Five Brothers

by Penelope Douglas

“Macon, look at me.” He shakes his head. “How can you look at me?” he says barely above a whisper.

“I just want to love you.” All I can do is whisper. “That, I will do beautifully.”

I comb my fingers through my hair and straighten my tie. “It should’ve been done last spring,” I state. “He’s a threat to their safety.” “And he can’t be stopped,” Dallas chimes in behind me. “Not in one piece anyway.”

???

I know what he’s worried about, but we’ve done this once before. Not dozens of times like the rumors say. Once. Nothing makes it out of the swamp.

Milo Price

THANK FUCK

“When I pay them, they’re animals.” He pauses. “Farm animals.”

“I like women, too,”

“If you’re still thinking about me in three and a half years,” I tell him, “I’ll be laughing my ass off…”