Thirty-Four
1799 Words
Andromeda looked over to see the pained expression on Kennedy’s face as they pulled into the parking lot of the graveyard. Understanding that this was the same road they had been taking to get to the school. “Isn’t there another path you can take to school if it bothers you so much?”
Shocked, the other girl turned her eyes to her best friend’s girlfriend. “What?”
“I…”
Kennedy glared at her, a deadpanned look in her eyes. “Are you seriously backing down again, Romie?”
“I was just wondering why you take the same path to school every day if it bothers you so much.” The blonde replied.
From the driver’s seat, Declan snorted a laugh. “Because my sister-in-law thinks facing this s**t makes her the stronger one. I’ve tried talking her out of it, but she won’t listen.”
Phoenix pulled up on his bike, packing it close to his uncle’s van. Having missed the first part of the conversation, he smiled at the girls. “Nice to know you keep surviving Hurricane Kennedy.”
Kennedy scowled as he pulled his girlfriend flush to his left side. Switching places with the other girl, she let out a sound of satisfaction. “Much better.”
“Ken?” Phoenix asked.
“Her place is on your right. I’ll take my niece and nephew and walk with my sister while we let our personal P.I.T.A. take up the rear.”
Declan laughed, “Nice language curbing, Kennedy. I know what that means.”
“Duh, you’re the one that taught me to cuss in code, remember?” The girl snapped back as she flipped him off.
“What does it mean? I know a pita is a type of cornbread, but I have a feeling that’s not what she was talking about,” Andromeda muttered.
Still laughing, Phoenix shook his head. Leaning over, he put his lips near his girlfriend’s ear. “It’s an acronym for the phrase ‘pain in the ass’. Ken and Uncle Dec have been at each other for years, but they enjoy it. It’s really just their way of getting along.”
“Good to know,” she giggled. “Do you really like it when I speak for myself?”
“Well, yeah. Your opinion matters to me, so speak up as needed,” he answered, making her shiver involuntarily. “Are you cold?”
She shook her head, linking their arms as they strode the pathway through the vast sea of headstones and crosses. As her thoughts distracted her, she didn’t realize they had arrived at the plot where Kennedy’s parents were buried until the older woman with them spoke.
“Here we are,” Temperance declared as she handed the blonde girl the blanket in her hands. “Sweetie, would you mind spreading this out for me?”
“Sure,” she replied. Giving them a hand setting up, she looked up, squealing in shock.
Kennedy’s face darkened, when she noted the men wearing Scorpion colours. Each vest was decorated with a gold and black scorpion inside a coat of arms that was on fire. “I can’t spend a quiet day visiting my parent’s graves without having to cater to you people now?”
One held up his hands. “Not at all, Little Queen. We were trying to find Francis’s final resting place to pay our respects.”
His accent was not common for the area, but Andromeda was able to place it within seconds. “You’re from either Austria, Australia, or New Zealand. Which is it? This is a private family gathering, so state your case and leave us be.”
Pleased to know Romie was willing to defend her, Kennedy smirked. “What she said.”
Phoenix crossed his arms, staying out of the verbal confrontation as he knew Kennedy wouldn’t need his help. His uncle stopped beside him, the chill of the man’s temper fill the few inches between them let him know that there was something on the man’s mind. “What’s up?”
Huffing, the man began grilling his nephew. “Whose idea was it for you to marry that girl at your age?”
“Mine.”
Declan wanted to rant, but knew the situation was well beyond his control. “Whose idea was it to have Kenni be her guard?”
“Again, mine. Uncle Declan, I know you don’t like it, but it is my life. We’re not getting married until we’re done with high school, and neither of us is interested in going against her family’s values. Her father is a traditionalist, and does not believe in s*x before marriage. Trust me, nothing past a kiss has happened since we got together.” Phoenix answered.
Declan scoffed, “If you’re anything like your mother, I know better than to question your ability to stay true to the rules of engagement. My three main relationship rules?”
“Consent, trust, and respect,” the teen replied. “I know all your rules inside and out, so please don’t bother to lecture me. You and mom did a damn good job raising me on your own for eight years until dad came back for us like the hero mom made him out to be.”
Laughing, the man turned to go back to his wife and children. “By the way, I don’t want to see your grades slipping just because you got a girlfriend now. I’m expecting nothing but your utmost best.”
“No worries, Uncle Declan. I already got the next three assignments completed and on standby to be submitted when they’re due. I know how to prioritize my tasks,” the teen said as he turned his attention back to the four men talking to Kennedy. “State your business, then leave. This is a private family gathering to honour a man my grandfather considered a friend.”
Looking pleadingly at the young red-head, the first man said, “Queen, we got nothin’ but respect for you.”
Another, showing an accent identical to the first, continued, “We’re originally from New Zealand is the place we once called home. About fifteen years ago, we moved here and met your Daddy. He gave us a place in his crew, and we ain’t looked back since. Names Paul Rollins, but the Chapter knows me as Buster.”
“And I’m his twin, Jason. They call me Bruiser,” the other mentioned.
Licking her lips, Kennedy looked to the other two men, “Yo, tall, dark, and silent. State your name or bite a bullet.”
Shocked at her sheer fearlessness, the man started to laugh. “Tobias Graham, but everyone knows me as Blue.”
“Blue? Got a reason behind that nickname?” Kennedy snapped.
“Yeah, cause I sing the blues at the Jazz Master Club on Fridays,” he replied.
Shaking her head, she looked to the fourth man. “What’s your story?”
He nodded, his eyes glinting as they slid to the headstone.
“I still can’t believe it was our own that took him from us. We adored your daddy, Queen. No one else ever wanted to hurt him or your mama, but we didn’t know what Fabian and the others were planning. You cleaned ranks really good, though. Even the Elders sure are proud of it. As for my name, it’s Conan. I don’t do nicknames.”
Nodding, Kennedy snapped her fingers. “You wanna pay respects, fine, but you don’t go bringing your weapons near my sister’s family. Leave them with me, go say what you gotta say, then get gone.”
As they moved to obey her, Declan took notice of how the men gave the fiery girl ample space once she was in possession of their knives and guns. He continued to watch as each of them touched the stone he paid to have installed before bowing their heads in prayer. It was a shock to him that they thought so much of their late leader, but he knew that they were also likely trying to stay on Kennedy’s good side.
Five minutes later, they were collecting their weapons back from the teen girl. He watched her tilt her head to the side. “Blue, you forgot your switchblade.”
“Nah, that one is a gift for sparing the rest of us, Queen. I got no problem with strong women, and having you at the helm is going to be interesting to say the least.” He told her with a wink.
She scowled, “I don’t understand.”
He laughed, dropping his hand over hers as he curled her fingers gently over the blades handle. “You keep this one. It’s a gift from me to you. I’m just glad you’re not some snotty little racist b***h with a hidden agenda. We got all kinds in the crew, and we wanna keep it that way. Knowing you got no problem with the skin helps, you know. Made everyone real happy that you don’t discriminate.”
Kennedy nodded, “I see. Blue, keep me posted on the s**t that goes down. Handle misdemeanors as you and the Elders see fit. I don’t want to be bothered if its something trivial, so fix it on your own. Who’s the best female to get in with?”
He smirked, having been handed his dream task within the Scorpions. He was not going to squander it. “You want the strongest?
“Both.”
“Belladonna’s your woman, then. She don’t take no s**t from anyone, just like you.” He replied.
“Great,” she told him. “Buster and Bruiser look like guards. Are they?”
“No,” the twins answered in unison.
“They are now. Conan, you’re going to be my eyes and ears on the streets until I turn eighteen. You see or hear anything that’s worthy of my attention, pass the intel to the Icelandic mob. Blue, you will be a scout to bring in bodies to replace the ones I killed. Bella will be my enforcer.”
“Tell Bella her new role, but don’t say s**t to the rest of the Scorpions until I tell them myself.” Kennedy said before moving back to her family’s side.
Buster nodded. As they got back to their bikes, he grinned, “That girl is a game-changer. We need to protect her.”
“Her?” His twin scoffed, “Who's gonna protect us from her when she snaps, man? You saw what she did to the ones who weren’t loyal.”
Blue snickered, “Yeah, but that’s all the more reason to keep her safe.”
- Writer
