Nero (Made Men #1) (33 page)

Lily had been tiny for her age, and her natural mother had skirted the law by never putting her in school. After adopting her, Beth’s parents had told everyone she was actually two years younger so she would not be so delayed in her own age group. Beth loved her sister and, when her parents had been killed when on a char
ity mission, Beth had moved home to care for her until she finished high school. Lily was now a senior with graduation a few months away. She had more than caught up developmentally and physically, but they had decided to keep her age unknown. It had been their parents’ decision; the school knew her true age. It was the community that was kept in the dark, believing her to be seventeen.

Beth pulled into her driveway, seeing the porch light on. Lily would be waiting for her to get home from work. The smell of food assailed her when she entered the cozy house.

“Hi, sis, you’re late,” Lily greeted and accused her at the same time.

“I know. I would have called, but I know how you are about me talking on the phone while driving.” Beth removed her shoes and the band holding her hair tightly back from her face. Beth eased her sister’s fears, understanding how traumatized she had been from their parents’ unexpected deaths.

“All right,” Lily instantly forgave her sister. “Let’s eat; I am starving.”

Beth laughed at her sister’s slim figure. “You always are. I don’t know why you can’t gain weight the way you constantly eat. Must be good genes.” Instantly, Beth regretted her words at the pain in her sister’s eyes.

Quickly taking her arm and leading Lily back into the kitchen, she changed the subject. “What’s for dinner?”

Laughing, Lily answered her question. “Your favorite; spaghetti.” The girls set the table and within minutes were sitting down to enjoy the dinner Lily had pr
epared.

“So what have you planned for this weekend?”

“Nothing much.” Lily shrugged, taking a slice of garlic bread. “Studying.” Beth frowned at her short answer.

“Isn’t prom a few weeks away?”

“Yes, but I am not going.”

“Why? Doesn’t Charles want to go?” Beth tried not to wince when she said his name. The young boy was nice, however he showed many of the same characteri
stics of their father. His self-righteousness often grated on Beth’s nerves.

“No, and neither do I.” Lily raised her hand when Beth would have protested. “You didn’t go to your prom because Daddy wouldn’t allow it. I just can’t go when I know it wouldn’t have been what he wanted, and Charles agrees.”

Beth chose her words with care. “Lily, times have changed. The church is much more lenient than when Dad was pastor. I am not saying go out and get wild, just go out and have a good time. There can be a happy medium.”

Lily just shook her head. “No, Beth. Please, I don’t want to go.”

Beth started to argue with her sister over whether it was the prom she did not want to attend or the after-parties, which could get a little wild, when the phone interrupted her with the notes of “Into the Fire". Lily made a look of reproach at the music, but Beth ignored it. She loved music and enjoyed it, contrary to her father’s teachings of it leading to sin and temptation. Beth wasn’t about to let Lily guilt her into changing it into her own boring ring tone.

“Hello?”

“Beth. This is Loker James. I’m sorry to disturb your evening, but I have a situation on my hands I was hoping you could help me with.”

“No problem, Mr. James. What can I help you with?"

Lily made a face at her as she helped herself to another serving of spaghetti.

“I just received a call from Mick at
Rosie’s
. Dad is down there, drunk, and trying to get in fights with other customers. I was hoping you could send Blake down there to take him home for me. I’m in Washington in a meeting or I would do it myself.”

“I can’t send Blake, but I can take care of it for you.” Mr. James’s father, Ton, was
a small man with a big name and an attitude to match. He was a sweet person when sober, but when he was drunk, he managed to convince himself that he was a badass. This often led to fights that he lost and sometimes trips to the emergency room to be patched up under his son’s furious recriminations.

Loker
James had hired Beth because his business had him out of town frequently and he wanted to maintain a watchful eye on his father.

“I don’t know if that’s the best option. Dad can be hard to handle when he’s drunk.” The aggravation in his tone came clearly through the phone. Beth grinned, she was well aware of just how cranky the man could be, having put him to bed many times over the last few months since she had been hired. This, however, was the first time she would have to enter
Rosie’s
to retrieve him after a binge.

“I can handle Ton. Don’t worry. Mick will help me get him in the car.”

She was well acquainted with Mick. The bar’s owner had attended her father’s church and even continued when the new pastor had taken over at her father’s death. Her father had wondered frequently to her mother if it was to repent for the sins he allowed to be committed within his establishment, or those he had committed himself.

Whenever the subject had been brought up to Mick, he would just change the subject to her father’s sermon, which redirected the enthusiastic pastor from his d
etermination of saving the man considered to be one of the biggest sinners in the congregation. His large donations soon stopped further attempts at saving his soul.

“If you’re sure?” Doubt was now laced in his voice before Beth heard him sigh. “Call me when you have him back at home. If you run into any trouble, let me know immediately.”

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