Nowhere But Here (Thunder Road #1)(55)

I nod my chin at the kid standing awkwardly off to the side. Odds are this is the first time Violet or Stone have seen the club since someone leaked to the Riot about Emily. He’s the paranoid type that wonders in his jacked-up head if we would blame him when he didn’t do anything wrong. Because I don’t want him pissing his pants, I smile when I say, “What’s going on, Stone?”

The kid lights up, but shoves his hands in his jeans when his older sister imitates a wall and slides in between us with her hand still on the jack.

“His name’s not Stone.” Pure venom spills out with the glare she throws me. “It’s Brandon and, as I said, we don’t need your help.”

“I have to disagree with you on that,” I say. “Seeing that it’s me, Chevy and Razor who are your family and families help each other.”

“Is she related to me, too?” asks a familiar voice.

I lower my head before I glance over my shoulder. Damn it to hell. “I told you to stay in the truck.”

Emily flutters her eyelashes. “Since when did I volunteer to be your lapdog?”

Violet laughs and releases the jack. “I like you. What’s your name and why are we not hanging out?”

Emily’s eyes dart to mine and she shuffles back. That’s right, Emily. There’s a reason I told you to stay in the truck and if I’m going to keep you from being abducted by the Riot, you need to start listening.

“This is Emily,” I say. Violet and Stone won’t rat that she’s with us. At least the old Violet wouldn’t. “She’s staying with Eli for a few weeks.”

That shuts Violet up and it also causes her face to go white. “Oh, shit.”

Oh, shit is right. Since the term “club stuff” didn’t mean squat to Emily, I try another approach. “Do you mind giving us a few minutes? This is a family issue.”

Emily pivots on her heel and returns to the truck. I should announce everything as a family issue and she’ll run back to Florida on foot.

When Emily slams the door to the truck, Violet loses her crap. “Why on earth would you tell Brandon about Emily being in town? He can’t handle secrets. I had a tough time getting him to go to sleep last night because he was scared he was going to spill about Emily being at the funeral home and now he has to be worried about spilling that she’s staying with Eli. Call me crazy, but I’m assuming that’s a secret, too.”

Stone begins rocking back and forth. This day keeps getting better.

“Hey, man,” offers Chevy to Stone. “Don’t obsess over it. You just don’t bring up Emily. It’s nothing to worry over.”

“That’s it!” yells Violet and taps her finger repeatedly to her head. “He can’t stop thinking about it. You boys with your stupid concept of making things better, and you only make things worse! He doesn’t need you. I don’t need you. You are nothing to us.”

A muscle in my jaw ticks. “Once upon a time we were tighter than blood family.”

“Once upon a time the two of you cared for me more than the club.” Her eyes land on Chevy and he rolls his neck to keep his anger in check.

I’ve seen Violet like this a lot since her dad died. I don’t pretend to fathom her grief, but I’m not dealing with irrational. “What’s going on with the car?”

“Tire blew,” Stone answers despite Violet’s disgusted grunt. “And it was the spare. I was explaining to Violet that we need to get one of them fixed.”

I lift the blown tire off the ground. “Stone, grab the other tire and throw it in the back of the truck.”

“No! We’re fine without them.” Violet seizes her brother’s arm. He pushes past her and does what he needs to do: accepts our help.

“Get in the truck, Violet,” I say with forced patience. “We’ll fix the flats at the clubhouse and then get them back on the car for you.”

Violet leans into me. “I really hate you.”

I offer the tire to Chevy and he stays solid, glowering at Violet before shouldering the tire and heading for the truck. When Stone and Chevy are out of hearing range, I step into her space, uncaring that she’s praying for my death. “You might not want our help, but your mom and your brother do. And if you can’t behave like a sane person around Chevy, then fake it with silence. The truck, Violet. Now.”

“You’re an *, Oz.”

I shrug. “Not the first girl who’s called me that today.”

“It should upset you that you’re being called that.” Violet tenses like she’s willing to take a swing. In response, I cross my arms over my chest and plant my feet. History has taught me that she owns a mean right hook. “It should make you wonder what it is about yourself that people can’t stand.”

“Truth doesn’t bother me.”

“Normal people would be bothered that everyone thinks they’re crazy and an * and an outlaw, but you’re more than happy to live in your sick world of whatever you say goes.”

“It’s a family, and it’s your family.”

“We are not related!” A wildness strikes her eyes as tears line the edges. “I don’t want to be a part of your family because your family kills!”

To keep from reminding her that her father died when a pickup hit him while he was driving without a helmet, I breathe deeply. “Our family is the type that fixes tires and offers help. Come or don’t come, but I’m taking your brother with me. He looks like he needs a damn meal.”