The Greatest Show (Willow Son #5/Brothers of Rock #20) (17 page)

Mike nudged Brantley out of the
way.
“
Let me take care of
that. You
’
ve earned a
break.
”

Mike sounded like someone had
punched him in the nose. He was clogged up and looked tired and achy. When he
tried to crouch, the sound of his knees popping was clear over all the
conversation in the bar. He grabbed for the bar and fell forward, his right
knee hitting the floor.

“
Ah,
damn,
”
he growled.

“
Mike,
let me help,
”
Brantley
said. He crouched.
“
I got
this for you.
”

“
I
don
’
t need your goddamn
help.
”

“
You
’
re as happy as your daughter,
huh? Is it a full moon tonight or what?
”

Mike picked himself up, grabbing at
the bar. He stood, looked down at Brantley, and then hobbled to the opposite
end of the bar.

After Brantley got the keg hooked
up, he grabbed the empty one and walked it through the kitchen to the back
door.

He dropped it outside, realizing
that this was probably the busiest night of business Mike had in years. He then
spotted Ryker standing with a leg up against the building, whistling at him.

“
What
are you doing up here?
”
Brantley asked.

“
Checking
in.
”

“
Bullshit.
”

“
Well,
I saw pictures of you bartending. I
’
ve
never seen you
…
well, you
’
ve never had a job before, have
you?
”

“
No.
”

“
Me
either. How
’
s the kid?
”

“
Great.
Trying to work it out.
”

“
I
’
m going to just say it, brother,
so you don
’
t look like an
ass
…”

“
What
now?
”

“
There
’
s some rumors about us breaking
up.
”

“
What?
We just played that show in New York with After the Run.
”

“
That
was a while ago,
”
Ryker
said.
“
We haven
’
t done a thing since.
”

“
We
’
re loading up for a major tour.
”

“
Fans
don
’
t know that. Now there
’
s pictures of you in some bar,
serving drinks.
”

“
And
that means we
’
re broken up?
”

Ryker laughed.
“
I
’
m
just giving you a heads up. In case you read anything. Or anyone calls you.
”

“
That
’
s not why you
’
re up here,
”
Brantley said.
“
What
’
s going on?
”

“
You
and Harry. You asked him something. He gave you something.
”

“
Oh,
shit.
”

“
Hey,
this is not my business, bro. But I
’
m
not going to let you get hurt and slip away from us. You have tendencies. Like
we all do.
”

“
Tendencies?
What are you talking about?
”

“
Have
you looked at what Harry gave you?
”

“
No.
I haven
’
t had time. Emma
asked me to help her father here. He
’
s
not feeling well and she
’
s
overwhelmed.
”

“
It
’
s about your father,
”
Ryker said.

“
Goddammit.
Harry wasn
’
t supposed to
say a thing.
”

“
Last
time he did that you hid a kid from us.
”

“
What
’
d you do, Ryker? Hold him up for
information?
”

Ryker stepped toward Brantley.
“
Yeah, I did. Because I love you,
brother. We don
’
t see eye
to eye all the time, but I get it. I know that kind of pain you feel. I know
you were trying to find your old man to make up for what he did. Because you
don
’
t know how to be a
father.
”

“
Yeah?
You a psychologist now?
”

“
No.
I see it in your eyes. Just so you know, you are a great father by being here.
I
’
m sure this thing with
Emma is going to take a lot of time. That
’
s
okay. Tread slowly, brother. Do right by both of them.
”

“
What
does this have to do with my old man?
”

Ryker put a hand to Brantley
’
s shoulder.
“
Because you
’
re not going to find him. You
’
re not going to be able to talk
to him.
”

“
Why
not?
”

“
He
’
s dead. Okay? I
’
m so sorry, Brantley. But he
passed away last year. That
’
s
what Harry was trying to talk to you about. He gave you the last known address
but wanted you to know before you tried showing up.
”

“
Nobody
could have called me?
”
Brantley asked.

“
I
came up here in person because you deserve that. I don
’
t know how this makes you feel, man, but there it
is. He
’
s gone. You
’
re not. This is your chance to
fix it all. From here on out.
”

Brantley really wasn
’
t sure how to feel. Anger,
guilt, pain
…
yeah, it was
all there. The years had gone by without conversation. Without resolution. Then
again, Brantley had been the one to come out on top. He had a life. A career.
And he was fighting for his family.

“
Hey,
Brantley!
”
a voice called
out behind him.

“
That
’
s my boss,
”
Brantley said. He looked back
at Mike and gave a wave.
“
One
minute, Mike.
”

“
I
’
ll get going,
”
Ryker said.

“
You
can crash here,
”
Brantley
said.

“
No.
I wanted to come see you. We
’
re
all thinking of you. I
’
m
sorry of the truth here but it
’
s
probably for the best. Your old man wasn
’
t
going to give you a thing. No matter what. You know that.
”

“
I
know,
”
Brantley said.
“
Thanks for telling me in person.
You
’
re a good friend. A
brother to me.
”

They hugged and Ryker walked away.

Brantley walked back to the bar and
Mike stood with the door open. His face looked twisted and pissed off. Brantley
froze for a second and looked at Mike. Of all the bad shit that had happened,
Mike was there for Emma and Seth.

Brantley grabbed Mike by the
shoulders.

“
What
are you doing?
”
Mike asked.

“
Thank
you, Mike.
”

“
For
what?
”

“
For
who you are. For what you
’
ve
done for Emma and Seth. I can never thank you enough. You
’
ll never understand what it
really means to me. Just know I appreciate it.
”

“
Then
let
’
s go serve drinks up
and close up. I
’
m tired.
”

“
Me
too, Mike. Me too.
”

Brantley made it two steps before
Mike called for him.

“
What
’
s up?
”
Brantley asked.

“
Don
’
t give up on her. She
’
s been through a lot. She
’
s stubborn like me. She
’
s scared, too. Really scared.
”

“
I
’
ll never give up,
”
Brantley said.
“
I never gave up to begin with. I
promise you.
”

Brantley walked to the bar and saw
it was thinning out. Everyone who wanted an autograph had gotten one it seemed.
They were all paying their tabs and moving along.

That was fine with Brantley.

It was almost midnight and he
wanted to get back to Emma. While he couldn
’
t
just get her to crack, he would spend everyday waiting for her to believe him.
Nothing could change that.

“
Hey,
how about a drink?
”
a voice
yelled.

Brantley turned and half expected
another member of Willow Son to be there to break his balls a little.

But it wasn
’
t.

It was a guy
…
a guy that looked familiar.

“
Hurry
the fuck up,
”
the guy
yelled.

“
Excuse
me?
”
Brantley asked.

“
Oh,
damn,
”
Mike said.
“
Brantley, walk away.
”
He then pointed to the guy.
“
Rick, out of here. Now.
”

“
Fuck
you too, Mike.
”

Brantley assessed what was
happening and then it hit him.

This guy
…
Rick
…
he was the first date asshole from the night Brantley met Emma.

“
And
you,
”
Rick yelled, pointing
at Brantley.
“
Stay the fuck
away from my woman and my fucking kid.
”

Brantley saw red
…
and he lunged forward,
knowing he was about to make headlines.

**

Brantley had Rick by the shirt and
pulled him over the bar. He threw him to the ground and then took a second to
collect himself. Rick
’
s
eyes were wide and his teeth showing. The guy was livid, definitely looking for
a fight.

“
I
’
ll kill you,
”
Rick said.
“
You don
’
t step in on my family.
”

Rick kicked back and climbed to his
feet. Brantley went at him, hitting him first and hitting him right in the jaw.
The bar erupted in yells and Mike was screaming Brantley
’
s name.

Brantley had a tight fist around
the top of Rick
’
s shirt.

“
He
’
s my goddamn son,
”
Brantley growled. He walked
right back to the liquor shelf. Two bottles fell and shattered.
“
My son!
”

“
I
raised him!
”
Rick spat
back.

Rick shoved at Brantley and swung,
hitting Brantley in the eye. Brantley turned, off his game, feeling the pain
slice through his heart.

Some guy raising Seth? Emma didn
’
t tell me? Were they
together
…
?

Rick swung again and hit Brantley.
He then jumped at Brantley
’
s
left shoulder and took him down. As the punches landed on Brantley, he thought
about it. The life Emma had lived. Maybe a life forced to live.

“
Get
the hell off him, Rick!
”
Mike yelled.

Brantley looked up and saw Mike,
sweating and shaking.

Putting a fist to the floor,
Brantley refused to give up this fight.

No. No way.

Rick kicked Brantley in the ribs.
It stole his breath for second.

That
’
s
when Brantley popped back up and faced Rick.

“
You
’
ll never get her,
”
Rick said.
“
Or my son.
”

“
Brantley!
”
Mike yelled.

Brantley went after Rick again.
This time, there was no stopping him and there was no chance of Rick defending
himself. A hard smack to the jaw sent Rick backward, arms flailing. He leaned
against the bar and Brantley grabbed Rick by the throat and put him against the
wall.

“
Seth
is my son,
”
Brantley said.
“
And if you come near him or Emma
ever again, I
’
ll have you
put away. I swear on it. Asshole.
”

Brantley turned and threw Rick over
the bar with one hard throw. Rick ended up on the floor, rolling, and trying to
fight to his feet.