Page 3 of The Heir

“Izzy.” I summoned her name, despite having forgotten it for the many years.

“Mhm,” Oak confirmed in his throaty Georgia drawl.

“Why do we have to travel all this way, and have Mom so upset?” Karlotti all but whined, finally catching up with us all.

“Because, baby doll. Your brother’s uncle, Easy, has a bike that used to belong to his father. He is giving it to him as a graduation present. That’s not the kind of thing you pass up. Especially if you don’t have anything of your father’s to remember him by. Motorcycles were a huge part of Anthony’s life. He might have even put hours of his own time and energy into it. Blaze should have it. We won’t be staying long, we’re just picking up the bike, saying goodbye to Aunt Daisy and Uncle Monty before they leave for California, and bringing it home.”

Karlotti looked back at the blown tire with a frown of annoyance. She ran a plump hand through her red hair, and hefted her brows, “Don’t look like we’re going much of anywhere any time soon.”

Chapter Two

Blaze

Nobody wanted to get back in that car. Oak gravitated toward the edge of the parking area, and I watched as he pulled out his cellphone and seemed to make a call.

“I know you want to protect me,” I quietly began, causing my mother to stiffen, even if she didn’t take her eyes off the busy stretch of road to acknowledge me. “Mom…”

I let the word hang until she huffed and gave me a side glance.

“At what point do you imagine I might be safe to venture out and find a career for myself? A first home? I don’t know… a life?” I laughed, trying to keep my words light. “It’s a trip to see my father’s family, that is all.”

“It’s a trip into troubled water that didn’t have to be made.” She firmly countered. “Your uncle could have brought that damn bike to Georgia if it were that serious, Blaze. I know you don’t understand. You can’t. The life we left behind in Illinois– People only see that shit on television, okay? You cannot fathom the fear and danger until you’re drowning in it, and I don’t want that for you. We lived safely. Silently…”

“You hid,” I pointed out, causing her blue eyes to flash.

“Blaze,” She raised her voice, when she noticed my sister was paying a little bit too much attention to our conversation.

“You hid,” I repeated, unwilling to be deterred. I’d lived with it for over twenty years, and I’d suffocated with her for the pastseveral hours in that damned car. It was time to get a few things straight. “The suspect died, and you still ran three states– Was it three states we were stuck listening to their bullshit?” I looked back toward Karlotti, who jerked her head away like something in the distance had suddenly demanded every ounce of her attention.

I snorted, fanning the air to dismiss the need for her testimony. “Ma, at what fucking point do you say, we handled shit. There was a scary situation, and we fucking killed them. Life goes on. We conquered the bad guy.”

“Enough!” my mother roared.

“Apparently, it isn’t.” I sighed, pushing off the car.

Oak’s massive hand found my chest and he pressed me back against the frame, stepping his massive form in front of me like the damn tree that he might as well have been.

“Take Karlotti for some air,” he quietly advised my mother in that grave tone of his, without taking his eyes, or fingertips off me.

“Oak, it’s fine,” she whispered, that broken edge coming back to her voice.

It made my stomach sour, and I knew it had the same effect on my stepfather when I saw how his jaw set. I wasn’t trying to wound her; I just wanted her to stop being so overbearing. I wanted to breathe without having her fears and what ifs shoved down my throat.

I rubbed my face while my mother put her arm around Karlotti and steered her toward the opposite side of the emergency parking area.

“I didn’t mean–”

“To be insensitive? Disrespectful? Cold hearted toward your own mother… The only mother you’re ever gonna get?” He offered a few directions for me to end on and I swallowed whatever I was about to say and nodded.

“Don’t bobble your head at me. I spoke to you. Address me back, like a man.” Oak’s voice was gentle and caring, despite the firmness that carried in his words.

“Yes, sir.” I took a deep breath, “I do respect her, and I love her…” I tore in a deep breath and felt my throat tighten. She was my mother.

She would give her life for me, and yet she was the only one who could make me feel like I was suffocating on life itself. “...but I can’t live under a rock forever, Oak. I don’t want that anymore. I know she thinks it keeps people safe…”

“She doesn’t give a fuck about people, Blaze. She cares about you and Karlotti. Keeping ya’ll safe. That is her life mission, it has been since she brought you into this world.” He sniffed, and put his hand on my shoulder, bringing the other one up to point and wave in emphasis.

“Your mother lost a lot. Her husband. Her sister…”