaze.