New Orleans I 18+

8. Forever, Unfinished Business

The lecture passed in a blur, I didn't acknowledge Kevin or Ward with more than an eye roll. What happened to innocent until proven guilty! Max has become public enemy number one in just under 24hrs and Reece I known criminal was somehow justified in his abuse of the newcomer? It was at times like this my faith in New Orleans frayed further.

It was so backwards here. Authority was in the hands of people that operated by means of torture and extortion. Clenching my jaw, I violently scribbled down the key points on the PowerPoint I had paid zero attention to in the past hour and a half.

Collecting my things, the second our prof ended the lecture, I hurried out ahead of the crowd– heading straight for the library. Speaking be restricted there, therefore those who chose to give me any further lecture would simply have to wait.

Dropping into an empty seat I littered my textbooks onto the desk. My kind was in no position to focus on legality or criminality- scoffing to myself I realised the humorous irony in that. Kevin's frame appeared, Ward on his heel as though the entrance had been discussed.

My anger shifted to Kevin as his shadow fell over me. Biting my tongue, I forced my eyes back to my books; the pretence did not go missed by either of them.

"Annie-"

"I'm busy. Fuck off." Silencing him, I gripped the hard covered books firmly– class and elegance had Official left the building. The frankly dramatic protests and shushing that proceeded wasn't appreciated. Pulling a free seat, he sat across from me. Discarding his heavy backpack carelessly, he focused on me. The shushing seemed to transfer, several pairs of eyes pinning Kevin for the unforgivable disruption.

I narrowed my eyes; it was an exaggeration in my opinion. Kevin offered each of them a single firm look; bodies turned away in unison. A couple lingered earning a more unhinged glare from Kevin, packing their shit they bolted fast. "Annie..." He began again, placing a hand over mine, breaking the small contact I returned my hands to my books. Sighing he brushed a hand through his hair, I couldn't help but appreciate the perfect dark strands always neat and disciplined. "Look, Reece thinks-"

"Really, that's what you want to lead with?" I whispered angrily, my subconscious seriously doubting his intelligence in that moment.

"Annie, he has never been wrong before. He knows bad when he sees it and Max- bloke doesn't sit right Annie-"

"Fuck, I mean Reece is one to speak." Closing my book I folded my arms, falling back into my seat. "Okay, say Max isn't who he says he is, say he's an absolute fucking nightmare- where's the evidence? I mean there has to be something. Reece is so damn certain, must be based off of something." My volume earned me a warning look from the librarian over her small, thin framed glasses. I mouthed an apology before pinning Kevin with an accusatory glare.

When his head fell, I had assumed I'd won this round. "Fine." He whispered through gritted teeth, raising his eyes to meet mine slowly. I couldn't help but compare his tone to that of his big brothers. It was terrifying. The gods may have forsaken him in the sense that he didn't receive all his father's genetic glory– his build was much lankier but still lean, no doubt from the amount he must have to work out in order to limit mockery from his brothers and cousins. He was beautiful, that look of innocence that separated him from his siblings would surely play a part in a whirlwind romance to come. Brute force was a tactic his family favoured; Kevin's approach was more calculated– tactical.

I would often forget the relation on account of how successfully Kevin had sculpted an identity separate of the Trammel empire. However, every now and then when shared characteristics surfaced it became near impossible to deny his place in the bloodline... he was a Trammel.