Page 66 of Tav
Finally, Dom has enough, wrestling Royal into a good enough position to punch him in the gut. “Stay still, fuckhead.”
Vic snorts and then tips his head toward the door, his hands still full with Royal’s kicking, twisting feet. Following Vic’s head tilt, Tav steps forward and kicks the door in.
“Oh Daaaddyy! We’re hoooome!” Vic calls out in a silly voice.
Dom and Vic carry Royal into the house, followed by Marx, Tav, and myself.
“We’ll wait outside and watch the perimeter. There were some women out here I don’t like the look of,” Tank mumbles, turning to the rest of the men who nod.
Stepping into the living room of the house I grew up in, my eyes are drawn to Mercy Landry, lying in a hospital bed. There’s a young girl next to him, clutching at a glass of water with a straw in it.
“Darling, why don’t you go wait outside, yeah?” Marx offers, smiling at the terrified woman. She glances at Mercy, then Royal, before scuttling past us, headed for the door.
Tav brings forward one of the stiff wooden chairs from the dining room, placing it at the foot of Mercy’s bed. My brothers dump Royal into it. Vic stands behind him and grips both of his shoulders, holding him down.
“Patience?” My father’s voice is thready and weak, his eyes barely open as he peers at me from the angle at which he lies.
“Fuck, this is depressing. Dom, sit his bed up so he can see what’s going to happen,” Marx demands.
Dom nods once, then moves to look at the controls on the remote attached to the bed on a curly wire. His brows furrow, and he presses something. We wait for Mercy to sit up, however his legs raise up instead.
“Shit, wrong button, hold up,” Dom mumbles, pressing something else.
“Dude, you’ve turned him into a V,” Tav snorts, then coughs, trying to cover up his laughter when Marx gives him a stern look.
We watch for probably too long as my stupid brother fiddles with the settings, none of them putting Mercy in a good enough position.
“Fuck’s sake,” Marx growls under his breath, snatching the remote away from Dom, throwing it across the room only to have it come boinging back on the curly cord it’s attached to. Thanks to their quick reflexes Marx and Dom both duck away. Mercy isn’t as lucky.
I roll my lips between my teeth and try to ignore Tav’s shoulders shaking. Even Vic is trying hard not to laugh, his mouth is tight, and he looks constipated.
Marx grabs some cushions off the couch, grips Mercy by the front of his shirt, pulls him forward, and ignoring the old man’s protests he shoves the cushions behind his back.
“There, now get to it. We have more fuckers to deal with once these two are done.”
My father wheezes before squinting at me. “It is you, my little girl. Patience. You look just like your momma.”
“Who I imagine looks just like Lovely’s momma,” I mumble back.
“They were beautiful women, who created more beautiful women,”
“That you then passed on to your brother you sick fuck,” I retort.
His white eyebrows fly up his forehead. He looks as if he’s about to wind up and preach to me about how swearing is the devil’s language or some shit.
“We’re not here for a family reunion. I just wanted you to know that in a few moments, Eden’s Keep will be no more,” I indicate to Royal.
“What are you talking about? Royal will be the next prophet. I’ve been grooming him since I became ill. He will lead Eden’s Keep, make it stronger, save more lost souls. It will be glorious,” the old man smiles, a faraway look in his eye as if he can see this kingdom on earth he dreams of. The one that enslaves women and then sells their children.
“Are you sure Royal will be the next prophet, Father?” I ask innocently.
“Of course! The angels told me Royal will be the next to lead our people.”
Standing behind Royal, I run my hands through the hair on his head before I grip it and yank it back. “Say goodbye, motherfucker,” I whisper to him.
His eyes blaze at mine and he opens his mouth to spew vitriol, but he’s interrupted by his brother and Prophet. Letting go of his hair, he straightens up, looking at Mercy.
“I always knew you would be the one who would lead my flock to salvation,” he smiles at his younger brother softly, then his eyes widen in horror.