Suddenly, Koda slides in beside Phantom with a bright lift of his lips. His hair is growing longer, now falling into his eyes. I let out a small laugh leaning across the table, flicking his bangs away from his face. “You trying to take after our older brother with that long hair?”
Koda, peers over at Zero, whose hair is up in a man bun, and he shrugs. “Ladies dig his hair… may as well grow mine out, too.”
Phantom and I chuckle as I lean over the table scuffing his old-style Justin Bieber hair. “Dude, you’re sixteen, you don’t need to worry about girls yet.”
Phantom snickers. “Oh, Prinie, so naïve. At sixteen, Koda’s little teenage hormones are running rampant. Kid needs to get laid, then he’ll be fine. Send Bonnie into his room, she’ll take good care of his V-card.”
My eyes widen as Koda’s face lights up in excitement as I slap Phantom on the chest. “I am not sending in a club girl to take Koda’s… um, whatever. No, I’m not having this discussion.”
Phantom snickers. “Sorry, kid… I tried.”
Koda sinks into his chair. “Prinie, I know you wanna protect me, but I’m the son of a president. The brother of one, too. I need to find my place in this club.”
“Like hell you do.” I scoff. “You need to go to school, get an education, find a job, get married and have little Bieber-haired babies…” I pause and take in a deep breath. “This life isn’t for you, Koda.”
The heat of Phantom’s stare burns into my side, but I ignore him. I get I’ve just insulted him and the club, but I don’t care.
I don’t want this life for Koda.
I want him to find something better.
Be someone better.
“I’m not sure it’s your choice to make, Prinie,” Koda replies, sliding out of the seat to stand. “I know you only want what’s best, and you’ve spent your whole life watching out for me. Now, it’s my turn to look out for my family. I might be the youngest, but I know what I need to do.” He turns, then storms off.
“Koda!” I call out, but he doesn’t stop.
Anguish rolls through me like a tidal wave. I never want him to feel like he owes this family anything because he doesn’t. It’s our job, mine and Zero’s, to always take care of him. Certainly, not the other way around.
“Dammit,” I mutter to myself as I slump onto the table with my head in my hands.
“You reckon this club isn’t good enough for Koda, princess?” The tone in Phantom’s voice has changed from his casual cheery demeanor. It’s gruffer and laced with accusation.
With a heavy sigh, I turn my head on the table, peeking up at him. “Settle down, cowboy. I’m not trying to insult y’all. I’m aware what this club brings. The danger. After all, it killed my parents, and it damn near killed my brother and best friend last night. If I can spare my youngest sibling that fate, I’d rather he be an accountant, or hell, a fucking janitor if it means he’s away from the fight.”
Phantom relaxes his tough-guy stance, his hand coming out to rest on my back. “I get it. What we do is dangerous, Prinie. But Koda has Walker blood in him. He comes from a long line of respected bikers. He might be soft as shit now, but he sees the writing on the wall.”
My stomach tightens at Phantom’s words. “Yeah, what’s that?”
“He belongs here as a brother… hell, probably something more at some stage. He has two more years, then he’ll be expected to prospect. He knows it… we all do. He just needs to toughen up a bit.”
Phantom’s right, and I hate the fact. I guess it’s part of the reason I took Koda with me when I left for Chicago. I didn’t want this life for him then, and I don’t now. Trouble is now that we’re back, he’s expected to take on the family tradition. I’m scared he won’t make it. He’s not like Dad was or Zero is. Strong persona. Strong stature. Sure, Koda is well-built for a sixteen-year-old, and when he grows into himself, I’m sure he’ll be a strapping young man, but mentally, he’s a fragile boy. He’s broken from watching our parents die in front of us just like I am.
I’m not sure how either of us will recover from that.
“I don’t know what I would do if he got caught up in something, Phantom. I’ve lost so much of my family already.” My stomach twists at the thought. Phantom must notice because he pulls me to him in a tight embrace. His aftershave floods my senses as I wrap my arms around him seeking the comfort I need right now. My eyes open, and I peer over his shoulder meeting Wraith’s cold stare from the corner of the room. Actually, staring is the wrong word, more like glaring. His eyes are hard. Focused. It’s like he’s trying with everything he has not to lose his shit right now.
It shouldn’t, but it makes me happy that Wraith’s torn apart by me being embraced by another man. Wraith tries to put off this vibe like he doesn’t care, but right here, right now, the way his eyes are boring into mine, it’s plain to see he does. His jaw ticks as he folds his arms over his chest in anger.
Phantom’s hand rubs up and down my back soothingly. I snuggle into him further just to add salt into Wraith’s wound.
I’m a bitch, I know.
But without a doubt, he would do the same thing to me.
He has done the same thing to me.
Wraith storms past us, heading for the stairs. I smirk, slowly pulling back from Phantom. His
