Page 48 of Fury

“You’re right. I’ll get my head straight and any unnecessary crap squared away.” I give him a nod, and as I do, the others also nod that it’s been said and I should take notice. Turning to Pres, I see him grinning and wonder if that was rehearsed for my benefit.

“Pres, I have an idea how to draw my father out into the open.”

“This should be good. Okay, you three, gather round and let’s hear this. It’s long past the time this was put to bed once and for all.”

It doesn’t take long for me to throw out my idea, and surprisingly there are no negative comments or jokes thrown at me. We spend an hour going over the idea and present any issues that we see, and then form solutions. By the end of the hour, it appears that we have a workable plan, and all sit back looking smug with ourselves until Pres brings us back to earth.

“Well, that’s all well and good boys, as long as Pattie buys in and is willing.”

Aw, fuck. He always has to have the last word.

Taking the SUV on Pres’ orders, I head out to speak with Thorn. I was all keen to get on my hog when Whack appeared and stopped me in my tracks. Too risky on the bike, use the SUV until further notice. I suppose he could be right, only I love my girl.

Driving at all the speed limits and stopping at every red light, I feel like a grandfather going through town, but it gives me time to watch for any junkers that are on the road. If my father is as smart as he appears, the junker has either been repainted, smartened up, or just plain ditched for something else. He knows I’m onto that little ruse now.

There are no red flags all the way to the barbershop, and I don’t know if that’s a good or a bad thing. It’s always nice to have eyes on the enemy, even if they know you are watching.

Parking in the lot behind the shop, I walk in and see Andy busy with a customer. He looks over and nods to the back of the shop.

“He’s in the apartment,” Andy says.

“How do you know I’m not here for a shit, shower and a shave?” I throw back at him.

“You’ve always been full of shit, you’re not getting anywhere near my shower, and you shave yourself,” he counters quickly, and has me laughing along with him.

“Touché. I’ll just find my own way then, shall I?” Walking through to the rear, I head upstairs and whistle loudly as I go, letting Thorn know someone is on the way.

As I reach out to knock, the door swings open and Thorn immediately turns away and walks back into the apartment, without a word. Left standing there, I do just that and stay put. A few seconds pass, and he sticks his head out of a doorway, looking at me.

“Aren’t you coming in?” He practically snarls this at me and my hackles rise.

Walking in and to the door where he was peering from, I leave the apartment door open. Fuck him. When I reach the door, he is standing by a window, arms crossed and with a resting bitch face. Before I say a word, he starts what can only be described as a rant in a whiny, girly voice.

“He’s sent you here, I know he has. Well, I’m not interested in listening to you defend his sorry ass anymore. He made his bed now he can lie on it. If he can’t fight his own battles, he shouldn’t send you to do it for him. I’m not putting myself out there again just to be tossed aside whenever he feels like he wants to fuck off and do his own thing, so don’t even bother to speak up for him. He can take his sorry ass back to Mexico and all the other places he was when I was a kid and needed him…”

“Any time I spoke up for your father wouldn’t be a waste of my time, but listening to a brat like you having a fucking pity-party and stamping his feet, now, that would be a waste of my time and my breath.” He opens his mouth, and I take two long strides over to him and shove my finger hard into his chest. “Shut the fuck up, you’ve had your say. Don’t take it out on Ghost because the first woman you like turns you down. That’s on her, not him, and she has the right to say no.” His eyes widen as I speak.

“Oh yes, you jumped up entitled little prick. I know what’s behind this. We’ve all been there at some point. You think the Doc is the first woman that I thought I loved? Grow up and smell the fucking roses, Thorn. You’re not a child, and neither is Salem. Do you think it was easy for your father to come and tell you that? He was trying to show you he cared enough to save you from being dumped by the woman herself. This way, you and Salem get to stay friends, if that’s what you want. You would have told her to take a hike if she’d told you she wasn’t interested. You know it, and I know it. So does Ghost.”

I take a breath and compose myself as my anger is rising, and I don’t want this to end with me punching him as he’s just standing there all innocent and a victim.

“I know that you’re a better man than the one standing before me. I appreciate more than you know what you did when you stood up to Bandit, and the effort that must have taken. You could quite easily have told him where Jamie and Mateo were, but you didn’t. You were strong and honorable, and for that I thank you. Now be that man again and step up to the plate where your father is concerned. Think about how difficult it was for him to bring you that news. He knew you could tell him to take a hike, but he still felt it was better coming from him. He put himself out there for you, not the other way around. I’ll shut the door on my way out.”

I don’t wait for him to say anything, I just leave. In the barbershop, I see the door to the road shut and the closed sign up. Andy is sitting in one of the barber chairs with his feet up, reading a newspaper.

“Business dropped off?” I ask him.

“I thought it best not to air all Thorn’s dirty laundry to the whole town. I’m sure everyone heard for the nearest two blocks, though.” He grins.

“Sorry about that. I didn’t slam the door as I went in.”

“No need to apologize, Fury. He’s had that coming from someone else other than me, since she dumped him.”

“You do know that they weren’t even a thing, don’t you? He hadn’t even asked her on a date.”

Andy sits up quickly. “You are shitting me! He’s been mooning around like they were star-crossed lovers, making my life a misery with his tears and tantrums. Wait till I get my hands on that asshole.” Before he can disappear to begin his own assault on Thorn, I remind him to lock up after I’m gone.

Chapter 26