CHAPTER 4

"Michael?"

I could hear her voice from inside the house through the open back doors. I really didn't feel like answering.

"Micheal?"

Maybe I should answer, before she yells.

"MICHAEL!"

"What?" I yelled, choosing not to move, the rays of sun paralyzing me with their warmth.

"There's someone here for you. I didn't want to let her in."

Oh shit. I placed my drink aside and climbed out of the lawn chair walking quickly towards the house, she could have sent my visitor around the back but I should have realized she wouldn't feel comfortable enough.

"Who is that, Michael?" she asked following me through the house on my heels.

"Uh, a friend. Of Trevor's," I said with my quick thinking, it was technically true.

"Why is she here? Trevor doesn't live here."

"She's looking to make some investments," I told her, turning to face her, "listen, she's in a rough spot, she just got here from Canada, don't give her a hard time."

"Why would I give her a hard time?"

"I dunno, she's young, and pretty. Dresses similarly to women on the evening."

Amanda gave me a stern look, placing her hands on her hips.

"I'm doing my best to trust you Michael, if a girl comes to our door smelling and looking like an alcoholic hobo I try to avoid jumping to conclusions. It's not like it happens everyday. I thought she was hear for Tracey, she always brings home the strangest characters to study with, but she's doing placement work now."

"Alright, sorry, I'm still trying to adjust. What I said is the truth though."

She eyed me as she twisted around slowly and left the room. I took a deep breath, in and out, trying to focus on something peaceful and went to the door. This working on my marriage thing was hard work.

"Hey, Max. Come on in, sorry for Amanda, she didn't know if she should let you in or not, I didn't give her a heads up. I'm sure you understand," I explained as I opened the door.

"It's okay, if I lived in a fancy mansion and someone like me came knocking I'd probably think twice before letting me in too."

"Follow me, my office is this way," before I continued on I observed a bit of bruising on her face and a cut, "what happened to you?"

"Oh, I kind of failed to head butt a guy creeping on me last night. On a separate occasion I had to fight off some disgruntled bar patrons."

"That guy creeping on you wasn't Trevor was it? If I had known you two would run off together I would have warned you first," I said motioning her to follow me up the stairs.

"Oh, no it wasn't Trevor. He was a gentleman," she said without a hint of sarcasm.

"Hah! I somehow doubt that," I chuckled as we walked into Jimmy's old room and my new office, "have a seat."

I walked around my desk, pulling out paperwork I had previously drawn up when Franklin had spoken to me about his friends coming down south. The plan was to make real estate investment with her. We could find something to purchase together and make a decent chunk of money back in a couple years.

"Alright, you have some money you want to invest. I'll need to know how much."

"Roughly $450,000.00, minus the amount we used to get here."

I looked at her in disbelief, but she appeared completely serious. I was planning for a something a lot smaller.

"If you don't mind me asking, how do you have so much money? Why don't you guys just get yourselves set up now, then worry about making money. I don't understand."

"Michael, I've helped to run three successful businesses for my Father even without cash flow from dirty money. I put in a lot of hard work, even more so to keep myself alive so I could have that money. You can't make money if you spend it."

I sat in disbelief. Trying to rethink a plan for her on the spot.

"I'll have to talk to some of my contacts. I'm no expert but I've had to become really creative with money. I'm moving towards a very legit way of earning money. This will all really depend on how you want to do this. I suppose everything will be done under Sean's name then? Considering you're here illegally."

"Yes, my name can't show up anywhere, it would be too much risk. At the moment, Sean doesn't know about the money, it has been fed into a Swiss bank account my whole life. There would be more but under unfortunate circumstances it is gone. If I could I would have given you a heads up. Truthfully, I've had all my focus on trying to keep myself together."

I could see a sudden change in her, as if her facade of being a tough, young, punk crumbled in front of me to show me a vulnerable, young, girl. She smiled weakly as she met my gaze then quickly focused on her hands as she fidgeted with them. I could see her eyes welling up with tears.

"Don't worry about it," I said getting up to walk over to her, "whatever you got yourselves out of is over. You're young, beautiful, and you have a lot of money. Helping you helps me."

I stopped by her side, resting my hand on her shoulder. She clasped her hands together tightly, taking a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Michael. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked crouching down beside her, I could see her emotions being restrained.

She sighed again and quickly wiped her eyes before looking at me. Her vulnerability almost completely disappearing from her face.

"I'm not a very emotional person anymore. I don't remember the last time I cried. I didn't even cry when my Dad died, I don't know why I'm apologizing for it."

"If you don't want to tell me just say so, but what happened before you guys left?" I asked taking a seat in the other guest chair.

She sat their contemplating what to say to me, staring blankly for a moment. All I knew was that there was a motorcycle club involved and they had to leave quickly.

"Maybe one day I'll explain. My whole life I've been surrounded by bad men, and dirty cops. I guess I couldn't get out fast enough before it escalated the way it did."

"I'll tell you one thing, I can certainly relate. Why don't you and Sean come out for dinner tomorrow with Amanda and I. Change the pace of things for you guys. Get dressed up, have a shower."

"Are you saying I smell bad?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes, I'm saying you smell bad. Go relax, be yourself again. Spend some of your money. I promise you we'll make it back."

Max looked like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She smiled sweetly at me as we got up to leave.


I leaned against the door frame and readjusted my ball sack. A hot sticky night was no friend of my genitalia. After waiting a few minutes I decided to knock on the door again. I was too hot to be impatient and my body ached from the night before. The door finally opened.

"Hey, honey. You could have let yourself in," greeted the platinum blonde inside.

"Uncle Trevor needs your help," I pleaded as I walked inside to the air conditioned apartment.

Juliet wasn't dressed to impress tonight, donning an over sized shirt and some panties. I'd been here enough, it seemed she didn't feel like she had to show herself off anymore, she worked hard enough doing that at the club anyway. I took a seat on the couch as she went into the kitchen.

"You look bummed out, boss," she called as I heard her opening the fridge.

"Just tired. Hurry up and come here."

She reappeared with a beer in hand and walked over. She wasn't going to fuck around, that's what I liked about this one. As she handed me the beer she lowered herself onto her knees.

"You look a bit roughed up."

I leaned back, sipping my beer as I felt her hands grasp my thighs, then moving upwards to undo my pants. I didn't feel like chatting.

"Normally you're already happy to see me. Something must be wrong."

I grunted and closed my eyes to focus on trying to get it up. Juliet is always good to me. Didn't matter what mood I was in, she could handle it. Sometimes if I was being too much of a prick she'd kick me out and keep my clothes. Other times she knew just what I needed.
I felt her climb into my lap and pull my beerless hand towards her. She slipped my thumb in her mouth and gently sucked as she moved her hips in my lap. With a wet pop she took my thumb out of her mouth.

"There we are."


I found myself outside a building with neon lights flashing HAPPY HOUR. I was over an hour early but after a talk with Max I felt I needed time to sit and reflect.

Being back with old friends and having her somewhere safe started to settle in during the party. I was always planning on coming back, but I never got serious about it. For a while I thought I was in love with her, but as she opened up her world to me I saw she didn't want love. She had done as much for me as I've done for her, and she had given me a reason to come home.

I took a lonely seat at the bar and ordered a neat whiskey. I couldn't understand why she didn't tell me about the money. I wouldn't take any of it or ask for any. It was hers, but the least she could have done was buy a decent car to get us down here. It wouldn't have taken so long if she wasn't fixing them all the god damn time.

I sighed and shook my head, I always had to make friends with people that did things the hard way.

"Sean?"

"Trina, I'm really glad you came! You're early," I said getting up, not knowing if I should shake her hand or give her a hug.

"I'm glad I did too, it's really great to see you again," she said coming in for a hug.

As we parted she stepped back taking a good look at me, she smiled shaking her head before taking a seat beside mine.

"You haven't changed a bit, you know."

Everyone always said that. The way she said it sounded like it was a good thing. Why the hell do I feel so nervous.

"You've changed a lot, you aren't the young girl I saw last time."

She was always beautiful, but now she seemed more comfortable with how she presented herself. When she was young she went through so many phases it was hard to keep up.
I was even more glad to be back with Trina still around.


3 days and 4 nights of none stop partying had finally come to its end as I walked up the pathway to my home. If I hadn't been snorting speed, drinking, and chain smoking seemingly none stop the whole time maybe I would have noticed the mangled For Sale sign strewn across the equally mangled front lawn. My brain was ready to shut down for as long as I'd let it, but first I had to get inside, take the dog for a walk, and then climb up the stairs to crawl into bed. I paid no attention to the evidence of a large vehicle having had its way with my property. I was on a mission for sleep, and my brain would allow nothing else except for the care of the dog, a sheppard, border collie mix, whom had been in the care of Sean while I was away.
I fumbled with my keys, my vision blurred from exhaustion, until I realized the door had been kicked in.
My heart began to race and my whole being was no longer in need of sleep. I looked around behind me, up and down the street. There were no parked cars on the road, and everything seemed normal. Everyone was gone for work.
I pushed open the door slowly, keeping my feet on the front porch. My first reaction was to call for my dog, Wez, but I was frozen in place. I could already see the damage. I wanted to run in the opposite direction knowing if I headed inside there could be serious repercussions, but a curious force began tugging me within. The side table that normally housed my revolver laid smashed to pieces on the floor. The drawer had been wrecked and the former contents spread around the entryway. There was no gun.
I could easily see into most of the first floor from the front door, and there were no signs of anyone down there. I continued towards the kitchen, walking quietly around the rubble. Aside from the revolver it looked like nothing was taken so far, only destroyed.
The kitchen was worse than the living and dining room. I continued on to the last room, my office and winter time bike shop. My eyes immediately fell on the empty gun cabinet then to the Japanese motorcycle I had been working on laying on it's side. All the guns were gone.

I went up stairs after grabbing the biggest wrench I could find in my tool chest, and quickly scanned the rooms. The doors were all open and there was still no sign of Wez. I was ready to scream his name when I heard a slow panting from my room at the end of the hall. Without a second thought I rushed into the room.

"You've got an impressive loot," he said gesturing with my revolver.

It wasn't the first person I suspected, but it was one of them, and he was sitting on the end of the bed, Wez at his feet in a small pool of his own blood. I couldn't tell how badly he was hurt.

"I thought I knocked him out hard enough the first time."

Without his uniform he looked completely unnatural. He slowly sat up off my bed and began walking towards me, if I was going to help Wez I had to get out before I ended up beside him. I booked it down the hall, he wouldn't be able to do anything if I got outside. I could hear his boots stomping right on my heels and before I knew it I was tumbling violently down the stairs. I landed on my upper back at the bottom, smacking my head against the floor at the same time. A kaleidoscope of lights flashed before my eyes and as my vision became blurred I realized I had fallen into shards of a broken mirror. Doubles of my intruder grinned devilishly down at me as he walked down the stairs towards me. My body couldn't handle any more and I began to feel nauseated.
All I needed to do was get outside, only a few meters away. I rolled over in the glass then clawed my way across the floor towards the front door. My body screamed with protest right before I blacked out but my mind sighed with relief seeing what I hoped was a familiar pair of shoes. Sean always wore red Converse, it had to be him.