Chapter 5: Ace
Joker and I bailed out of church the second Dad dismissed us. My blood felt too hot. Like anger was trying to claw its way out through my skin. Dad's words kept replaying in my head.
Twelve… pregnant… my daughter.
Daughter.
Yeah.
Not happening.
Not in my world.
We were halfway down the hall when Joker elbowed me.
"You look like someone stole your bike and your last slice of pizza in the same hour."
I didn't laugh.
"No."
He blinked at me.
"Okay… that sounded like a my puppy died kind of no. You good?"
"No."
Joker held up both hands.
"Cool. Love this game. Guess I'll just keep asking until you throw something at me."
I ignored him and kept walking. He kept talking. Of course he did. He might be my best friend, but the guy never knows how to shut up. We stepped into our apartment above the clubhouse and he was still going.
"Seriously though," he said, kicking the door shut behind us. "You get a sister. Maybe she's cool. Maybe she's quiet and never touches your stuff."
I shot him a look. He nodded to himself.
"Yeah… that face says that's a no."
When we got to my room, I dropped onto my bed and fired up the Xbox. The controller felt good in my hands. Something solid. It is something I could focus on. Joker plopped beside me, swinging his legs like a kid in time-out.
"Come on, dude," he said. "Talk to me."
"She's not my sister," I muttered.
"And she never will be."
Joker tilted his head.
"You say that with the same tone people use for vegetables."
"She's not from my mom," I snapped.
The words came out sharper than I meant.
"Dad knocked up the wrong chick. She's his mess to fix. Not mine."
Joker raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, cool. So you're allergic to siblings now?"
He leaned back against the wall.
"Should I sleep with a mask on so you don't break out in hives?"
I stared at the screen I didn't answer. His character just stood there.
"Dude," I said. "Are you gonna play or what?"
"I was thinking," Joker said slowly.
That tone meant trouble.
"I didn't come from your parents either," he said. "And I'm still your brother."
He turned toward me.
"So what makes her different?"
My jaw clenched.
"Besides her being shorter," he added. "And probably way less annoying than you."
"Shut the fuck up," I snapped. "Play or get out."
Joker blinked.
Once.
Slow.
Then he stood.
"Alright. Cool. Great talk," he said lightly. "I'll just go Google how to deal with hormonal teenagers and hope for the best."
He walked out. The words slipped out before I could stop them. I was angry, but not at him. He was just closest.
"Go cry like a little bitch."
His footsteps stopped. They dead stopped. I knew instantly he'd heard it, and I knew this was not going to be good. A second later the door exploded open. Joker came flying back into the room like a gremlin shot from a cannon. His fist slammed into my cheek.
"WHO'S CRYING NOW, MOTHERFUCKER?!"
Pain flashed across my face. The adrenaline took over. I tackled him. We crashed to the floor, knocking over my chair. I swung once, twice, pinned him down and raised my fist...
The door burst open. Rook stormed in. He grabbed the back of my shirt like I weighed nothing and yanked me off Joker. A second later I slammed into the wall hard enough to rattle the room.
"What the fuck is going on in here?!" Rook roared.
Joker wiped blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. He was still breathing hard. But somehow… he was grinning. He jabbed a thumb toward me.
"Ask your brother," he said.
His voice was sharp, but it cracked a little at the end.
"Apparently I'm not one."
Then he walked out. Holding his shoulders stiff and his head down. The room went quiet. Rook turned slowly toward me. The vein in his temple jumped.
"You wanna tell me what that was?" he asked, voice low and dangerous.
"Dad's riding to Cloverdale with half our muscle. I'm holding the fort. And I do not need you making this place hotter than it already is."
My chest burned.
"I'm not the one screwing things up," I muttered. "Dad did that when he stuck his dick in someone who wasn't Mom."
Rook moved so fast I barely saw it. One second he was across the room.The next he was right in front of me.
"Shut. Your. Mouth."
Each word hit like a hammer.
"You think Dad was supposed to stay alone forever?" he continued. "Never touch anyone again? Never try?"
His finger jabbed into my chest.
"He picked wrong. He paid for it."
His voice cracked with anger.
"He lost his house. Lost a daughter he never got to raise."
His eyes burned into mine.
"You think that's not punishment?"
I rolled my eyes, and that was a bad move. Rook's ears went red, not pink, but red. The same color they'd been the night he nearly beat Blaze unconscious for mouthing off about Mom. He pointed at me again.
"And hear this," he said quietly.
"Make things right with Joker."
"He's your brother."
His stare didn't move.
"You keep talking like he's not… I'll tell the rest of our brothers downstairs you don't see them as family either."
My stomach twisted.
"See how that goes for you."
Rook didn't bluff.
Ever.
"Fine," I muttered.
"I'll talk to him."
I crossed my arms.
"But she's still not my sister."
Rook shook his head. He looked tired and disappointed. He was done with this conversation. Then he walked out. I followed him into the hallway but turned toward Joker's room. My pulse thudded in my ears. Joker always forgave me.
Always.
But I'd never seen him look hurt before. I knocked. The door opened just enough for his face. He did not have his signautre smile.
"What?" he said.
I swallowed.
"I'm sorry, alright?" I said. "I'm pissed. I took it out on you. I shouldn't have."
He stared at me for a long moment. Then his mouth twitched.
"Who's the little bitch now?"
A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. The tight feeling in my chest cracked open enough to breathe again.
"Shut up," I said, shoving his shoulder.
He opened the door the rest of the way.
"Come on," he said.
"Let's finish the game before I carry your ass again."
And just like that…
The world felt a little less like it was falling apart.