I quirk an eyebrow. “I have zero feelings about Nashville.”
He nearly smiles again, which is just super weird for the guy I used to know. “Quinn is there with Logan. They’re married and have a baby, but he has a shop, and she owns a bar there now. It’s definitely a change.”
Nashville? As in Tennessee?
“That’s still a big city.” Noises. Cars. People. Violence.
He nods. “I’ll do anything I can to help you out. Just let me know what you need.”
I was also close to Quinn for a little while. And now she’s married to Logan? Last I knew, he disappeared on them all and went to live with his rich father who he’d never met, leaving them all behind. He came back?
I have no idea what’s going on, and I feel tired and lightheaded. I don’t know the last time I ate.
“If they have a new baby, they don’t need me to worry about.”
“You aren’t an inconvenience. We look out for our own. Let me call them.” He looks at me in question, and I nod my okay. He looks over at Blair, I think the two of them are having a silent conversation before he moves to the back of the shop.
Blair walks to my side. “You hungry?”
I turn toward her, still shocked Rhys is married. And to a Barbie type, although I think maybe this Barbie has claws. “Yes.”
“Come on.” She jerks her head toward the building across the street. It’s a cute little bakery in a brick building.
I follow her without argument, too numb to fight. She buys me coffee and a pastry, and we sit down. “So, you were like Rhys’s little sister? That must mean you’re either Charity or Mya.”
I lift an eyebrow and sip my coffee. “If he told you about me, then you know Charity is Christian’s older sister.” Come on Barbie-with-an-Edge, use deduction.
I have no idea how long Christian has worked for Rhys, but surely she knows a little about it. Probably picked up on him having pasty white skin and me not being white.
For Rhys to marry her, she must have some brains.
“Hey, I don’t know if maybe you guys have different moms or dads.” She smirks into her own coffee. “I never assume.”
Huh. Maybe I do like her. “I’m Mya.”
She nods her head. “And you’re in some kind of trouble?”
I don’t know her. I know Rhys married her, but I have no idea who he is anymore. Not really. All I know is the stupid-ass code we all had growing up, one that said we’d take care of our own. But let’s be honest, it’s only a code if you adhere to it. And some didn’t.
Logan left.
Rhys left for rehab.
I haven’t talked to Charity or Christian in two years. It seems most of us didn’t keep our word. But it does seem like Rhys and Sean talk. And Quinn and Rhys. So, who the hell knows?
“No trouble.”
She’s studying me. “Rhys seemed worried.” She doesn’t ask me about Trey, and I’m grateful. I don’t want to talk about my little brother.
Eleven. He was eleven years old.
So much blood. He was lifeless in my arms.
My stomach churns, and I look across the street, seeing Rhys out the front door. “Looks like your husband’s looking for us.”
She smiles at that and stands from her seat, and I follow, grabbing my coffee and what’s left of my pastry. We cross the street, and Rhys addresses me, “I can get you on a flight tonight if that’s what you want. They’ll be happy to help.” His eyes stay on mine. “But so will I.”
I look around the crowded city street where his shop is located and shiver, listening to all the cars and noise. But Nashville won’t be any different.
Still . . . it’s further away.
“Okay,” I choke out, “I can pay you back.”
He waves me off. “Don’t. Just . . .” He looks up at the sky, looking like he wants to scream, and I know the feeling. “I’m sorry about Trey.” His gaze lowers to meet mine. “I’m so sorry.”
I can feel he somehow feels responsible, which is a little egotistical considering we aren’t blood-related and we hadn’t seen him in years, but it’s still so Rhys. “It’s not your fault.”
He doesn’t believe me. “You want a flight out tomorrow instead? You can rest.”
I nearly laugh at the thought. I haven’t rested in a long, long time. And I doubt it’s going to happen any time soon. “I need to go.” I look back over my shoulder at Blair, who’s standing there patiently, and then I look back at Rhys. “It seems like you have a really good life here, Rhys.”
He shrugs his shoulders. “It’s not so bad these days.”
I nod my head, happy for him, wondering how he got here but not enough to dig into the details. Not now anyway. “Thank you for your help.”
“I know I left without any explanation, and when I got back—”
“Stop.” I hold up a hand. “I wasn’t waiting around for you to come back and save me, Rhys. We all wanted to help each other, but I think we all also knew we were on our own too.”
I watch his throat bob with remorse and shake my head at him, not wanting it, not needing him to feel bad for leaving.
“Let’s go.”
I say a quick goodbye to Blair and wonder about Christian. But Rhys booked a quick flight, and we have to hurry. He wasn’t joking about helping me out however he can. I only have one suitcase with me, small enough to carry on, and before I know it, I'm Nashville bound.
Far away from Kansas City, and hopefully I can escape all the memories there.
“Logan, we have a problem.” Quinn walks through the front door, coming in hot as usual. Quinn is kind of a no-nonsense chick, straight to the point and not fucking around.
I like it.
She has her newborn in a sling against her body as Logan, my friend and employer, looks up from the tattoo
