Family Code: Book Two

Chapter 2: Riverside Natives

          After helping Doris load her car of the breakfast, I hug her goodbye and hurry back to my truck with Onyx. Her head hangs low, but I can tell she’s still crying as she fastens her seatbelt and I start the engine. I wait for Doris to pull out before pulling the truck into drive and pulling out into the street.

            The silence between us seems normal for once, not an ounce of sexual tension in the air. Instead a nervous energy resonates from Onyx as she watches house after house fly by out the window. The drive is short, but my mind begins to get hazy and images of my past circle my subconscious begging for release.

            Keeping one hand on the wheel, I reach down and riffle through the junk on the side of my door before finding the vial I’m looking for.

            “Onyx, take the wheel.” I instruct, unscrewing the top of the vial.

            Her eyes snap over to me and she lets out a small gasp, “Seriously? Now?”

            She stares at me with wide eyes for a second before reluctantly reaching over and grasping the wheel. I dump the contents of the vial on the back of my hand and quickly bring it to my nose and inhale.

            Sniffling, I take back control of the wheel, tossing the vial in the back seat. She continues to stare at me, shaking her head but not saying anything. As I pull up outside her father’s house and slow to stop, I can feel the heat of her gaze burning the side of my head.

            “What?” I finally say, throwing the truck into park.

            “How do you know where I live?” She asks, quietly as if she already knows the answer.

            Frowning, I search for a simple explanation, but I know she would see right through any lie I could come up with. “Well… I used to deliver to your dad.” I stammer, as I hurry to hop out of the truck.

            She makes a snorting noise before I shut the door and circle around to her side to open her door. Her seatbelt is still across her chest and she crosses her arms with a scowl on her face. I hold out my hand to her, but she glares at it and purses her lips.

            I let out another sigh, “What is it, now?”

            “Tell me the truth.” She demands, her eyebrows furrowing together.

            I chortle and reach over her to unfasten her seatbelt before yanking her out of the truck. She stumbles but catches herself and throws me a dirty look. “Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness, Onyx. Watch how you talk to me.”

            She lowers her eyes shortly, then rolls her shoulders back and nods at me.

            “And I did tell you the truth. Now, walk.” I growl, pointing towards her father’s house. She obeys without complaining.

            I watch her ass sway from side to side as she saunters up the walkway. Suddenly she pauses a few feet away from the front door. I stroll up beside her and place a reassuring hand on the small of her back and nod at her. She swallows hard but takes the final steps toward the front door; leaving me to linger behind her; and rings the bell.

            Her father answers the door looking dirty and disheveled, holding a beer in one hand with a sultry blonde hanging onto the other. His mouth hangs open at the sight of his daughter and he stammers as he speaks.

            “O-Onny! What are you doing here? H-how did you get here?” He peeks behind her head and finally spots me a few feet away and his face pales. I tilt my head and wave a quick hello as he pushes the blonde back inside and steps out, closing the door behind him.