as bad as it sounds. It’s all legal and above board,” Cord rushed to assure me. “It’s not narcotics. It’s the weed without the happy juice.”
“Then what’s the point?” I grunted, spinning on my heel as I stomped to the other side of the garage where a few boxes remained, my name neatly printed on the side of them, as I wondered what else had changed. “So you starting a commune out there or something?” I asked roughly, keeping my eyes trained on the boxes and avoiding Cord’s quick glance.
“Something like that,” he answered slowly. “At least I think that’s Sloan’s plan. And you know Creed –”
“Whatever Sloan wants, Sloan gets,” we finished together and I shook my head, rubbing a finger over one of the beat up cardboard boxes that held the sum total of my life. Looking at them, I realized it wasn’t much. “There wasn’t anything but an old shack out there back then,” I stated abruptly, turning my back on the half dozen boxes. “They planning on camping in the weed?”
Cord snorted. “They want to build a house, but for now they’re still living here.” I nodded as he came closer. Cord indicated the house he’d grown up in. “It’s gotten a little cramped in there.”
It was my turn to snort. “I bet.”
“Tori and I have been staying over the tattoo shop since Jean retired, so there’s a room in the house for you.” He arched an eyebrow. “If you don’t mind sharing with a three year old.”
It was my turn to shake my head, a twinge of regret radiating through my chest. “Damn, I missed a lot.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “I bet he doesn’t even know who I am.” Crew and Drea’s son had only been a few months old when I’d gone to prison so it was a safe bet he wouldn’t recognize me.
“You might be surprised,” Cord commented without bothering to explain, his expression unreadable. An awkward silence settled over us and I cast around for something to break it. Cord beat me to it though, not bothering to pull any punches. “Why did you do it?” The question struck me hard, since it was the same one I’d asked myself at least thousand times, and yet the answer never changed.
“What other choice did I have?”
“Let her take the fall,” he snapped, reeling around to face me, his eyes glittering. “This saving the damsel in distress shit is going to get you killed one of these days.” He forcibly calmed his breathing, closing his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose, and I waited, familiar with Cord’s temper. He blew up, but once he’d said his piece, all was forgiven. “We lost three years.”
“At least it wasn’t twelve,” I quipped and he shot me a glare through slitted eyes. “You don’t exactly have room to be talking, brother.” He flinched at the jab, but my satisfaction was short lived. Cord had his reasons for leaving and throwing the long absence in his face wasn’t going to change anything. “I’m sorry,” I grunted and he shook his head.
“No, I deserve it.” He pinned me with a hard stare. “I just don’t know why you would do essentially the same thing, knowing what you would miss.”
“It’s not exactly the same,” I defended weakly and he snorted. “Alright, you might have a point, but I would make the same decision again.”
“I know,” he said with a sigh. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, but you left a hell of a mess behind.”
I gave him a questioning glance, my brow furrowing when he took a deep breath. “How bad is it?” I asked, turning to face him.
“There’s been some talk,” his jaw worked, “That you’ve gone,” he shook his head, a disbelieving huff escaping him before his eyes met mine. “They’re saying you’ve gone renegade.”
“Renegade?” I repeated stupidly, the idea so foreign I couldn’t comprehend it. “Me?”
“Yeah, I know, it’s retarded, but guys talk. They wonder if you’re an Ace now.”
“No,” I blasted, raking a hand over the top of my head. “That’s not –” I shook my head, unable to even form a retort. “No,” I repeated fiercely, my words quieter now but no less sharp. “I am a Rebel.”
“That’s not all,” he warned and I lifted my hands, anger spiking through me.
“Questioning my loyalty isn’t enough?” He kept his gaze steady and it dawned on me. “It’s not just about the Aces,” I stated, scraping my palms along