“Take your time, little Tea. I know your dad has had you on a short leash. My stomach isn’t rumbling yet.”

I lean down and peck him on his cheek. “For that, I’ll bring you back a chocolate shake, my treat.”

“After my heart, I see,” he teases as Mace and I walk out.

“See you in a bit, Rap.” I wave goodbye.

***

While Mace and I wait for our order, we chat about his upbringing, and how it pisses him off we didn’t grow up together. It shocks me how open he is emotionally. He’s not afraid of his feelings or of expressing them, and I admire him for that.

“So, do you think Dad and Storm will try for kids again one day?” Mace asks while the waitress places our food on the table. Before she walks away, I give her Rap’s to-go order, and then turn my attention back to my brother’s question.

“I honestly don’t know. Her pregnancy was a shock, and Dad didn’t even know about it until she was miscarrying. She was actually on her way to tell him,” I mumble around a giant bite of the juicy hamburger.

“It’s fuckin’ sad,” Mace says before slurping his Coca Cola.

See, not afraid to admit emotions. Breakneck needs more men like my brother.

“It is,” I agree. “Even though she’s only a few years older than us, she has that motherly feel already.”

I dip a fry into my chocolate shake.

“Is that any good?” my brother asks.

“Really good. Here try it.” I push my shake towards him. “Rap actually got me addicted to doing it. That’s why I told him I’d bring him one. That reminds me. We should probably go to the corner store and get him some smokes and rolling papers, too. He doesn’t like asking people to do stuff for him.”

Mace dips a few fries into the chocolate goodness and shoves them into his mouth. “That is so fucking good.” He groans.

“Yeah, it is.” I smile at him.

“So, you really do know all the brothers well.” He dips more fries into my shake. My heart squeezes when I realize how comfortable we are around one another.

“I do. Rap is one of my favorites, because of our ages being so close. Well… now I have a new favorite,” I tease as I steal my shake back.

“I’m your favorite now?” he says as he takes a bite out of his giant burger.

“Of course, you are. You’re my brother, my twin. I always felt like I was missing a piece of myself until you came along a few months ago. Now I know why,” I say as I shy away. I don’t want to scare him off.

“I get what you’re saying. It’s gotta be that weird twin shit.”

Oh good. I didn’t freak him out. “So you felt it too?”

He nods. “Yeah, and being adopted didn’t help. It’s probably why I was the black sheep.”

I don’t know what to say. I’m pissed off at the useless woman who gave birth to us for even giving him up in the first place. The only thing that keeps me from going to her and strangling the hell out of her is that my brother had good adoptive parents.

“I don’t know what to say, Mace.”

His shoulders shrug as he finishes off his last bite. “They’re good people. It ended up being okay, sis, honest. It was a good life.”

I fight to smile. “And now you’re here.”

“And now I’m here, where I belong.”

Mace pays our bill, and even pays for Rap’s order, so I shove the twenty back in my pocket and decide to use it on his smokes and rolling papers. I tip the waitress even though Mace protests, and I tell him it is the least I could do after him buying me dinner.

We talk about how he used to race street bikes and get into all kinds of trouble with his adoptive parents. He says he’ll always love them, and will check up on them, and even visit them every few holidays, but as far as he is concerned, he belongs here.

When we get to the corner store, Mace buys his smokes and I wait behind him.

“Well, hello, Tatiana. Don’t you two look alike,” Donald says as he eyes my brother and me up and down.

“About that… he’s my twin. You know how the bitch is.” I shrug. Everyone in town knows my mother if they’re close to her age. She was a slut back then and probably still is. “Rap’s usual, please.”

“You got it, suga’.” Donald smiles at me. “Oh, before I forget, can you let Braxxon know the club order came in? Save me the phone call.”

I nod. I’m surprised someone hasn’t picked up the alcohol delivery yet. They’re usually on that like clockwork. I shoot Braxxon a text so I don’t forget to let him know.

Me: 10:37 pm - @ Don’s, orders n

Not a minute passes before he replies.

Godfather: 10:37 pm – Send prospects n mornin’ it’s late daughter

“Godfather,” Mace asks from behind me.

I laugh. “Yeah, your new Prez is my Godfather. If something happens to Dad, he’ll take care of me. Don, Braxxon will send some prospects in the morning. This knucklehead will probably be one of them.” I gesture to Mace with my cell phone as I type a reply.

Me: 10:39 pm – I know, Mace is w/ me, headed home

Godfather: 10:40 pm – k

After I pay for Rap’s stuff, we say our goodbyes and head back to the compound. I thank Mace on the way for getting me out of there. I can leave whenever I want, but I’d rather not stress my dad or Braxxon out too much right now. When we get back, Rap lets us in the gate. Mace hands him his food as I dig his smokes, papers, and change out of my purse.