The Blackwell Brothers ✓

Sorry, We're Not Hiring

Chapter 32:

"So he just left? Just like that?" Ava paced back and forth in her bedroom, shaking her head in disbelief.

"If he wasn't my brother, I wouldn't believe it either," Colton took one of the many pillows off of Ava's bed, squeezing it in his hands.

"I get that he's your brother, Colt, but he's also a murderer, a kidnapper, and a rapist," Ava choked on the last word.

"There are two types of people, Ava," Colton sighed, "The first kind is the person who wouldn't be able to stop apologizing. They'd have a hard time forgiving themselves, even if the person they hurt forgave them. They'd feel like they owe you everything."

"That's not Cade," Ava snorted.

"No, it's not. He's the other type. He is well aware of the damage he's caused, but he also sees no point in groveling at our feet and delivering numerous apologies. What he'd rather do is move forward, fix his mistake in a different way," Colton explained.

"So he gets to walk out again? No 'I'm sorry?' Are we supposed to act like nothing happened?" Ava huffed.

"He did apologize – to you. He told me before he left, 'Tell Ava I'm sorry,'" Colton watched Ava's face relax.

"H-he did?" Ava tipped her head to the side.

Colton nodded. "You know, there's another type of person: The sort that owns all these pillows," Colton wiggled the pillow in his hands. Ava frowned as she marched over to her bed, picking up a soft, velvet cushion, and began to smack it against Colton's body.

"Easy! Easy, Ava! It was a joke!" he chuckled as he pulled her down onto the bed with him, pressing gentle kisses on her cheeks and her forehead.

"Where are you going?" Dakota hummed, startling Zeke, who was making his way to the door.

"Jesus, Kota," Zeke exhaled, smoothing a hand over his hair.

"Sorry, thought you knew I was here," she shrugged, "But seriously, where are you going?"

"To buy some more ammo," Zeke pointed to the unloaded gun on the kitchen counter, "We're out of bullets. That rescue mission took all we had, and I've just now found the time to restock."

"Can I come with you?" Dakota batted her long eyelashes, "Please, Zeke?"

"Fine," Zeke groaned, "But while I'm in the shop, you stay in the car. Got it?"

Dakota nodded as she jumped out of her seat and followed him to the door.

"What the fuck?" Zeke cursed as he opened the door, "What are you doing here?"

A small smile stretched across Reed's face. "I want to join your gang," Reed spoke cordially, as if he'd forgotten the events of the last several months.

"No fucking way," Zeke spat as he began to shut the door, but Reed stopped it from closing with his hand.

"Please. Let me talk to Colton," he begged.

"No. You're a traitor. What makes you think we would ever take you back?" Zeke tried to push the door closed once more, but Reed held his ground.

"Because you took Dakota back. Twice," he smirked.

Dakota tried to speak as she looked back and forth between the boys, but she couldn't assemble any combination of words that would help her in this situation.

"Quentin! Dominic!" Zeke shouted behind him, and then turned back to Reed, "Sorry, we're not hiring at the moment." Moments later a set of footsteps approached them from behind.

"Reed?" Dominic looked confused.

"Reed! Hey, buddy," Quentin smiled politely, "Get lost before I kill you."

"Call Colton," Zeke ordered.