Page 80 of Claimed By Ruin

“You all right?” I said to Levi.

We’d made it to town and Jack helped Uncle Levi down.

“Hold on a second, Uncle Levi. We got a wheelchair for ya,” one of the men said.

I knew what this was, saw right through Christopher’s magnanimity, but I was glad when Uncle Levi settled into the wheelchair. He looked pained, but better to see that than him trembling, trying to hold himself on the walker.

Jack

Asia stood behind the wheelchair and looked from one man to the other. “Where to?”

“Mayor’s house. Christopher moved there.”

Asia nodded and pushed the wheelchair, clearly knowing where the mayor’s house was. I let her go two steps before I pushed her aside.

“Get out of the way,” I grumbled.

She looked at me, her eyes flashing before she smiled. I held her gaze for another moment and followed behind her. I hadn’t figured out what this was yet, but I would. And if I had a chance, I would end it.

It took less than two minutes to get to the mayor’s house, the onlookers curious but unwilling to do anything but glance at us. I paid them no mind.

“You all right, Levi?” I whispered.

“Right as rain, son,” he said.

The mayor’s house was beautiful. It took up a solid half block with tall white columns that had flowers painted on them.

“Asia,” Christopher called as the door swung open, “glad you could make it.” He was talking to Asia but looked at me. Then he looked down at Levi. “You, too, Uncle Levi.”

Asia smiled warmly, but her eyes were brittle. False. I wanted to touch her, smooth the crease between her eyebrows, but I kept my hands on the wheelchair, trying my hardest not to crack the handles with the pressure.

“I would say thanks, but I’m not sure I understand the occasion,” Asia said.

“Well, friends don’t need an occasion to get together,” Christopher said.

Asia looked at him, that same warm smile on her face, that brittle look in her eyes.

“Lucky for you, the mayor’s house is ADA compliant. My dad wanted to spend the money on tactical gear, but I insisted,” he said.

“Yeah, that is good,” Asia said, and she watched as I pushed Uncle Levi up the ramp and into the house. It was dim, with candelabras on either side of the double entryway.

“Yeah, we got a generator, but I try not to be wasteful,” Christopher said.

I wheeled Uncle Levi in. Asia stood behind me, and Christopher was behind her. I took note of the two doors, one to the left, one to the right, the two men who were set up at the top of the stairs, and most of all, how close Asia was and how close Christopher was.

“We try to keep the windows open as much as we can, let the sunlight in,” Asia said.

“Yeah, but it gets so hot,” Christopher said.

I didn’t let myself look at him and instead listened to his voice as he moved. He walked past, and when I glanced, I saw him trail his fingers along Asia’s elbow. I tightened my grip on the wheelchair.

“Why don’t y’all come join us? It’s a special day,” he said.

I followed him down a long hall, the roll of the wheelchair muffled by the carpet runner, and into the dining room. The table was huge, probably a thirty-seater. Seemed excessive for a town mayor in the middle of fucking nowhere, but interior design wasn’t one of my specialties. I cataloged the faces, evenly split: fifteen men, fifteen women. On the other side, a seat for Christopher at the head of the table.

An empty one across the length.

“Sorry, Jack and Levi. Didn’t know if Asia was going to have company, so I only set a place for one, but you two can sit there.”