Page 29 of Eagle

“I don’t forget threats,” he said in a cold tone, pausing in front of me. He glared over at Ron. “You best take your sister in hand before she gets hurt.”

I decided to let that comment go, considering that he continued on out the door. “Stay away from my brother,” I called after him. Afraid he might retaliate by keying my car, I watched him until he’d climbed into his Jeep. Once he was backing out of the drive I closed the door, locked it, and then leaned against it before my legs gave out.

I looked across the room at Ron and shook my head in deep disappointment. “What the hell are you thinking?”

“I’m a grown-ass man, Leona! You don’t get to tell me how to live my life! You don’t know what you’ve done!”

I knew that this wasn’t the time to remind him that he was only eighteen, and while his body had stopped growing, his brain still had a few years left to mature. It was better to focus on the situation at hand. After several calming breaths, I stepped away from the door.

“Is this the kind of stuff you’ve been doing since you moved away from home? Where did you meet that lowlife?”

He pressed his lips angrily in response.

“Don’t you think you’re in enough trouble with the Soldiers?”

His furrowed brow told me that he had no idea about what I was talking about.

“Those dogs your so-called friend stole were from the rescue associated with the Soldiers.” I wasn’t one hundred percent sure that those were the dogs in question, but it got the response I’d been hoping for. “Just think of what would have happened if you had been involved.”

“Oh, fuck!” In misery, I watched Ron sink down onto the couch with his head in his hands. “I’m never going to be free of them!”

“And that’s your fault. I’ve never known you to make stupid decisions. Are you even the same brother I grew up with?” I was thankful to see regret on his face. “So who was that asshole?”

He exhaled loudly. “Lawrence, just someone I work with.” He started to say something else, but hesitated.

“What?”

He shrugged. I hated it when he shrugged. Ron had told me that he made decent money at Bath and Iron but bringing that up didn’t seem relevant right now.

“He’s not a friend, Ron. How did you get into this mess?”

Again with the shrug. “We just started talking one day at lunch and he told me he had a side hustle that would give him a big payout. Wanted to know if I wanted in on it. That it was an easy job.”

“And you think stealing dogs for fighting is worth it? Do you know what happens to those poor animals? Not to mention it’s ILLEGAL!” I stressed loudly. “Have you done anything else against the law?”

He shook his head, but I wasn’t sure that I believed him, and I told him so. “Not sure I believe you.”

“I’ve only been away from home for a few months,” he pointed out, as if that made a significant difference.

“And in the two weeks I’ve been here you’ve committed a hit and run and would have been involved in stealing if you hadn’t had the crap beat out of you.” I shook my head with disappointment. In a way the Soldiers beatdown had saved him from making a bigger mistake.

“I’m sorry, okay?”

I wanted to smack him upside the head for sounding so boyish and pitiful at eighteen, when he’d had the nerve to leave home because he thought he was grown up and ready to take on the world. Mom and Dad had been so happy when he’d gotten the job at the shipping yard, proud that he was making good choices and being responsible. Earning a good living.

“I’ll stay away from Lawrence.”

He shot me the puppy dog look that I was so familiar with, only this time it didn’t work on me. I knew Ron was being sincere when he said he’d stay away from Lawrence, but I wasn’t ready to forgive him. He’d have to prove that I could trust him again.

Then, recalling the look that Lawrence had given me right before he’d left, something else occurred to me. “Is he dangerous?”

Ron thought about it for a minute. “I-I don’t think so. He’s mostly all talk. I haven’t been around him that much. The dog thing would have been my first time going with him on a job.”

That was laughable. I wanted to demand that Ron stay away from Lawrence, but I knew that would be going too far. I’d already overstepped my sisterly boundaries, and Ron’s compliance revealed that he was embarrassed and having second thoughts about his actions. He needed to come to the decision to stay away from bad people on his own. I had to pull back and remind myself that he was considered an adult and could easily tell me to get out and get lost, and I didn’t want that.

“What are you doing tonight?” I asked him, deciding it was a good time to change the subject. I turned my back to go into the kitchen for a bowl of stew. I was suddenly starved.

“Gonna watch a movie and turn in early. I was called in to work for tomorrow.” He left the sofa and was behind me before I knew he’d moved. “But first, I’m gonna have another bowl of stew.”