Streak of Black

He pulls a key out of his pocket, and inserts it into the lock. The lock clicks when he turns the key.

"Good," he whispers. "He hasn't gotten the chance to change the locks yet." He turns to me. "Robin threatened to when I ‘visited’ yesterday."

I shake my head and follow him into the house, covering my cheek with my hair. I'm nervous about breaking and entering, but Ryder has no qualms about it. He confidently leads me up the stairs to what I can only assume is his mother’s room at the head of the stairs.

'Where are you?' I hear Lovett ask in my head as Ryder reaches for the handle. 'Your food’s getting cold and none of us are really comfortable around Kain.'

'Be back soon. I’m out for a walk for Ryder.'

'Oh…I get it.' His tone is disapproving, and I roll my eyes.

'Not like that! I'll see you soon.'

A young man in about his early to mid-twenties who looks very different from Ryder glances up at our entrance, and his expression, which had been kind and gentle, immediately morphs and becomes cold and furious. The man looks more like Ryder’s mother, with red hair and brown eyes versus Ryder’s blue eyes and brown hair. His face is also more delicate while Ryder's face is strong and muscular. He and Ryder are about the same height, but the man, who I take to be Robin, is much less muscular and is almost scrawny.

He'd been leaning by his mother’s bedside holding a wet towel to her head, but he rises and quickly crosses the room to stand before us. "I warned you that I would call the cops if I ever saw you here again without an apology for mother. And who's this that you have with you? She's not like the usual ones—much more conservatively dressed. What are you gonna do, threaten to kill her if I call the cops? Go ahead and try it and add trespassing and murder to your rap sheet."

"And you're supposed to be the older, more mature one—I don’t see it," I accidentally let slip, having meant to only be emotional support for Ryder. But I just can't help it. I hate seeing anyone talk to him like that.

"Ah, now I see why you might find her to your liking. She has an attitude to match your own."

Ryder shakes his head and huffs at his brother. "Robin, you have it wrong. I'm not that person anymore, and even if I was, I still didn't do everything that mother accused me of. Look at me—look at my face. You used to be able to tell when I was lying. Really look at me and tell me if you see a hint of dishonesty in me." Robin refuses to make eye contact. "I admit it—I hit her. But I didn't beat her, I didn't tell her I hated her, I didn't tell that bastard to beat her. I told him to get the hell out and I told her that despite everything that she's done, she's still my mother and I still love her. They lied to you and made me out to be a menace. But Robin, I'm not lying to you. Please believe me." In that last sentence, he managed to inject all of the raw emotions that have been plaguing him since last night, and I place a comforting hand on his arm. "Please, Robin."

His brother finally meets Ryder’s eyes and he takes at least a minute to really assess my mate’s face. Ryder meets his steady gaze and refuses to look away. Robin seems conflicted. "I want to believe you, Ryder. But—"

"—she's manipulated you, just like she does with every man she comes across. It's in her nature. There's nothing we can do to stop her, Robin. We just have to accept that that's who our mother is."

Robin almost seems to laugh. "What happened to you, little brother?"

Ryder gazes down at me. "She did."

I blush and smile up at him, wrapping my arms around one of his. "I'm Louve, by the way."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. So sorry for my comment earlier."

"As I am for mine."

The form on the bed moves. "Robin," their mother calls in a raspy voice, "don't believe them! That slut was there with him when he came to me the first time, and she laughed as he beat me!"

"How am I to believe you, mother?" He storms to her side. "When have you ever given me reason to believe you? At least Ryder admits to some wrong on his account, but I'm sorry that I can't say the same about you. Now, as your son—the only one, more than likely, who will still stay by your side—I will continue to take care of you. But Ryder’s version of events seems much more likely than what you told me."

Robin turns back to us, and Ryder smiles at him. "Thank you. For believing me, that is."

"No problem. Any chance you'll stick around? I’d love to know what, besides a girl, has kept you away for two and a half years."

"I can't. I was telling the truth when I told you that I'm not the same person anymore, and we have something important that we have to do. I hope that one day I'll be able to come back and see you, but for now, you can't even know where I'll be."

"But why?" Robin seems confused, and I would be too in his shoes.

"Just trust me. I'm glad to have you back on my side." Ryder and his brother hug each other, and I smile at the exchange, glad that he at least has that closure to fall back on.

"You can count on it, bro. If you come back and I'm not here, I'll leave you a way to find me. Just…learn how to knock." We all—excluding their mother—laugh at that.

"I will. I love you, bro."

"I love you too. It was great to meet you," Robin says, turning to me and holding out his hand.

I smile and accept it. "Thanks, you too."

"Take care of my little brother, even though I know what a handful he can be."

"I always do." I grab Ryder’s arm and begin leading him out of the room, waving at Robin. I can tell he still wants to have the last word with his mother, but I quickly pull him away. "Take what victories you can and leave well enough alone," I warn him.

He sighs and finally follows me willingly out of the house. "Thanks, I needed that."

"I know you did. Now can you please go back to normal, for my sake?"

He nods and hugs me. "You've got it. I'm done with that life. I'm not that guy anymore."

"Thank you." I bury my face in his chest. Finally we pull away and prepare to leave. Ryder doesn't look back, but when I do, I see his brother’s face in the window, smiling proudly down at his little brother. I grin back and turn away from that part of Ryder’s past.