stalk up the driveway and into the house. I pass empty rooms and halls, not seeing anyone or anything. I make it to my room and I slam the door shut. I lock the door and I lay down on my bed. Tears slowly leak down my eyes as I turn my iPod on. “Remember Everything” by Five Finger Death Punch plays while I remember that day one year ago. The day my entire life ended.
***
Pierce watches me from the couch, his expression relaxed. It still seems funny sometimes to see him so relaxed. Most of our lives have been spent fighting and being at odds with each other. Then I found out he was my half brother and all of that changed. When you grow up without anyone who loves you, finding family you didn’t know you had or could have, it’s like a dream come true. I don’t care what he’s done to me in the past because none of that matters anymore.
“Why do you seem so nervous? You won’t even notice all the people once Paisley comes down the aisle. It’ll be just you and her.” He would know since he married Rachel about four years ago. I didn’t envy him then but we were eighteen years old and just starting our adult lives. There he was, getting married and having a kid with one of my best friends. He’s like me though; he knew she was it for him. Just like I know Paisley is it for me.
The door opens and in walks Ashley. Her black hair down around her shoulders and those icy blue eyes full of hope and love. Sometimes it still gets to me how much she looks like our father. She looks more related to me then she does to Pierce and they are full-blooded siblings. “Look at you!” she exclaims, striding over to me. “So handsome.” She cups my cheeks and squeezes just a little too hard.
I shake out of her hold and rub at my face. “Why the hell did you do that?”
She laughs and goes to sit next to Pierce on the couch. “You look pale. I thought it might brighten up your face a little bit.”
“Was I that pale?” Pierce asks her while he puts his arm around her shoulders.
She shakes her head and pats his leg. “Of course Annabella tried to ruin your day so you were quite flushed. Channing is just a little overwhelmed. All the people and having to spend the rest of his life married to a crazy redhead.” Then she winks at me.
“I’d take the redhead any day. You on the other hand, let’s just say I feel bad for Damien.” She smacks Pierce on the chest. “What? You are way more crazy than anyone else here today. What with the mob wars and biker clubs. Plus a secret marriage to a biker dude named Rage.”
“My life is crazy, I’m not crazy,” she states before she smacks him on the back of the head.
“Will you stop hitting me? Good lord.” Ashley only snickers.
I give a tiny smile at them. They might not help with the nervousness but they are a good distraction. And honestly I’m not nervous to marry Paisley. I just have a bad feeling something bad is going to happen. Like her crazy grandmother showing up or one of my friends standing up to object. Shit like that would happen to us.
Lily runs into the room and smiles at me. She throws her arms around me, “One more of my flock ready to leave. Only one more to go and then I can have the house to myself!” Then she backs away and beams up at me. “Let’s go, we have a wedding to get over with. Then we can have some alcohol!”
“Ma! You aren’t getting drunk today. I really don’t want to have to carry your drunk ass home again. I really didn’t want to hear about you having sex with your ex boyfriends.” Pierce’s skin actually turns green.
“Nonsense. I didn’t do any such thing.” Then she leaves the room before Pierce can say anything else.
We exit the room and head out the door next to the altar. We stand together as Royal rushes down the aisle pulling at his tie. He stands right next to me with Pierce on his other side.
I try to calm myself down as the wedding march is played but I know something bad is about to go down.
***
Pierce watches me from the couch, his expression relaxed. It still seems funny sometimes to see him so relaxed. Most of our lives have been spent fighting and being at odds with each other. Then I found out he was my half brother and all of that changed. When you grow up without anyone who loves you, finding family you didn’t know you had or could have, it’s like a dream come true. I don’t care what he’s done to me in the past because none of that matters anymore.
“Why do you seem so nervous? You won’t even notice all the people once Paisley comes down the aisle. It’ll be just you and her.” He would know since he married Rachel about four years ago. I didn’t envy him then but we were eighteen years old and just starting our adult lives. There he was, getting married and having a kid with one of my best friends. He’s like me though; he knew she was it for him. Just like I know Paisley is it for me.
The door opens and in walks Ashley. Her black hair down around her shoulders and those icy blue eyes full of hope and love. Sometimes it still gets to me how much she looks like our father. She looks more related to me then she does to Pierce and they are full-blooded siblings. “Look at you!” she exclaims, striding over to me. “So handsome.” She cups my cheeks and squeezes just a little too hard.
I shake out of her hold and rub at my face. “Why the hell did you do that?”
She laughs and goes to sit next to Pierce on the couch. “You look pale. I thought it might brighten up your face a little bit.”
“Was I that pale?” Pierce asks her while he puts his arm around her shoulders.
She shakes her head and pats his leg. “Of course Annabella tried to ruin your day so you were quite flushed. Channing is just a little overwhelmed. All the people and having to spend the rest of his life married to a crazy redhead.” Then she winks at me.
“I’d take the redhead any day. You on the other hand, let’s just say I feel bad for Damien.” She smacks Pierce on the chest. “What? You are way more crazy than anyone else here today. What with the mob wars and biker clubs. Plus a secret marriage to a biker dude named Rage.”
“My life is crazy, I’m not crazy,” she states before she smacks him on the back of the head.
“Will you stop hitting me? Good lord.” Ashley only snickers.
I give a tiny smile at them. They might not help with the nervousness but they are a good distraction. And honestly I’m not nervous to marry Paisley. I just have a bad feeling something bad is going to happen. Like her crazy grandmother showing up or one of my friends standing up to object. Shit like that would happen to us.
Lily runs into the room and smiles at me. She throws her arms around me, “One more of my flock ready to leave. Only one more to go and then I can have the house to myself!” Then she backs away and beams up at me. “Let’s go, we have a wedding to get over with. Then we can have some alcohol!”
“Ma! You aren’t getting drunk today. I really don’t want to have to carry your drunk ass home again. I really didn’t want to hear about you having sex with your ex boyfriends.” Pierce’s skin actually turns green.
“Nonsense. I didn’t do any such thing.” Then she leaves the room before Pierce can say anything else.
We exit the room and head out the door next to the altar. We stand together as Royal rushes down the aisle pulling at his tie. He stands right next to me with Pierce on his other side.
I try to calm myself down as the wedding march is played but I know something bad is about to go down.
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