My Brother's Best Friend

Chapter 10

Michael

I spot Nat, and I am about to call out to her, but notice her jerky movements, so I follow her silently instead. She looks around, ducks down when cars drive by. Very odd behavior. It could be because it is dark already, so I just follow her so she is safe. Billy raised me to make sure a woman would always feel safe around me.

I follow her at a distance. I watch her get to the crackhead house, which is just a house on the corner. It looks abandoned, but people live there.

From what I have heard, the couple that lives here do some questionable things besides drugs. Everyone knows or has heard to stay away from this house. Yet, here is Nat, climbing through the window.

I make sure to stay hidden as I get closer.

I get to the bushes on the other side of the fence and I peek through. I see the lights turn on. I can see Nat moving around in there, then the lights turn off.

F*ck!

What the h3ll is going on?

I can hear music that sounds like it is coming from inside the house, but I don't see anything crazy going on at the moment.

I wait and wait and wait, feeling frustrated that she isn't coming out of there? Did something happen to her? Should I knock on the door? I walk around, towards the front, where I can hear the music louder on this side of the house. I try to peak through the cracked door, but only see men. No Nat.

I decide to go back to the bushes and wait until she crawls out of the window. I need to know what she is doing, crawling into windows of strange houses. This is so unlike her, but in reality I barely even know her.

2 hours pass and nothing. Then, I get a great idea.

I get close, and I am about to throw a rock at the window, when I hear a door slam. I duck down and hide.

F*ck.

I hear voices near the front, so I try to get closer to see who it is. Did they catch Nat sneaking into this house?

I peak my head around and see two men having a conversation.

One is tall and skinny to the point of looking sick. The other man is shorter, has a big belly and is balding.

"I'm sorry about her, man. I know she doesn't like to come out of her room, but she is turning 18 soon, and I promise things will change. Waiting until she is legal is the only rule her mom gave when I moved in, so I have to at least follow it. Once she turns 18, all the rules fly out the window." Who the f*ck is he talking about?

"Cool. I can't wait. You have such a great thing going on here. Everyone is jealous of you, David," the other man tells him.

"You know, things are more relaxed now that the nosy kid, Blake, is gone, so that's one less problem," the man laughs.

"How did you get rid of him?" the sick-looking one says.

"I told Marsha we needed our own space. Now she is saying she is kicking Natalia out when she turns 18 too, but that's not going to happen. I can tell she is jealous of her daughter, and wants her gone as soon as possible, but I do not care. She isn't going anywhere! Marsha can be mad at my wandering eyes and soul, but I have the best taste, and Natalia Collins is going to be our moneymaker. She isn't going anywhere. Once she turns 18, I am going to break her in, then you can get your turn. I plan on wh0ring her all around town. Everyone with the right number can get a turn," he rubs his hands together, and I can tell he is picturing it in his head. Who is this sick f*cker? How does he know Nat?

"I just hope she's as good as her mother," oh H3ll no.

"She will be better. Look at her. You can just tell," they both laugh.

I am going to be sick. I need to talk to Billy about this.

All of a sudden, a rat runs through the electric line in the yard, and it scares the cr@p out of me, that I jump and step on something that makes noise.

"Who's there?" I hear. I quickly run out towards the backyard.

"Hey, get back here. Who the f*ck are you? What are you doing in my yard?" the man yells.

I jump the fence and just run into the woods and away as fast as I can.

It isn't until I am standing back in front of the clubhouse and I lose him that I can breathe and think about what I overheard.

Nothing makes sense.

I want to tell Billy, but I am going to talk to Nat first. She needs to explain this all to me.

"Mike, where the h3ll have you been? We have been calling you," Billy, Jace, Mia and Cassie run over to me, looking concerned. "My phone was on silent. My bad. Can we go home?" I ask Billy. "Are you alright?" I nod. "I just need to get some rest," I can tell they don't believe me, but luckily no-one pushes me. "I'll text you," Jace says. I nod and turn to Mia. "Give me the kitten," I don't want to risk losing him. "No, I want to keep him. Please. I will leave him in the cave before school," I look over at Jace, who shrugs.

"Fine, but take care of it, Nat really likes it, and I don't want anything to happen to it. She hasn't even named it yet," I say. Jace gives me this look, but he doesn't say anything, and neither do I. He and I can talk about this later. I don't like how weird he has gotten lately. I wave at them before heading home.

Blake

Jessica is already waiting for me in the employees' lounge when I clock out. Some other coworkers are with her. "Are you ready?" I nod. She grabs my hand and we all leave together.

We drive out to the good side of town. The neighborhood with mansions. I wish I could afford a house this big. I would love to gift Natalia a place like this. A place where she doesn't have to worry. A safe place where she can read and do her homework in peace.

We drive up a long driveway. The music is bumping, and when we get off, there's this electric energy I feel deep inside my bones. "Come with me," Jessica pulls me past everyone and takes me into a room that only has a table in the middle. There are some people around, talking and dancing in what seems to be like slow motion.

"A friend brought me here a couple of months ago. This is a safe space. We can party, or just hang out and talk. There's also different non-food appetizers here, and honestly, I was afraid to try them at first, but they changed my life for the better. I want you to try it with me," she tells me. I look around and see the mountain of white powder, the needles, bongs, pipes, just a bunch of different things used for drug$.

"I'm not into this sh1t," I say, but Jessica grabs my face. "I know. Me either, but it helps me a lot," she kisses me. "This sh1t is addicting, and will lead you down the wrong path," I tell her. She kisses me again and this time her tongue comes out to play. "Blakey, I don't do this all the time. This is just to relax after work. Running a grocery store is hard work, and this will take the stress off. Once you come off, you will be back to normal. I promise. This just helps you see things better. Trust me. Plus, s3x is amazing on this. She bends over the table and I watch her prepare and take down a white line. "Your turn," she says. She sits on the table, opens her legs and begins pulling her skirt up. "I think I'll pass," I say. "Blakey, come on. I see your pain. I hear you talk about wanting to help your sister. This will help you help her. Just one time, try it and if you don't like it, then you never have to do it ever again, but you are here right now, let's just go all the way,"

I look around, not sure of what to even do anymore, but I am a man, apparently a weak one at that, because when she takes her top off and isn't wearing a bra, my body takes me straight to the table. F*ck it, just once. I will do this, have a great time tonight, and get back to it tomorrow. I have goals to meet, but I can live a little tonight. Natalia and Andrew will never know about this little bump in the road. One night of fun, what bad can that do?