Black Horse (Breaking Black) (8 page)

“Why don’t we call Uncle Shawn…?”

“He’s already involved,” said Colt.

Randy and Tim gave each other perplexed looks.

“Let’s go.”

Randy cocked his gun as he got out of his car. Silently, Tim and Colton ran around to the back of the house ready to enter. Colton felt like he was about to have a heart attack. If anything happened to her, he would never be able to forgive himself. As Colt entered the back door of the house, he heard his father’s unmistakable laugh.

A chill shot up Colt’s spine. He knew how twisted his father was. He was a sick man who would do anything for money and freedom and for his twisted sense of redemption. Worst yet, Black Horse knew Colton and Averi were together and he’d hurt her, maybe kill her, just to get back at Colton for his lack of respect to his father.

Tim went to inspect the living room as Colt went straight upstairs with his gun drawn. Keeping his back to the wall, he crept down the hallway towards the bedroom door. The walk down the hallway never felt so long before. It was as if it was miles away. Finally, he reached the door which was slightly ajar. No sound came from the room except for the annoying creak of the rocking chair that sat next to the bed. Every hair on Colt’s body stood on end.

The door creaked open and as Colton stepped through, the darkness of the room swallowing him whole.

***

Randy eyed the windows and kept a close watch on the front of the house. He aimed for the front door, ready and more than willing to take Black
Horse down once he exited the house. He had waited for this day for as long as he could remember.

“Come on, fucker… I got something for you.”

***

Tim inspected the living room carefully, keeping a careful ear out for anything suspicious. He didn’t need his gun. He could kill a man with his bare hands. He excelled in hand to hand combat. If it came to it, Black Horse wouldn’t have a chance. Too bad he didn’t fight fair.

***

Colt crept into the be
droom, ready to face the man that ruined his life. The man that murdered his mother and damaged the love of his life to such an extent that she woke up in terror from “dreams,” that were really just buried memories in her subconscious. The room was pitch black. He could sense Averi in the bed. Her breathing sounded normal, relaxed. She didn’t know anything was wrong.

Thank God.

Then in the corner of the room, the burning ember of a cigarette illuminated his father’s face.

“The prodigal son.”

“The devil himself.”

“You’ve not responded to any of my correspondence.”

“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t blow your head off right here…”

“And traumatize your dear lass even further?”

“Leave her alone. You’ve done more than enough.”

“I haven’t touched her.”

“Your presence will be enough. Why are you here?”

“I’ve come home. This is where you live, isn’t it?”

“You’re not welcome.”

“Where’s the southern hospitality that your mother was so famous for?”

“That died along with her when you killed her.”

“I get the feeling that you aren’t too pleased to see me.”

“I wonder why you would think that. Now get the fuck out of my house.”

“I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere, just yet.”

Black Horse blew a cloud of cigarette smoke into the dark air.

“What’s this I hear you are fraternizing with the enemy?”

“You’re a delusional fuck, ain’t ya?” said Colton, careful not to wake Averi up. “You left me for dead.”

“Dead? I just locked you in the truck.”

“You sealed the truck shut. Padlocks on all the doors.”

“I knew you’d get out eventually. I’m more of the lone wolf type, anyhow.”

“Lone wolf, huh? And your Seventy Devils.”

“They’ve proven to be useful in a pinch.”

“Why are you here?”

“To finish what I started.”

Colt pulled out his gun and took the safety off.

“Now son, there is no need for such anger…”

“Get up,” Colt said and Black Horse did as he was told.

“I’m not here to do any harm…
tonight
. I just wanted to let you know that the State of Texas believed I was fit for mainstream life again.”

“Did they now?”

“Yeah. Fucking idiots.”

“Move. Down the hall. Into the living room,” Colt said as he held the gun to his father’s head.

Black Horse moved, but not in the direction that Colton wanted. He walked towards Averi, who was still sleeping on the bed. Black Horse caressed her hair and whispered in her ear, “Sleep tight, sweet girl, because soon your nightmares will come true.”

Colton, afraid to wake her up with a gun shot, charged after his father. The men went hand to hand, but before Colton could make his move, Black Horse slipped out the bedroom window, ran across the kitchen roof and escaped into the distance.

Chapter Twelve

Exit Wounds

Randy stalked around the front of the house. He heard the sound of boots falling into the dirt behind the house. Running quietly in the shadow of the house, Randy kept an eye out for any movement in the yard. He waited a moment, and finally he saw him. A black blur rushing across the yard.

Motherfucker.

Kicking it into high gear, Randy bolted after the old man.

Shit, he’s fast!

Kicking up a cloud of dirt behind him, Black Horse ran fast across the plain behind Averi and Colton’s house.

“You got a death wish, old man!” yelled Randy.

Black Horse didn’t respond, he simply ran with his gun drawn. When Randy spotted the gun, he drew his own and took a shot but missed. Another shot, it was a near hit, but Black Horse swerved at the last minute. Turning around, Black Horse took another shot at Randy. The bullet twisted through the air, cutting the night like butter. Randy felt the pain before he heard the shot.

“Fuck!” Randy yelled as he fell to the ground grimacing in pain.

***

“I just heard shots!” Tim yelled.

“Where the fuck is Randy?!”

“He went after him!”

Colt and Tim bolted out of the house to Colt’s truck. Slamming on the gas, they bolted down the dirt road like a bat out of hell.

Chapter Thirteen

Family Ties

The warm summer air wafted over the plain as an Indigo Bunting perched on the splintering windowsill of Colt and Averi’s bedroom. It chirped noisily, effectively doing what Averi’s alarm clock had failed to do: Wake her up. It was five minutes to noon and Averi was wrapped like a burrito in her bed with her covers pulled over her head. Colton had the A/C on full
blast to stave against the ridiculous Texas heat. Southwest Texas was in the grips of a vicious heat wave. Nine days running with average temps over 103 degrees Fahrenheit. Averi loved the heat, but Colton was one of those people whose mood turned nasty when faced with hot sleeping conditions. So in the interest of keeping Colt sane and the house cool, Averi dealt with the full blast of the air.

Averi wasn’t the type to sleep late. She was typically up well before Colton getting ready for work, or lounging by the pool with a book before the world woke up. Today, was not one of those days. Averi was exhausted. Between the discord between Colt and Randy, the twentieth anniversary of her parent’s’ death, and Jimmy Hearns running around starting trouble, Averi had a lot on her mind. Add to that the excitement of her engagement to Colt, and her mind was on overload.

Rumpling the sheets and breaking free of her blanket burrito, Averi stretched sleepily with a half smile on her face. Colton had that effect on her.

As her mind woke up from her long slumber, she recalled the events of last night - flesh memories - and her cheeks pinked warmly. Lifting her left hand, she admired her engagement ring. Averi was convinced that there was nothing that could ruin this day.

***

Smoke rose from the back yard of 1026 Hickory Terrace as bratwurst, hot dogs, chicken and burgers sizzled on the grill. Tim flipped over a burger as a he took a swig of his beer. Colt gave him another brewsky before loading the cooler with a fresh bag of ice. Randy continued to complain in the corner about his arm.

“Go put him out of his misery…” said Tim to Colt with a twist of sarcasm in his voice.

“I took the bullet out… He won’t go to the hospital. He needs to suck it up.”

“Look assholes, I’m in pain…”

“Here,” said Colt, “Have a beer.”

Though Randy’s arm was in pain and he still hadn’t entirely warmed up to Colt, he would never refuse an ice cold beer. Suddenly, the sliding glass door opened and Averi stepped out looking sleepy but refreshed. With her hair piled high on her head, she was still wearing pajama bottoms and a pink tank top. As she peered her eyes to the early afternoon sky, she wondered what time it was. Then she realized that she wasn’t alone in the yard. Tim had the grill fired up, treating everyone to his delicious blend of bbq. Colt was skimming the pool, removing persimmon leaves from the surface. Then she saw Randy, chugging a beer in a lawn chair by the pool.

Raising one eyebrow, Averi looked at the trio as they acted as if nothing was strange, or weird, or out of place. Tim was the first to say hello.

“Look who decided to get up… Good Afternoon, Averi…”

“What time is it?” Averi asked, sounding as confused as she looked.

“Lunch time.”

“What is going on?” Averi asked giving her fiancé and her brothers’ strange looks.

“I have no idea what you are talking about…” Tim said sneakily as a smile escaped his mouth.

“We’re having a cookout… What’s it look like?” said Colt, not taking his eyes off the pool.

Averi looked at Randy, who appeared to be enjoying himself by the side of the pool. She noticed he was favoring his one arm. She would have to ask him about that later.

“Randy…”

“Avie…”

“Care to shed some light on how you all wanted to kill each other just days ago, and now you’re behaving like civilized gentlemen?”

“We’re getting along, like you asked. Stop complaining.”

Averi’s right eye brow lifted again as she gave them all a perplexed look.

“Okay… I’ll be back out. I’m grabbing my bikini and sunscreen.”

“Shelly will be here soon…” Tim blurted with a smirk on his face. 

“Oh, will she now?” Averi said smiling.

She loved when a plan worked out. As she went back inside, she couldn’t believe what was happening. Randy, Tim and Colton all in the same room, all getting along as if bad blood hadn’t flowed between them over the course of the last twenty years. And Shelly… Tim and Shelly would make an adorable couple. She wondered how long they had been together. Now all that had to be done is to tell her brothers about her intentions to marry Colton.

***

“How the hell are we going to tell her?” asked Randy with concern on his face. It looked foreign on his face that usually had a cocky and antagonistic glare.

“Tell her straight…” said Tim.

Colton twisted his head around and glared at Tim.

“You will do no such thing… We have to do this carefully.”

“You don’t think she can handle it?” asked Randy.

“She has nightmares every night about him… And I have to tell her that he was hovering at her bedside last night. It has to be done with tact.”

“I’ll tell her…” said Randy.

Tim and Colton laughed loudly.

“He said with tact!”

“Whatever. Let’s enjoy the day and tackle it at the right moment,” said Randy thoughtfully.