Stolen (Sequel To Capture)

Forty-Three

"It didn't stick." I shrugged with a smile, Casey laughed but Jeff didn't. "Sorry, bad joke." I shook my head.

"What're you doing in my room?" He frowned.

"I fancied a chat with my baby brother."

"I don't have a brother." He scoffed. "At least not by blood."

"Yea, I get it, you don't know me."

"Liam, I'm gonna step out, if you need me." Casey shrugged and walked to the door. "Nice to have met you Jeff."

He didn't say anything as she left closing the door behind her. "You could be polite and actually reply." I lectured him.

"No. You don't get to lecture me on etiquette, you aren't my brother."

"I am too."

"Blood isn't shit."

"Fine. I'm sorry. Is that what you want to hear? Its true. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sure it wasn't easy growing up knowing your dad was shot and killed and that your brother just left."

"You think you can just come back from the dead and all is forgiven?" He picked up a nerf ball squeezing it violently, like a stress ball. "You expect me to give you a big hug and kiss your ass?"

"You have every right to be upset."

"Oh brilliant!" He snapped loudly. "I am."

I let him pace around the room for a few moments. "Dad always did that too." I observed.

"You killed him. You don't get to talk about him." He bit my head off.

"What do you know about that night?"

"Dad died." He shrugged. "You ran, I put two and two together."

"There's a bit more to the story."

"I'm not interested." He continued to pace.

I watched him move back and forth the wheels turning in his head, he was working something out, I wanted to crack into his mind to hear his thoughts.

I marveled at how similar he and I we're in looks alone. The same brown Payne eyes we all shared. I felt like I was looking at a younger me, like I'd found a wrinkle in time and was sneaking a peak in the past.

"Stop watching me." He snapped as I shifted my focus back to the room. "Just go already."

"Can't do that brother. I need to chat with you."

"Why?

"I know you're hanging with Trey."

He froze. Then crossed over to the door and shut it tight. "How do you know Trey?" He whispered.

"Same way you do. He recruited me just like he found you."

"You were in his gang?" He sat down looking at me with newly found interest.

"Yea, for a few years," I nodded. "There's something you need to know about Trey. He isn't a good guy."

"He's a gang member of course he's shady."

"He killed dad." I blurted out. "Sorry, to be so blunt but it's the truth." I added looking at the shock on his face.

"Why would he do that?"

"Retaliation for me trying to run off with his girlfriend at the time."

"What the fuck?" He swore. It felt wrong hearing such a young person swear, almost like he was trying to sound older, more of a man.