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The man accusing me of assault had his face punched in and shoulder dislocated by my very angry twin brother, Cash. The man in question kidnapped my brother’s girl, and that, understandably, sent him into a fit of rage. I have seen Cash get mad, but never like that. He’s always been the good twin, the one in control. Yet, he was willing to risk it all for the love of his life.
So, I am taking the fall for him.
Not only because I know the case won’t go anywhere but I also owe my twin brother my life. Growing up, Cash was the responsible twin. He kept me out of trouble as a teen, and even as an adult, and this is my way of repaying him. A few hours cooling my heels at the police station is the least I can do.
Besides, I’m used to this. The cops here love me, I just know it.
“Are you even listening to me?”
I look up to see Officer Colin glaring daggers at me; the grin on my face grows, and I can tell how much he’s holding himself back, but we both know he wouldn’t dare touch me. Not only would that get him in trouble with his superiors, but I am a big guy with a reputation for more than holding my own in a fight. Sure, I like to joke around and rarely take anything too seriously, but I can be a mean son of a bitch when put on the spot. His jaw wouldn’t survive contact with my fist, and we both know it, so he keeps himself in check.
“Of course, I am listening,” I reply innocently, placing my cuffed hands on the desk. “Carry on, Officer.”
“Is this a joke to you?”
He’s fuming like a kettle on the stove. His face is red with anger, and I can see he’s ready to bust when someone walks up to him. I smile at the newcomer, who seems to be a rookie, but the rude kid doesn’t return my smile as he leans down to whisper something to Officer Colin. Whatever he tells the man must enrage him, and I watch with amusement as an angry vein pulses on his forehead.
The kid straightens up and walks away, leaving me alone with my favorite officer.
“What?” I ask in amusement as he glares at me, saying nothing.
“Is this a game to you people?”
By “you people,” I assume he means my biker brothers in the motorcycle club. As an official member of the Steel Order Club, it pisses off the cops so much that they can’t seem to make any charges stick, the club always getting in the way of that. We have the best lawyers in town, and what they can’t fix, we handle ourselves using . . . other means. But Uncle Officer Colin doesn’t need to know those details.
“Of course not, we respect and depend on the cops to uphold the law—”
“Oh, don’t give me that crap,” he hisses, getting up. “Your charges were dropped. The victim claims he was mistaken and can’t remember what his assailant looks like.”
“Victim, really? Is that what you are calling him?” I say, the smile dropping from my face. “That man and his insane family kidnapped an innocent woman and kept her hostage at a dirty motel. If anyone is the victim, it’s the girl. He deserved whatever happened to him.”
I read it in the cop’s eyes, the urge to argue with me. To find some sort of retort, but he has nothing. For all my faults, I have never hurt an innocent person, and he knows it. When it comes down to it, I am not usually the person who throws the first punch, but you can be sure I’m always the last.
“Your lawyer is waiting outside,” he says finally before uncuffing me and walking away without another word. I follow behind him and catch my lawyer talking on the phone. The man nods and directs me to wait for him outside.
I give him a small wave before heading to the exit, my hands already digging into my jacket for a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. I notice a few cops glare at me as I lift one to my mouth, eyes locked on them as I light it up. I don’t even smoke much. I mostly do it to annoy the people around me. Sure, it’s at the expense of my lungs, but something in me just loves being a menace. It’s what has always set my twin brother and me apart. Even as kids, Cash would be buried in books while I ran around the neighborhood causing havoc.
It was never a mystery which of us was the bad twin.
And yet, of the two of us, only Cash has actually been to prison. It shocked me and the entire neighborhood when my brother was arrested and imprisoned for three years for fraud. Everyone was so sure I was the twin that would end up in jail, but it was the opposite.
I might have turned out way worse if Cash hadn’t gone to jail, though. Having the responsible twin disappear forced me to get my act together. I joined the Steel Order Motorcycle Club and worked as a mechanic for the club’s repair shop. Cash joined the same club as the official accountant when he was released from prison, and suddenly, it wasn’t just the two of us. We gained a whole family of brothers who would protect us as much as I would protect them.
Those same brothers are responsible for my release today.
Speaking of which, I should probably call Prez to let him know that I am out. I reach into my pocket to do just that when someone knocks into me from behind, sending my phone flying from my hands.
“Son a bitch—”
I whirl around, ready to tear into the person who bumped me when my mouth and throat run dry at the sight of the angel from earlier.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” she cries out, blinking up at me. “I wasn’t watching where I was going and didn’t see you until I ran into you! Oh . . . my papers!”
I notice for the first time the sheets of paper scattered around us, and when the angel bends to pick them up, I follow her down, my eyes on her as she hurriedly gathers the sheets of paper around us.
I should probably help her, I think, but that would require looking away from her, and for the life of me, I can’t look away.
She’s beautiful.
