“Yeah?” he answered gruffly, his mouth full of food. He paused for a minute, stuffing food into his mouth while he listened to whoever was on the other end of the phone. “Fuckin’ idiot. Sit tight, I’m on my way.”
He stuffed the phone back in his shirt pocket and took another huge bite before rising from the table and leaning over to kiss my mom. She smiled fondly at him when he was finished, and wiped a little bit of sauce from his beard.
“Your pop’s checked himself out of the damn hospital,” he said quietly to her, their noses just inches apart. “Gotta go help Amy.”
Mom sighed. “Goddammit.”
“I’ll take care of it, baby,” he assured her, leaning forward to softly kiss her lips again.
“I know you will.”
“Wait for me in bed.”
“Always do.”
“Naked.”
“We’re sitting right here,” I snapped, my face scrunched up in disgust. I’d been watching them, because my parents were sweet as hell. My pop didn’t show his soft side to anyone but Mom, and she soaked it up like a sponge. But I was seriously close to vomiting after their conversation went from sweet to sexual.
“You’re an adult. You’re livin’ here, you get used to it,” Pop said seriously, tapping the table twice before walking around the edge to kiss the top of Leo’s head, then the top of mine.
He left without another word and I felt my mom’s stare on the side of my face as I tried to finish eating my dinner.
“Bellatrix,” she said warningly. “Explain.”
I lifted my head and met Leo’s eyes, but he made no move to help me. He was wondering what the hell was going on, too.
“I’m going to live here for a bit,” I mumbled, my fork scratching along my plate as I moved my food around. “I asked Pop earlier and he said it was okay.”
“Just like that?”
I thought back to my pop’s words, then nodded. “Just like that.”
“Cam know?” Leo asked in disbelief.
“Not yet.” I shook my head. “I’ll tell him tonight.”
“What’s going on with you, Trix?” my mom asked in frustration. “You love Cam.”
“I’m fine.” I set my fork down forcefully on the table and it bounced onto my plate, making a loud clanging noise. “It’s just not working out.”
“Then you probably shouldn’t have got pregnant,” Leo said derisively, dropping his eyes back to his plate.
My chair screeched across the floor as I stood up quickly and I felt tears build in my eyes as I watched my brother’s once handsome face scowl.
“You think I wanted this?” I hissed. “We were fucking careful.”
“Pun intended,” he mumbled meanly.
“Leo,” Mom snapped.
“You know what? Fuck you, Leo.”
“Trix!” Mom turned her glare to me.
“No. He doesn’t get to be a dick because he’s hurt.”
“The fuck do you know?” Leo yelled, rising to his feet. “Cam hid you on the porch. You were fuckin’ safe and sound. Watched from a distance while the rest of us got shot down like dogs.”
I stumbled back a little, staring at my baby brother in confusion.
“Enough.” Cam’s voice rumbled through the kitchen and my palms grew sweaty. “You talk to her like that again, I’m gonna fuck up the pretty side of your face.”
“Cameron,” Mom warned.
Cam came up behind me, and his hand slid around to rest low on my belly. “You ready, Sweetbea?”
I glanced at Leo, then at my mom, who was still calmly sitting with a fork in her hand.
“Yeah. I’m ready,” I said finally, pushing my chair in carefully.
“You gonna tell—” Leo began, only to be cut off by my mom.
“If you say one more goddamn word, Leo,” she hissed, slamming her hand down on the table.
“Let’s go, Bea,” Cam murmured, leading me out the back door.
“I love you, Bubby,” I called softly, looking back over my shoulder.
“Yeah,” Leo mumbled back, making my entire chest tighten.
That wasn’t my brother. My brother would never have said those things to me. He loved me. Unconditionally. He was always on my side, no matter whether I was wrong or right.
That angry man in there was not my baby brother.
I stumbled as we reached the tall grass between my parents’ house and the clubhouse and glanced down at my bare feet. I hadn’t even remembered to slide my shoes on.
Without a word, Cam lifted me up bridal style and kept moving.
“He’s dealin’ with a lot,” Cam ground out softly as I wrapped my arms around his neck and looked away from him. “Give him some time.”
I nodded. I didn’t want to talk. I didn’t want to discuss how badly Leo had hurt me, how disillusioned I’d become with everyone I’d ever cared about. It seemed like I couldn’t do anything right. My mom had argued with me at dinner, Leo was perpetually pissed, and even my dad hadn’t welcomed me back without conditions.
I stayed silent as we reached the clubhouse, even as Grease’s drawn face popped out of the meeting room and his eyes focused on Cam.