Reed (Book 2, Southern Royals Saga)

Chapter 4: Black Magic Woman

September 1, 2014

Helena, Alabama

For once after a party, I woke up sans a hangover.

However, having dreamt of nothing but pouty lips and pale ink, I did wake up with a problem.

A problem of which I had to relieve in the shower.

That was something I didn't do very often, mostly because I never found someone that affected me the way Liv did.

Black magic.

Noah left for school early this morning; something you may not know about Noah Reed is that he is a proud holder of perfect attendance.

Crazy, right?

That kid loved booze, weed, and pussy, but perfect attendance was his pride and joy.

Owen must've stumbled in after I clocked out; he was halfway off the couch in the living room.

I hit him with a pillow, telling him to "wake your ass up," to which he responded, "fuck off." I punched him in the stomach, to which he hunched over in agony, calling me a "fuckin' bastard," and we went to get breakfast at McDonald's.

Perfect morning, right?

Wrong. My perfect morning would be waking up with a certain someone, a girl with chocolate brown eyes and a peony tattoo on her thigh.

Taking a drink of my large Coke, I hound Owen for answers, knowing his night probably went better than mine.

"Did you relapse?" I ask as he stewed over his black coffee.

Owen almost died from a heroin overdose when he was only fifteen. 15.

Anthony was furious, mostly at Liam because he was the one that gave Owen the drugs.

Well, sold.

Liz was scared to death, the thought of losing her son was unbearable. Rose was the same way, her and Owen being as close as they were.

Owen survived, though, and was forced to go to rehab. Now, he went to AA religiously.

"Had some beers."

"Owen," I reprimand him, "Your heart can't take all that."

"Oh, c'mon, that was 2 years ago. I'm perfectly healthy now."

"Are you?"

"If I wasn't I wouldn't be here."

I smirk, "Yeah, and is that why you decided to fuck my ex-girlfriend last night?"

"Jealous?"

I scoff, "Not in the slightest."

Owen leaned back in the booth, "She was. Maddie saw you run after some girl, and told me straight up it was a revenge lay."

"And you went for it?"

"I was hammered, dude." We both laughed.

The only way she could bed a guy was when he was in a drunken stupor.

~

"How'd it go?" I ask Anthony through my cell.

Having just left Friday morning, he and Liam were still across the border.

"Without a hitch, son." Anthony laughed, "How're things there? Any trouble since I left?"

Do I dare lie? That man could read me like an open book.