Rev

by Chloe Plume

  They say if you love someone, you let them go. Just the thought of giving up what I had with Winter brought a painful twist to my stomach. I knew I’d never find that again.

  But I couldn’t live with myself knowing she’d be in constant danger. And even if I could somehow keep her safe, what kind of life was that? I’d be out there hunting my uncle’s killer while one of the most powerful criminals in the country was probably hunting me.

  And I wasn’t about to back away from all of that. I couldn’t do it. I was never the calm, cool, collected type.

  I wanted her in my bed every night and morning. I wanted to sink into her, our bodies so close together that I lost track of where one of us ended and the other began. She was everything to me.

  Which was why she deserved a real life, a balanced life, with all the normal things that made it worth living. Not some hothead caught up in circumstances that amounted to a death trap. Four people were dead already.

  I shook my head.

  Yeah, this fucking sucks.

  Our paths had crossed in what seemed like a heaven-sent destiny. This whole week, I’d felt like they converged and we were looking up ahead at a long straight road that stretched into the horizon. But there was a fork in that road and fate was telling us to go our separate ways.

  And I had to let it happen. Because I was a reckless fool but I had my limits. I’d risk anything but her.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Winter

  “As you all know, my brother and I had a complicated relationship.”

  I stood next to Rev and his brothers as Edward Gryffin began the eulogy. Rev was withdrawn and uncommonly reserved. I reached my arm across to hold his hand, but he ignored my gesture.

  “Norman had his faults, as we all do. He didn’t understand the new realities of the modern world. So we were often at each other’s throats. We argued, we fought, and we clashed.”

  I looked up at Rev’s rigid expression. There was sadness in his eyes, which I understood. But as he stared straight ahead with his features stiff and cold, I saw resignation and defeat. He’d never been this closed off. For once, I couldn’t see the fire in his eyes. It worried me.

  “But just as I do, Norman understood the importance of family,” Edward Gryffin continued. “We could both agree on that, even as we struggled to come to terms on just about everything else.”

  Rev pulled at his collar. It was the first time I’d seen him in a collared shirt, much less a suit and tie. I had to admit, as good as his muscular physique looked in a tight t-shirt and rough-denim jeans, a tailored suit enticingly highlighted the angular planes of his face and the broadness of his shoulders. For some men, a suit covered their flaws. For Rev, it emphasized the archetypal masculinity of his body. He was a gorgeous man, no matter what he was wearing, where he was, or what he was doing.

  “Norman always thought we should honor our father’s vision,” the eulogy continued. “But Arthur Gryffin lived in a very different world. Still, there was one thing Norman and I agreed upon. Despite the presence of oil reserves on Gryffin Ranch, we’d refrain from drilling on or selling the family property.”

  “Wait, what?!” Mayhem hissed. “I didn’t know shit about that.”

  “Shhh.” Ink hushed him as the eulogy ended.

  “Norman was a good man,” Edward concluded. “We knew him as a brother, uncle, a trusted friend. But he was also a man of immense humanity, compassion, and vision. We didn’t see eye-to-eye, but it no way detracts from my whole-hearted respect and admiration for the way he chose to live his life. Rest forever in peace, my brother.”

  The casket fell slowly into the earth, and everyone threw a rose onto it in turn. The crowd began to break, and I walked out of the graveyard with Rev, Ink, and Mayhem. The dark limousines waited outside.

  Rev turned to me, the same blunt look on his face. “I can’t see you anymore Winter.”

  And that was it. He pivoted in the other direction and left, walking towards the black car at the front of the line of parked vehicles.

  “Rev… Come on.” I began to follow, but a calm, direct voice called me back.

  “Winter,” Ink insisted, “give him time.”

  I watched Rev go. I knew he meant it. He was off in his own world and our brief involvement was at an end. Maybe it was just bad timing. Maybe if all of this hadn’t happened, we’d still have a chance. But right now, his family needed him. We’d only been seeing each other for a week. He had a million things on his mind, and I doubt I was one of them.

  Head bent low, I made my way to the end of the line of limos. I called a car and stood waiting, watching the throng of black suits and dresses dissipate.

  “Winter.”

  I turned to find Helen Gryffin standing behind me. She was about to get into the last limo after the last few funeral attendees left the cemetery. Her husband Edward was shaking hands with them now.

  “I saw what happened. Rev was very close to his uncle. He’s hurting.”

  “I understand.”

  “You two will work it out,” Helen said encouragingly. “Love always finds a way.”

  “Thank you. And I’m sorry for your loss.”

  She stretched out her arms and I stepped in for a hug. “Thank you for coming.”

  My car came and I ducked in, giving the address to my Aunt Sylvia’s. It was probably time to start thinking about packing up and heading home. All adventures come to an end.

  Chapter Twenty

  REV

  “I can’t believe we’re even discussing this!” I shouted. “It’s Uncle Norman, for Christ sakes. We should be out there running down the guys that killed him. Him and Derek and Stefan and Adrian. We should be getting after this Roman Carmichael guy.”

  “Are you fucking stupid?” my dad asked, his eyes cutting across the office room. “Because it sounds like it.”

  “So we’re going to sit around doing nothing?”

  “We’re going to get more information before doing something stupid.” My dad sat down, sweat running across his brow. “Look Revon, I need you cut it out with the hot headed vengeance garbage.”

  “Why should I? Why am I the only one who wants to do anything about this?”

  “You’re not,” Ink cut in. “Listen, Roman Carmichael’s a powerful guy. He murdered your whole crew and Uncle Norman in one fell swoop. He knew exactly who came after his shipment and where they’d be and when. We need more information going into this.”

  “And how the hell do you intend to do that?” I asked. “We don’t know anything about this guy.”

  Of course, I was ignoring the fact that my dad clearly knew something we didn’t about Roman Carmichael. Apparently, Mayhem discovered that Gryffin Transportation knew cocaine was stuffed in those cars, but chose to transport them anyway. Maybe my dad was scared. Maybe he played stupid and ran the shipment, knowing who’d come looking if he reported it. But that just wasn’t my father. I had a feeling there was something more to it.

  “I’m reaching out to a good friend,” Mayhem said, in response to my question. “We used to spar together back in the Marine Corps. Best damn operations expert in the whole service.”

  “What the hell does that have to do with it?” I asked hurriedly. “Look, I’m all for working out a plan to take down Roman Carmichael. But I thought you said we were waiting on information, not tactical help. Why the hell should we wait on some ex-marine and lose the element of surprise?”

  My dad clutched at his chest and then ran his hand over his shoulder, still sweating even in the air-conditioned office. “Shut up, Revon! Will you let Cage finish his damn point?”

  “This guy used to work for Roman Carmichael over in North Carolina. Last I heard he’s out in the Northeast somewhere with some girl living the simple life. Rumor has it, he made a deal with Roman to get out of the organization after exposing a plot to overthrow him.”

  “Alright, so what?” I said impatiently. “He made a deal with the devil. Good for him. Now we have to wa
it doing nothing until he comes out of hiding? How are you even going to find this guy?”

  “Oh, I’ll find him,” Mayhem answered. “Look, Roman’s probably getting a little paranoid after an attempted coup. He’s consolidating power is all, and it’s doubtful he’ll make another move soon. We shouldn’t jump the gun.”

  “I still don’t think it’s premature to act now,” I noted. “If anything, no one’s expecting it.”

  Mayhem shook his head. “I’m going to put out some feelers, see if anyone from the service has heard anything about my guy. We don’t make a move until he gets here. He’ll have a better idea of what to do.”

  “Yeah, and what’s this miracle worker’s name?” I asked, dubious.

  “Dean. Dean Hunter.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Winter

  “I think it’s time I get back to real life,” I said.

  “And why is this not real?” asked my Aunt Sylvia. “Why is this not ‘real life.’”

  I sat outside the vegetarian deli eyeing the sludgy vegan dish in front of me with suspicion. Aunt Sylvia had ordered for me, and while she heartily downed her meal, I was thrown off by the texture. It was hard to imagine she was my Aunt. She was so adventurous, openly embracing new experiences without a trace of inhibition.

  Meanwhile, it took a long and arduous process of internal discussion before I did almost anything. I used to think I was just a little over-analytical. But maybe I wasn’t meant for a bold and fearless life. Maybe there was an intrinsic, profound distinction at play. Maybe the difference between my mother and Aunt Sylvia was no greater than difference between Revon Gryffin and me.

  “All I had here was him,” I noted, shoveling my food around with my fork. “And it’s pretty clear now that was never meant to happen.”

  Aunt Sylvia shook her head. “That’s nonsense.” She finished her food and dropped a twenty on the table, standing up to collect her belongings. “I may seem like a disciple of the school of mumbo jumbo to you, but even I firmly believe life is what you make of it. If there’s something irreconcilable between you two, if you just don’t fit together, I get it. That’s one thing. But if you let circumstance and happenstance dictate your life without even trying, then you have only yourselves to blame.”

  “You’re heading back to the store?” I asked as she slung her pocketbook over her shoulder.

  “Sorry, I have to run.” She stepped around the table and leaned in for a quick hug. “For the record, Winter, there’s no ‘real life,’ as you put it. There are experiences and then the identity and relationships we built through them. It’s the same whether you’re up in the tallest skyscraper in New York or in a small shack out in the middle of the desert.”

  “That doesn’t really solve my problem,” I pointed out.

  “Oh, it’s never that easy, Winter. If I had the easy answer, I wouldn’t still be searching.”

  As my Aunt walked off, my thoughts turned to home. Even though I’d never been particularly close to any of the girls who’d come to my bachelorette party, I had the sudden hankering to call them. I was curious. I was lonely. So, as the waitress came outside to collect the check, I took out my cell phone and dialed.

  The week I’d spent with Rev while living at my Aunt’s started like a whirlwind and ended just as suddenly. I felt like I’d been deposited far away in a place I didn’t recognize. It was time to stumble back to the life I used to know.

  “Winter, is that you? Can’t believe I’m hearing from you.” The voice on the phone wasn’t so much excited to hear from me as intrigued.

  “Yeah. I’ve just been taking some time. You know, after what happened.”

  “Oh my God, you’ve missed so much!” Juliet began. “Remember Lisa from that Corporate Finance Theory class? She was the one who tried to get at Frank—oh you know she didn’t know you two were a thing—at that first year reunion, you know who I’m talking about?”

  “Oh, right.” I had no idea.

  “She just got engaged to one of Frank’s associates. Oh, you know, they’re both partner track, so we’re all so excited for her.”

  “I’ll bet.” It was so difficult to find any of that interesting when all I could think about was Rev pinning my hands over my head and roaming my body, marking me with his every touch.

  “Oh, and you should see the country club they just joined!” Juliet all but shrieked into the phone. “Oh my God, Winter, it’s that one with the beautiful stables over the Hudson River. And of course their parents are longstanding members, so they got in like that.” I heard the snap of her fingers over the line as she emphasized her point. “Oh, and Frank misses you, by the way,” she added.

  Yeah right.

  “If he misses me so much, Juliet, then why hasn’t he come back here?” I asked, my tone laced with exasperation. “He knows my Aunt lives outside of Vegas, he’s probably already reached out to my mother. He knows exactly where I am and yet, even after all that’s happened, not a single call.”

  “Oh, well,” Juliet said, searching for the right words, “Frank Wilson is a busy man. I’m sure he’s just swamped starting up at the new job, which by the way—“ her voice lowered to a whisper as if we were sharing some great secret and avoiding being overheard—“pays so, so well. Winter, you should really give him a call.”

  “I might be heading home soon anyway,” I admitted, then immediately regretted saying. I could see Frank getting word and gloating, the expression on his face almost nauseating.

  “Oh, so good to hear!” Juliet said with affected enthusiasm. “And what have you been up to for an entire week anyway?”

  Racing down the wide-open road, my heart pounding, and the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen working me up to unimaginable levels of excitement… his rough hands running over my nipples as he lays me down on the backseat of his car, his rigid manhood pressing into me as he whispers into my ear what he’s going to do to me… His kiss: intense, brutal, devouring… His cock: rigid, throbbing, too big… Screaming as he pounds into me, arching my back to meet his thrusts…Writhing on his pulsing shaft, his brilliant blue eyes peering into me as he grasps my hair, pulling my head back…Trembling as my legs grow wider, taking all he has to give as our bodies tense together…

  “Just visiting my Aunt,” I said.

  “Right, right. Well, I’ll see you soon Winter.”

  The call clicked off.

  I had to leave. The longer I stayed here, the more I thought about him. And he was all I had here. I didn’t want to go back East, but I knew I should.

  I texted Rev one last time:

  I’m leaving on the red-eye tonight. I understand. Sometimes it just isn’t meant to be.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  REV

  “Fuck!” Mayhem shouted, missing the lowest number ball on his shot. “Damn I had that!”

  “Tough shit, big bro.” I said, taking a swig of my shitty beer. “It’s probably all those muscles getting in your way. Limits mobility.”

  Mayhem scowled, his arms crossed, biceps ripping his shirt sleeves. “Yeah, let’s take this outside and see who’s faster.”

  I shook my head. “Obviously me.”

  “Dipshits, are you going to play or what?” Ink asked. “I’ve got winner, and I’m not waiting around all fucking night.”

  I lined up for my shot. Eight ball. Then the Nine. All I had to do was get some solid english on that ball, spin it right back into position…

  Fuck… I missed the angle by a mile. Figures. I had other things on my mind.

  Like her. When I taste her, I can’t help but groan as my dick gets harder… The way she bites the edge of her lip when I slip my fingers into her… Her breasts bouncing, her head tilted back, as she rides on my cock… The sounds of her moans and the silky smoothness of her skin under my fingertips as I plunge deep inside her, my balls clenching, letting go…

  “Ha…another easy win,” Mayhem gloated. He easily knocked in the eight and the nine.

  �
�Ah… Shit.” I said.

  “That’s two beers, Rev,” Mayhem reminded me. “One for Julian and one for me. Oh, and make them both drafts.”

  “Eh, screw you Cage.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Listen, Rev, getting serious for a minute here: I think you should come work for the business.”

  I was taken aback. “What?”

  Mayhem leaned his cue stick against the wall and walked over to where I stood. He put his hand on my shoulder. “You can do a lot more to influence Gryffin Transportation from the inside than from the outside, especially after what happened.”

  I shrugged. “I don’t exactly think we’re on the same page here.”

  Mayhem turned his head, his eyes dropping downwards. “Dad’s not doing too well, Rev. He’s been out of the office more and more. I’m picking up more and more of the slack.”

  “So what does that have to do with me?”

  “I’m looking into the link between dad and Roman Carmichael. Though I’m not prepared to stop transitioning into the trucking business, I’m prepared to do anything it takes to get justice for Uncle Norman and your crew. We need to be a family now, Rev. We’re brothers, first and foremost.”

  “So, you’re asking me to hold off on taking caring of this myself?” I clarified.

  “You can’t sort this whole mess out yourself, Revon,” Ink threw in. “It’s imperative we stick together. Or one of us will be next.”

  Mayhem chugged down the rest of his beer, pointing to it as a reminder that he’d be expecting another one. “I’m thinking you could work in maintenance and security for Gryffin Transportation, learn the ropes, and then head up the division.”

  “That’s ironic,” I quipped.

  Mayhem shrugged. “I’m assuming you have some special insights into transportation security by now. Let’s make positive use of them.”