Consequences

Chapter 29: The Answer

"What was he talking about?" Lucas had followed Jerry as he left so it was just me and Gavin in the room when I asked the question.

I didn't get an answer but this time instead of shrugging it off my frustration took over. "Gavin, what did he mean about condolences? For my brother?" at this point Lucas walked back into the room. "You both know something I don't and I think, contrary to what you've let on, it is very much my business." My voice raised during my words

"Can we at least move this discussion out of my room?" 

We took our seats, Lucas sat on the couch and Gavin sat in the chair opposite me. 

"Now, Why did that guy say my brother was dead. Is it Colton? Is that why he was so important?"

Lucas sighed and nodded his head. "I'm sorry Alice. It happened the day we ran away." Tears pooled in my eyes and my eyelids quivered a bit as I tried to prevent the inevitable.

I exhaled with force as the sobs started threatening to start. "Why didn't you tell me that earlier? Why wouldn't you tell me my brother had died?"

"It wasn't a good time. It wasn't safe to tell you." Lucas reasoned

"Why are you two always saying that? You're constantly revealing these insane secrets and then use my safety, or your own, as the reason you kept it from me." I looked at the two of them. Gavin seeming unapologetic and Lucas looking a guilty. 

"Alice.. I told you I was a dangerous person." His face hardened and any remorse was now masked. "Your brother died because of me." I just looked at him. Not understanding, or not wanting to understand, what he meant. "We were fighting. I had him pinned with a knife. I was going to let him live but.. He let go and I stabbed him before I could stop myself."

I laughed, it was humorless, but it was enough to make the two brothers look at me strangely. I wanted to explode right then and there, or maybe I wanted to run away. I thought through my next words carefully, trying to be as rational as possible. "So you're saying it was an accident..?" Lucas was taken aback by my words.

"Yes. If I could've, I would have let him live. We are part of Cane now so we can't kill anyone wihtout reason."

"Except you're not. You are, neither. Isn't that right?"

Lucas and Gavin exchanged a look. I couldn't decipher what it meant which made me a little uncomfortable. "So what are you going to do?" Gavin asked

I started to go numb. Any feeling of grief was now being filtered into the same bottle which held the grief of my parents. "I think you have more control over that than I." Venom fillled every word as I looked at Gavin with narrow, tired eyes.

I loved my Brother, despite what he had turned into. And because of this family, he's gone.

Gavin huffed out a laugh and licked his lips as he thought. Before he could say anything, the phone rang. They have a landline? Why has it never rung before?

A confused look spread across my face and I heard Lucas answer the phone. "Hello?.. I'm sorry, who is this?.. Oh I see.. Yes, yes she is staying here... Um, I'm sorry, I'm afraid she's sleeping right now. She hasn't been feeling well... No I don't believe she will be coming back to work, based on what she's told us.. Yes, I will tell her.. Thanks for calling, I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

Gavin was currently holding on to me by the waist, keeping me from running to the phone. "Who was that?" I grunted out "Was it my boss?"

"Alice," Gavin said in a deep, Authoritative voice "Stop fighting." As if I were a trained puppy, I relaxed and leaned against his arms.