Change of Heart

Ch 25:: Choose Wisely

RIAN

I can't believe she's holding back her feelings. I know she feels the same way about me and she needs to break it off with my brother. I sighed in frustration. Right now I was at a stop light in my car and I just left Norys house. I was about to head home, but thought better of it and turned left in the direction of the only bar we had in town. When I got there I sat at the bar and ordered four shots. It's been a long time since I last got hammered and right now I was planning on getting there fast. I quickly drank down the first two and then sat there waiting for them to kick in which didn't take that long at all.

"You know... I can just knock you out if your trying to forget about something."

I didn't even need to look to know who was talking to me. I knew that voice just as well as I knew the guy it belonged to.

"Jimmy fuck off, man, I'm really not in the mood for your shit right now."

Jimmy held up to fingers to the bartender. Jimmy was here enough for them to know what he wanted two of. "I would bro, but I have information that you just might be interested to know."

I looked at him and he grinned and drank down his two shots.

"Fine. Sit down." I muttered indicating that he could join me.

"So Nora and Chad right?" He asked as he pointed his glass towards mine trying to confirm that that was the reason for my self pity. I just nodded with a sigh and drank down my next shot.

"Well it seems like your little brother is getting himself into some trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" I said with a frown. If Jimmy heard about Chad getting into trouble then it has to be bad because Jimmy kept some pretty bad company around him. The guys Jimmy hung out with were thugs, con artists, arsonists, bikers, and drug dealers. Not exactly people you want to piss off. Why and how he even started making friends with those kinds of guys was beyond me, but even though Jimmy didn't make good choices or good friends he's still been my best friend for years.

 Jimmy paused for a second before speaking as if trying to find the best way to say this.

"Dammit Jimmy just tell me!" I demanded wanting to know what the hell kind of danger my brother was putting himself and Nora in. And yes whatever trouble Chad brought upon himself with these kind of guys, he was bringing it to Nora too.

With a sigh Jimmy spit it out. "He's a middle man for one of my guys Rian... Now I've been keeping an eye on him, but you know deals don't always go smoothly."

I stayed quiet and rubbed my face out of frustration.

"How long?" I asked as calmly as I could.

"A month now."

"A month?! And you're JUST telling me? Jimmy what the fuck man?!"

Jimmy raised a hand in front of me. "Look Rian we haven't been the best of friends for about two months now, you can't blame me for not rushing-"

"That's bullshit Jimmy! You should have came to me as soon as you knew!"

Jimmy stayed quiet and I ordered another shot. What the hell my day cant get any more worse than it is now.

Jimmy stayed with me as I drank and then offered to drive me home while one of his guys followed in Jimmy's car behind us. That's as much as I remember after our conversation about Chad. I got wasted and I didn't care.

I woke up around 2 AM and damn my head was already pounding. I slowly got up and went to the kitchen for some much needed aspirin. I figured I must still be drunk because as I got up I stumbled to my door and leaned on it hard causing a loud thud that seemed to echo in the silence of the house. Damn, it must not have been shut all the way and when I leaned on it it shut. Hopefully I didn't wake mom she would be disappointed that I was drinking. I opened the door and slowly made my way to the kitchen. To my surprise Nory was sitting at the table. Damn I didn't expect her to see me like this. I looked at her as steadily as I could and instantly regretted it. She was just too damn beautiful for her own good. Even in Chad's clothes! She looked at me with a raised brow as I held on to whatever I could as I made my way to the table. I flopped myself into the seat next to her and smiled.