Page 9 of Lick

“Wasn’t about to put my wife or a family in danger with that psycho piece of shit out there,” Cut confirms.

“But now that’s in the past,” Lily says, giving him a wink.

“Fuck yeah, it is.” He pulls her to him and places a kiss upon her head. “Say the word, baby, and I’ll knock you up tonight.”

“What about you, Jenni Girl?” I hear Cruise ask.

The sound of metal scraping against concrete vibrates through the air as Lick stands. “You need to back the fuck up, man. This is your last warning,” Lick growls.

Cruise turns his body, one arm resting on his knee as he leans towards Lick. “Warning? I’m just asking Jenni Girl what her plans are when it comes to kids. The last I heard she was very single and very free.”

I watch the anger set Lick’s face to stone. His hands fist at his sides, brows are furrowed; lips are set in a thin line. His breath comes out in more of a huff. He’s trying to calm himself, keep his emotions in check. Lick doesn’t do emotions or anything that may resemble them. He has sex and that’s it.

Or so I’ve been told.

“Cruise, you need to back off. There’s no reason to cause any waves. I’m not sure how you guys did it at your charter but that’s not how we do it here,” Sin says.

I watch as Cruise put his hands up in surrender, leaning back in his chair. “Just trying to continue the conversation.”

“Well, the conversation is over,” Cut speaks up, throwing his beer can into the fire. He takes Lily by the hand and pulls her up. “Night, y’all. I’m taking my wife home.”

The sound of squeaking metal makes me turn my head towards Bianca’s house just as she walks through the adjoining gate, followed by two officers. Cut stops when he sees the dark blue uniforms walk closer to the fire.

“Tylan?” Her voice is soft. Bianca looks over at me, her eyes filled with worry. “These gentlemen need to speak with you.”

“Are you Tylan McCoy?” Lick doesn’t say anything, he just nods. “Do you have a sister by the same of Betsy Sunshine McCoy?” He nods again, the color in his face slowly drains. “We’re sorry to inform you that your sister has passed. We need you to come down to the morgue and identify her body.”

“No.”

“Sir, we need you to come with us.”

“No,” Lick responds again. “No.”

“Sir, if you’d please–”

“No!” Lick screams, picking up the chair he was just sitting in and throwing it. The officers both reach for their guns.

“Don’t!” I shoot from my seat. “Please don’t. There’s no reason for that. He’s in shock, that’s all. He’s not dangerous.” My feet carry me over to Lick. He’s bent slightly at the waist, his shoulders heaving up and down as his body starts to shake. I place my hand on his back and he flinches at my touch.

“How?” Lick’s voice is muffled as he speaks into his chest.

“Sorry, sir?”

“He asked how,” I answer.

“It was an overdose. Heroin.”

The feel of cotton beneath my hand falls away as Lick crumbles to his knees.

Lick, age 13

“Open your fucking mouth, boy.”

I’m sitting at the edge of my bed with my eyes closed, refusing to see what’s right in front of me. My blood is boiling with a rage I’m becoming more and more familiar with. This is happening nightly, ripping at my innocence piece by piece.

“No.”

“You better do what I tell you, or your mama’s gonna get sick.”