48. Eli
Eli
"Pregnant and unwed?" Julia gasps, staring at Selena like she's something disgusting. "Do you even know who the father is? What will people think?”
My hands clench into fists beneath the table. I’m so proud of Selena for standing up to her mother and telling her how she feels. For the way she spoke about us. But I’ve had enough of this woman’s mouth, and by the look on my brothers' faces, I know they’ve reached their limit as well.
Zeke’s jaw is clenched so tightly I can see the muscles twitching. Jay’s eyes are so cold and locked on Julia I’m afraid he’s one more word away from wrapping his hands around her neck and strangling her.
My sweet princess looks broken. All she wants is for her mother to love her. But all she gets is treatment like she is less than nothing. She sits in the chair beside me, her shoulders curled inward, staring at the empty plate in front of her while Julia continues to look at her with disgust.
Selena knew this was going to happen. Hell, so did we from the brief encounters with the cunt. I just wanted to hold on to the hope that hearing Selena was pregnant would bring out the goodness buried deep inside of her. Apparently there isn’t any.
"Yes," Zeke says, beating me to an answer. "She knows who the fathers are."
Her mother blinks, and I know she caught his use of the plural word.
"Fathers?"
"Yes, you heard correctly.”
“Young man, I thought you were smarter, but only one person can be a father.”
“It seems you are the one who needs to educate herself. Selena is having twins, and there are multiple possibilities for who the fathers can be. And I just so happen to be one of them."
Jay leans forward, never taking his eyes off Selena. "And I'm another."
My father's confused stare lands on me.
"And I'm the third."
"What are you talking about? Selena, what are the four of you doing? Did you con your brothers into being responsible for the two mistakes you’re carrying?”
“My babies are not mistakes. They may not have been planned, but they are wanted.” Selena bites back at her.
“And she didn’t con anyone. We are the babies’ fathers,” I reiterate.
My father finally finds his voice.
"Eli, I understand you wanting to protect your new sister. But the father of her babies should be held accountable."
I can’t do anything but laugh. How much clearer do we need to be to explain this?
"It appears what we’re saying isn’t being understood by the two of you so let me try another way.
Funny story…” Zeke looks at Selena and gives her a sweet smile.
"I met Selena before the wedding." His eyes drift to her, softening instantly and she smiles.
"I fell head over heels in love with her but she didn’t know it at the time. "
Jay speaks next. “I met her before the wedding as well. Just one brief encounter that made an impression. I knew in that moment she was the woman for me. I never believed in love at first sight until I laid eyes on her.”
"I met her before too. We got to spend an amazing flight together that I will cherish forever. She was beautiful, witty, caring and I fell head over heels for her.”
My father's face drains of color.
"No. Absolutely not. She is your sister. You need to stop.” Julia slams her hands down on the table.
“Boys,” my dad tries to get our attention but we’re not done.
"When we found out she was going to become our stepsister," Zeke continues, "she tried to end things."
"She pushed us away," Jay adds.
"She told us it could never happen," I add. "She tried to protect everyone else. So worried about what our parents would think. What they would say. Why she cared about what a vile woman like you would think is beyond me.”
“I think we all need to take a break before we say something we don’t mean.” My father interrupts but I don’t care. We’re not done.
"But we already knew that we wanted her. That we loved her. Finding out that she was carrying our children made us the happiest men in the world until she told us she loved us.”
I glance over at Selena, her eyes filled with tears. Happy tears.
She reaches for my hand beneath the table, and I lace our fingers together immediately.
She doesn't have to carry this alone anymore. Not ever again. Her mother lets out a horrified gasp.
"All three of you?" She looks at Selena with absolute contempt. “Together. How trashy can you be? Three men." She laughs bitterly. "And they're your brothers.”
"I'd shut your mouth right now," Jay growls.
"Jay!" my father snaps. "You will not speak to your stepmother that way."
Jay pushes back from the table so hard his chair scrapes across the hardwood floor. "But she can talk to her daughter like that?" I can hear the rage in his voice because it matches my own. "When did you change, Dad?"
My father opens his mouth but nothing comes out. I know it’s because he doesn’t have an answer. But I do. It’s when he met Julia.
"When did the man who taught us to protect the people we love decide it was okay to sit there while she tears Selena apart?" Zeke asks him.
"I am trying to keep this family together."
"No." I finally stand. “We are. Listen to me carefully." I look directly at our parents. "She is carrying our babies. She is our girlfriend." I glance at my brothers. "And my brothers and I have every intention of asking her to marry us."
"We didn’t want to do it this way, Cupcake. We were planning something special." Zeke tells her gently before leaning in and kissing her.
"We are going to marry her. The three of us love her and our babies more than life itself. And we hope to see her belly swell with more of our children.”
Her mother scoffs. "This is sick."
"No." I meet her glare without flinching. "What's sick is the way you've treated your daughter."
"I raised her." She snaps back.
"You broke her," I growl. “And we put her back together. And as far as this dinner goes..." I pull Selena's chair back. "We're done."
Zeke is already beside her, slipping his arm around her waist, letting her lean into him for support as he guides her to the door. Jay follows behind them, but I’m not.
“Julia, know this. You will never be a part of our children's lives or ours. We’re no longer allowing Selena to be subjected to your abuse.”
Her face turns white. Then her eyes glare at Selena as she speaks. “You don’t understand. If I don’t take a firm hand with her, she would be lost. Just look at the situation she’s gotten herself into with the three of you.”
“You mean a loving relationship with the father of her children. Shit like you just said is why you won’t see your grandchildren.” I bite back at her.
"You can't keep my grandchildren from me."
"Want to make a bet?” With my final words, I turn and leave; ready to be out of this house.
We've barely reached the porch steps when the front door opens behind us.
"Boys." Dad steps out onto the porch alone.
"I know emotions are running high," he says quietly. "Please... don't make a decision you'll regret. She’s your sister, and are you sure her babies are yours? Think of the family."
I stare at him. The man standing in front of me looks like my father. But he doesn't feel like him.
"You really think leaving Selena is an option? That there is any doubt in our minds who our babies belong to?" I never imagined my father to be this man who stands before me now.
"I'm asking you to think rationally. The three of you are throwing your lives away."
"My life is my family. Which is my brothers, Selena and our babies,” I tell him coldly.
Dad rubs a hand over his face. "I don't want to lose my sons or my grandchildren if they’re truly mine."
"Then don't question if they’re yours. Don’t insinuate that what we have isn’t love or that we’re making a mistake. If Mom were here, she’d be head over heels happy."
His eyes meet mine.
“I…” he hesitates.
"We won't keep you from your grandchildren." Hope flickers across his face, but I’m not done. "But if you want a relationship with them, it happens on our terms.”
"What does that mean?"
"It means every visit happens at our home. Julia will never be present. She will never be referred to as their grandmother, and Selena will be treated with nothing but love.”
Dad doesn't answer immediately. He looks toward the truck where my brothers are helping her into the passenger seat. Then he looks back into the house where Julia stands in the hallway with a wine glass in hand.
His shoulders sag. "I... don't know if I can promise all of that."
I sigh, knowing that I’m about to lose my father. The man whose opinion I valued so highly. But my family is more important to me.
"Then that's your decision." I hold his gaze one last time. "We love you. But we'll choose Selena and our children every time. Goodbye, Dad.”
I turn and head to my truck that carries my future, and I never glance back at my past.