Sins and Reborns

Chapter twenty-four

CONNOR

I sat with my back to the wall. Grace had left hours ago and now I sulked about. I had finished work on all the cars in the workshop. Mark had gone to the store to pick up some groceries. He'd left an hour ago and hadn't returned. So, I wiped my greasy hands clean and went to the back to make some coffee.

Disgusting shit, I thought. How can people drink this? Black or with milk – didn't matter.

Mark really had to bring some life to this shop. Of course, he hated this place as much as I did, so it wasn't a surprise he hadn't changed anything. But still... would be nice of him to brighten this place.

Considering it's the place he met Mom.

I was busy in the back when there was a knock on the door. I went there and there stood an older woman. She wore a frown and too long clothes. "Where's my car?"

"Huh? I need your license plate for that," I said.

"Why do I even bother? You've probably stolen it," she grumbled. "I should've brought it out of town. At least it's not full of lowlifes like you and your –"

Piss off, you bitch.

Her words faded away as I casually leaned against the doorframe. "Ma'am, if you want your car, you're going to have to be a bit nicer."

She narrowed her too-small eyes. She thought she was all that. "I will go find it myself."

With a slight shove, she brushed past me and into the garage. Oh, no you don't. I followed her, telling her to stop and that she had to fill out some paperwork. She didn't listen, of course. No one ever listened. No one in this godforsaken town. In the town where bastards ruled, and the weaklings followed or were cast out to the wolves.

People like me.

"You're going to break it if you don't stop," I said, trying to pull her away from the car that sat high in the air. It had to be levelled down. And that stupid bitch sure as hell had no clue how to do it.

"Do not touch me, you rag!" she screamed.

"I won't have to if you'd just let me –"

"What's going on?" Mark! Thank the fucking Lord. He put down the grocery bags, that frown evident on his mature face. "Sienna, how can I help?"

Oh, Sienna was the bitch then.

She turned and glowered, moving away from me. "Your worthless worker put his hands on me. Inappropriately!"

What. The. Actual. Fuck!

As if I'd ever touch her old bones.

Mark moved to the car and brought it down. Then he checked it over to see if everything was clear. Before he ventured to the office and returned with some paperwork. He also brought up the garage door so she could roll out. He told her to sign the papers and she did so with a growl. After she was done, he put a reassuring hand on her arm. I saw her knees wobble from the touch.

He seemed to have that charming effect on people. Probably what'd wooed Mom about him.

"I apologize about the mess, Sienna." Is he joking? Then he surprised her and me by putting slight pressure on her arm and leaning forward. "And to make things clear, to not leave without any unspoken words, I'll tell you: He's my son and not my worker. And if I ever hear you speak a bad word about him again, I'll break your damn car myself."

Oh. So, he had a temper. Not that I hadn't seen it before.

People refused to refer to me or Carrie as his kids. He never liked that. Whenever he heard someone say anything bad, he put them in place. But he never brought that temper home.