Death Knows My Name (Memory Keepers) Read online

This was my favorite position to work, serving. I was able to sort of zone out unless we were too backed up, then I helped make the orders, too.

  At 6:40, I began to clean up my station and wipe down the counters just as Devon re-emerged from the office.

  “You aren’t going to stay late since you were late coming in?” he asked.

  I looked at him like he was crazy. “For one, I don’t do the lounge shift. Besides, I actually have plans tonight.”

  His brows shot up, and then he nodded. “Right, hot date with Titanic?”

  I frowned. “That’s a totally overrated movie. If you’re looking for a good Leonardo DiCaprio movie, I’d recommend Romeo and Juliet. It’s Clare Danes and Leo at their best. But to answer your question, no, I’m going out for drinks.”

  This time he really looked shocked. “Are you serious?” he questioned.

  “Yes I am, my friend.” I shrugged. “No big deal. Just a drink or two with a girl I met.”

  “Wrong. This is a huge deal! You never go out. Not since Dante—”

  “Okay, don’t say his name, not if you want to keep me from falling apart right here on your floor.”

  “He has been gone for years now. He would want you to move on and live your life. It’s like you died right along with him.”

  “I wish,” I murmured.

  Devon eyed me with concern.

  “What? I do . . . did . . . do.”

  “I know, but people die. That’s life. The difference is that you let it change you. You were so full of life and so much fun. We loved being around you because you were such a joy to be with. You would laugh and smile. When my brother died, it’s like that part of you disappeared all together. It didn’t even fade, it was just there one day and gone the next. Even after Dante, you still tried a little, to date. You used to be the life of the party, now you just sit in your house like a damn recluse and watch lame-ass, sappy movies.”

  “Are you trying to say I’m not fun, Devon?” I smiled.

  “You still can’t take shit serious, I see.” He shoved me gently.

  I laughed. “I take it seriously, Devon, that’s the joke.” I leaned against the counter.

  Devon met and held my gaze. “Don’t you ever get lonely?”

  I couldn’t answer right away. I couldn’t lie to him, and Eric’s cocky smile and honey-colored eyes flashed through my mind. Even at the thought of him my heartbeat increased.

  I couldn’t feel this way about Eric. He represented everything I was running from. He takes from the living. He ruins us. Still, my body responded even to the thought of him.

  “Mayne?” Devon broke into my thoughts.

  “I have to go. I don’t want to be late.” I pushed away from the counter and walked away.

  Devon caught me by the wrist. “I worry about you, that’s all. I know I give you a hard time, but you know I love you. We’re like family.”

  “I know, Devon.” I leaned into him, kissing his cheek. “I love you, too.” He closed his arms around me. “You don’t have to worry about me, Devon. I’m a big girl now.”

  His head nodded against mine. “But I do. You will always be that little girl who used to follow your brother and me around. I’ve always felt the urge to protect you. When he died, I just took you on as my responsibility. And when Dante told me he was going to date you, I even threatened him not to hurt you.”

  I laughed. “Didn’t work.” I felt moistness on my cheek and realized I was crying. “Um, Devon, you have to let me go now.”

  He held on tighter. “But I don’t want to. You hardly ever let me touch you anymore, let alone hug you. This is twice in one week, I’m in heaven,” he joked.

  I held still and fought the urge to squirm. “I know, because I’m not a kid anymore and people are starting to think we’re weird.”

  Devon loosened his grip and then released me altogether. “Don’t drink too much. If you do, call me so I can get you home safely. I don’t want you walking home drunk.”

  “Me? Drunk? Never.”

  “Promise me.”

  “I promise.” I turned and walked away. I looked back when I got to the door.

  “Night, Devon.”

  He smiled and waved.

  I walked into Lenny’s at 7:30. After my love-fest stroll through memory lane with Devon, I was ready for a drink. I caught Tammy’s eye as soon as I walked in. She grinned.

  “I’ll be ready soon,” she called out.

  I sat on the plastic-covered bench by the front door to wait. Two booted feet stopped in front of me.

  “So, you didn’t call me,” said a deep, slightly hoarse sounding voice.

  I looked up to see Mr. Lounge Singer smiling down at me. The guy was attractive.

  I shrugged. “No, I did not.”

  “Then maybe I can call you.” It wasn’t a question.

  “I’m not trying to be rude, but I’m really not interested. Sorry.”

  Just then Tammy walked up. “Hey, Michael, what’s up? Oh, you know Mayne?”

  He smiled wider. “Like the state?” He was looking at me, but it was Tammy who answered.

  “Just like the state but with a Y.” She nodded. “I literally ran her over this morning on my way here. She didn’t cuss me out, so I figured she had to be cool.”

  I noticed that Tammy had a slight southern accent when she yammered away.

  “Really?” Michael turned to face Tammy.

  I stayed seated while thinking how much I regretted my decision to go out tonight. Why in the hell did I agree to this? I was hoping they would forget about me and take themselves away from my presence. Maybe if I sat still enough I could disappear all together.

  “Hey, we are going to go get drinks, would you like to join us?” I tuned back in time to hear Tammy invite Michael

  “Sure! I would love to.”

  Of course he would. He wanted in my panties. They both turned to me. Nope, guess I couldn’t disappear no matter how still I sat.

  “You ready, Mayne?” Tammy asked.

  “I guess so,” I answered.

  We headed down the block to Devon’s bar. Well, it used to be Dante’s, but we inherited it when he died. I told Devon I didn’t want it, but he refused to remove my name on the documents, so technically it was still our bar.

  “I usually can’t get in here until it gets really late, but I’m hoping it’s my lucky night. Normally it’s only me, so they don’t feel the need to let me in until all the importants are in and filled up.” Tammy was prattling on.

  “Yeah, that’s how some bars are. Don’t take offense,” Michael consoled her.

  I hung back, letting them hold the entire conversation. When we arrived at the door, Tammy hesitated. Michael was in front of us, and I hoped nobody I knew was still hanging out at this bar or working. But life hated me, so of course the bouncer recognized me.

  “Mayne? Is that you?” He was trying to look around Michael.

  “Hey, Stan.” I waved. “How have you been?”

  “Oh hell no, girl! Get over here. It’s been years since I’ve seen you and you think you’re getting away with a ‘How have you been?’ Where have you been?” Stan grabbed me into a bear hug.

  I laughed. “Now, what makes you think I have changed that much, Stanley? I didn’t like hugs back then, and I still don’t. So let me loose, you brute!” I wriggled away good-naturedly with a huge, dopey smile on my face.

  “And when have I ever cared, girl?” He roared in laughter.

  I rolled my eyes. “Never!” I couldn’t wipe the grin from off my face. “Is it crowded in there?” I asked.

  “You better believe it, boss!”

  “Can my friends and I get in?” I questioned.

  He tilted his head at me like
I grew an extra head. “Do you even have to ask? Go on in, girl, as if I am going to say no to you. I don’t bite the hand.”

  I grinned. “Nice seeing you again, Stan.” I turned to Tammy and Michael who were staring at me with questioning eyes. “Let’s go, guys.” Tammy turned around and hurried in as if Stan might change his mind.

  Michael lingered beside me. “Are you joining us?” Michael drawled.

  Was he trying to mark me or something?

  Stan sneered. “If she does, it will be when she wants to. Now hurry up and go in.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Be nice.” I turned to Michael. “I’ll be there in just a second. Go ahead while I talk to these guys.”

  Billy walked up behind Stan to see what the commotion was, and Michael brushed past them both.

  “You dating him?” The disgust was clear on Stan’s face.

  “Hell no! He is just some guy that sang at Devon’s lounge one night.”

  Billy joined the conversation. “Chica, what happened to you? You went ghost on us.”

  I shrugged. “I’ve been around. I work right down the street, you could have come by.”

  Billy nodded. “Figured you needed space, figured you’d come back when you were ready. Didn’t think it’d take you so long, shit.”

  “Well, ya know.” I looked away.

  “Devon did say you had changed.” Stan nudged Billy.

  “Into what exactly?” I laughed.

  Stan shook his head. “Ignore him. He’s always been a block head and not even that has changed, sadly.”

  I smiled. “I said be nice.”

  I finally went to join Tammy and Michael. They had already ordered their drinks. Tammy’s frozen daiquiri dripped water from the rim and Michael’s beer half gone when I slid into the booth. Tammy smiled.

  “I guess today was my lucky day! I met you, and you could get me in here.” Tammy was gushing. “I ran down the right chick, huh?”

  I laughed. “They would have let you in either way, I’m sure.”

  “No, ma’am. He knew you. That’s the only reason we’re sitting here.” She was still smiling. “You’re like a superstar here.”

  I glanced over my shoulder and signaled for a waitress to come take my drink order. “No, I just used to come here a lot when I was younger.”

  Michael eyed me. “It’s not like you’re over 30, so how young is younger?”

  I shrugged. “Doesn’t matter.”

  The waitress finally made her way over to me.

  “Hey, I heard you were here. Long Island?”

  I shook my head. “No, just a Coors Light, please.”

  “Put it on my tab,” Tammy interjected. “I owe her.”

  The waitress faced Tammy and smiled. “Oh, Mayne never has to pay. This is her place.”

  I groaned and put my head in my hands. “No, it’s Devon’s, Kim.”

  Kim winced. “Oh, right. Sorry.”

  “It’s fine. Beer. Please. Now.” I tried to smile to soften my words, but gave up. I shook my head at my company and repeated, “It’s not my bar. It’s my boss’.”

  Tammy stared at me with her mouth open, and Michael studied me like I was a juicy steak dinner at an exclusive restaurant, a really disturbing feeling.

  My mind raced for something to stop their awkward fixation on me, but it was too late. Michael’s hand reached out across the table and before I could avoid it, my hand was in his. I tried not to cringe at his touch but I’m sure I failed.

  “So, Mayne, what do you do for—”

  I saw Dante’s eyes as a sharp pain stabbed my brain. I slammed back against the booth’s seat, yanking my hand from Michael’s. I shut my eyes trying to erase the pain as well as the vision. As suddenly as it happened, it was gone.

  “Are you okay?”

  I nodded slowly, then more believably added, “Yeah. Just a headache. It’s been a long day I guess.”

  Michael reached for my hand again. “Nothing a beer won’t fix.”

  I avoided his contact, lifting both my hands to my temples in a massage. “Yeah. I guess.” I glanced around for Kim to see if she was headed over with my beer or maybe I was trying to avoid looking at my tablemates. Someone caught my attention because they were slipping out the door in the corner. The alley door. I was out of my seat.

  “Don’t go out there. Stop!” I blinked then swung back toward the door. Nobody was there. The door was still closed. More pain. I grabbed my head again and hissed, “Shit.”

  “Are you sure you are okay?” Doubt evident in Michael’s tone.

  I saw that they were now staring at me like I was a crazy freak. A quick glance around told me that they weren’t the only ones.

  “Um, I am going to go . . . grab my beer from the bar,” I replied to no one in particular as I made my escape trying not to make even a bigger scene. I did a pretty good job of blindly making my way toward the hallway that led to the employee areas without having to push the bar flies out my damn way, or maybe they were the ones who moved out the way of the raging crazy girl. As I reached the corner, my shoulder clipped something. Someone solid. I mumbled my apologies as I briefly looked up and into icy eyes that didn’t even acknowledge me. I darted into the back office before I could make myself appear even more like a freak, if that was even possible.

  When I got there, I closed the door and leaned against it. I did not want to be here in this bar. Not at all. This was way too much. In Dante’s bar. And now, in his office where I had been about a thousand times before. It was all too much. I wanted to curl into a ball and cry.

  I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing the tears to stay in.

  “Shit. Shit. SHIT!” Why couldn’t I just move on like Devon said I should? Why was it so hard for me? “Maybe I’ve lost too much?”

  “Maybe so.”

  I jumped. My eyes flew open. Eric. A part of me, a big part, was happy to see him.

  “I am proud of you. You tried. But if it is too painful, you can go home. I didn’t mean for you to go to this bar.” Eric was at my side, speaking soothingly into my ear.

  “Eric,” I whispered. It was all I could say before the tears came.

  He pulled me into his arms. A feeling I had felt so many times before . . . me crying in bed. Tears soaking my pillow. Warm arms wrapping around me, strong hands smoothing my hair from my face. I was dreaming. Dante was dead. Let me have this dream forever. A kiss on my forehead as soft hair caresses my skin. I smile and peek my eyes open just before falling deeper asleep.

  Clinched jaw. Bold Tattoos.

  “Shhh. It’s okay. Nothing is going to hurt you. Just relax,” Eric cajoled, like he had done countless nights before.

  How could I have forgotten? I thought it was a dream but Eric was real, these arms were real.

  I shook my head. “I don’t want to get to know these people if one of them is about to die. I don’t. I don’t. I don’t. Oh God, and if it’s one of my old group.”

  Eric held me tighter as I was once again taken over by sobs. I lost track of time when I finally began to breathe and calm down. I lifted my head from Eric’s chest, peeking up at the face I’d unknowingly looked into countless times before. He had not only called me awake but he had comforted me on the nights I cried while I slept. He hadn’t said a word about it. When my eyes met his, he spoke.

  “I know to you I am a huge monster. The things I’ve done, the people that have been taken from you. The duty that you did not have a choice in accepting. The not even knowing. It all seems unfair. You have no idea how much I wish I could spare you this pain, but I can’t. Death can’t be avoided. People have to die. I can’t protect you from that. When I called your brother, you curled up in that closet that you both use to cower in from your foster dad. You stayed there until Devon came and carrie
d you out. That almost destroyed me. You weren’t your brother’s keeper. Brandon didn’t need one. Through everyone he touched, he touches everyone they touch. He reaches a lot. Memory Keepers are the way to assure that those who would be forgotten will be immortal in this world. That was the 3-in-1’s intent when he created you and those like you. As painful as it is, love, and as much as I want to say screw the plan to protect you, I cannot. But I can be there for you. I can always hold you.”

  Eric fell silent as I let him do just that, hold me as I absorbed all that he’d told me. The fact that Brandon lived on in those who knew him lightened my mood.

  “Um, sorry about the tears on your shirt,” I said, a little embarrassed over the spots.

  He shrugged. “I knew you weren’t a snotter.”

  I laughed. “Yeah, I guess.”

  Eric touched the tears on my face, wiping them away with the tips of his fingers. I leaned into him and his head dipped to meet my lips. Then I was drowning in his sweet kisses. My body was pressed solidly against him and he was warm and hard, in every way. He whispered my name into his kiss. I about died at the feeling.

  The doorknob rattled. I was reluctant to move away. His smile was small, but warm, and my heart clinched. I grinned at him in return, ignoring all the rational reasons not to.

  “Oops. Looks like we got caught,” I whispered.

  He raised a brow. “Do you want me to stay?”

  I nodded. “Yes! I don’t want to look like a weirdo hiding away in her dead boyfriend’s office!”

  “But that’s what you were doing before I got here,” he said smugly.

  I nudged him with my shoulder. “Hush and help me up,” I demanded. Somewhere in the process of our making out, we slid to the ground.

  He stood and reached a hand to me. “You realize that if I stay, it will look like you are making out with another guy in your dead boyfriend’s office?”

  “I was,” I answered. Shit, had I really just had a full on make-out in Dante’s office with his killer? Okay, technically Eric never killed anyone. He is Death but he is never the cause, he’s only the end game. Yeah, whatever helps you sleep at night.