CHAPTER 25
MIKEY
The door slammed shut, taking the girls away, and the sound crackled the tense-filled air.
Emmie’s eyes landed on me. “Now that she’s gone, you can drop the act.”
I held him in a hard stare but didn’t say a thing.
“There he is,” Emmie muttered, walking to the fridge. “Fuck, is there no alcohol in this place?”
“She doesn’t really drink. Let’s go to mine,” I said, walking out without bothering to wait for his answer.
It only took a minute to walk over to my apartment and I headed straight to my freezer and poured two glasses full of frozen vodka.
I could feel the weight of his eyes following my every move.
“Here.” I handed him his drink and sprawled on the couch, crossing my legs, and he followed.
Silence snapped before he asked, “What the fuck were you thinking?” His finger dragged over the rim of his glass.
“I wasn’t, but it’s done. I can’t leave her, not anymore.” I swallowed the vodka down my throat in one go. “I know what you’re worried about, but if I ever lay a finger on her, then I’ll be out of her life—forever. Dead to her.”
“The fuck.” He cursed. “You think that’s what I’m worried about? You hurting her?”
I frowned. Wasn’t that why he always kept his sister away from me? “Isn’t that why?”
“Of course not, you fucker.” He sighed, threading his fingers through his hair as he regarded me. “It’s because when it gets hard, you run. You blame yourself and then you run. I saw what you did to her all those years ago. Lily… she wasn’t herself anymore after that. It felt like all the light in her eyes died. It didn’t matter how many times I tried to tell you that what happened wasn’t your fault and that your mother—”
“Shut the fuck up,” I thundered before he could continue.
My fingers dug into my fist as I dashed to grab the vodka and drank it straight from the bottle.
But that fucker wasn’t stopping. “This right here is what I meant. You have to get it through your thick skull that you’re not your father.”
“I said shut the fuck up, you fucker.” I slammed the bottle hard on the marble counter, so hard that it cracked down the middle.
“Fine, I won’t open that can of worms, but until you deal with that shit, you’re a liability to my sister. If you want this with her, then you’ll have to try and face your problems rather than running away from them and thinking you’re some kind of monster.”
Everything he was saying went in one ear and out the other. It was all white noise. He was only saying it because he hadn’t witnessed firsthand what the urge inside me could make me do.
When it came, it took hold of me and wouldn’t let go until I listened.
It was inside me. It lived inside me. My mother’s eyes flashed through my mind. It was real, so real that it was engraved into my being. I was the monster, and she saw it.
That was why she was scared of me.
“I’ll try to fix me,” I said, quietly staring at the shards of glass shattered on the counter, just like my mind felt at the moment.
“You didn’t hear a single word I said, did you? You need to fix your way of thinking, not you.” He came to my side, patting my shoulder.
“Emmie?”
“What?”
I fixed my gaze on him. “If I… If I ever hurt her, please stop me, okay? I don’t care even if you’ve to kill me, stop me, okay?”
He exhaled a sigh. “You’re never going to hurt her, not like that. But fine, to get it through your thick head, if you do, I’ll kick your ass out and break a bone or two.” His tone clearly suggested he was joking.
I rolled my eyes. “Fuck you, Jameson.”
“No way in hell, DeClere.” He sucker-punched my gut before clamping his meaty arms over my shoulders. “Come on, let’s go see the girls. I’ve spent enough time with your sorry ass.”
“Motherfucking dipshit,” I mumbled to myself .
“Oh, I heard that. Is that all you’ve got?” He grinned. “Thought you would do better than that.”
“I don’t know how people tolerate you.”
“Actually, I should be the one asking you that question.”
“So…” I grinned, darting my eyes at him. “When are you going to ask E to marry you?”
“Soon.”
“She’s not going to wait around for long.”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m waiting for the right time,” he mumbled.
“That is if you don’t mess it up again.” I gave him a look. “With the way I see this going, I’m going to be married to my Liliana before you do.”
He stilled, his hand halfway from opening his door as he glared at me over his shoulder. “Don’t you dare, motherfucker. Don’t you dare get married before I do. I’ll never forgive you.”
I laughed, pushing him aside as I barged into the apartment. “No promises.”
“You fucking asshole,” he muttered as he came up to my side, and we both frowned, exchanging glances because it was quiet, too quiet.
“Evy,” he called out, but no word came back.
We hurried to the living room but soon came to a standstill at the sight that greeted us.
“The fuck,” he mumbled, his gaze softening.
“This is like a wet dream come true,” I added and earned back a hard stare.
Evy and Lily were curled on the couch along with Strawberry, snoring softly .
Lily had her arms clamped right around E, her long lashes resting on her cheeks, a slight flush of pink on her cheeks, and her full lips pouted as she breathed.
My heart clenched at how beautiful she was and how lucky a bastard I was to call her mine.
She was the inevitable, no matter how much I tried to avoid it.
Here I was, in front of her, calling her mine.
As much as it elated my heart, it also consumed me with fear.
Fear that I would be a villain in her story just like that monster was in my mother’s.
“Jay,” Evy mumbled, poking her eyes open.
“You fell asleep,” he whispered as he helped her untangle quietly from the two bodies weighing her down.
But all the stirring made a pair of violet eyes blink back at me. My feet took me to her side on their own accord. I couldn’t resist taking her mouth in a soft kiss. She smiled against my lips, her hand weaving through my hair.
A throat cleared behind us. “I’ll give you five seconds to put your mouth far away from my sister before I throw your disrespectful ass out.”
Lily immediately pushed me away. Her face beet red as her eyes darted to her brother and a beaming Evy, clutching his arms.
“Hmm, sorry,” she mumbled, straightening her hair.
“Let’s go eat now, I’m so hungry.” Evy dragged Emmie toward the dining room while his eyes held me in a dead stare the whole way. All the commotion also woke up Strawberry, who followed her parents like a good pet .
“Why the hell did you do that in front of him? It’s so embarrassing.” Lily stood and raised her arms overhead, wringing her body in a huge stretch as she yawned.
“Well, he has to get used to it because I’m planning on kissing you a whole lot more.” I swiped the loose strands of hair that were falling over her face. “Are you sleepy? You woke up late today.”
She shrugged. “How did it go?”
“Good.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Really? I refuse to believe my brother gave in that easily.”
I grinned. “He couldn’t deny my charms.”
She rolled her eyes, walking away. “Enough, let’s go.”
I nodded, laughing as I followed her.
LILY
“Li, tell me what happened at your internship. You told me you weren’t going anymore,” Emmie questioned with an intent gaze.
I sighed. Even thinking about what that bitch filled my blood with rage.
“Yes, Lily. You were so happy you got in. I didn’t think you would leave so soon.” Evy’s concerned eyes landed on me.
I didn’t really want to talk about it right now.
A warm hand squeezed mine under the table. I looked up to see Mikey giving me a comforting smile .
We’d all settled ourselves in Emmie’s expansive dining room that overlooked the city skyline, decorated with soft beige walls and elaborate chandeliers.
I took a deep breath as I told them what happened. The clench of my brother’s jaw and the worry in Evy’s eyes told me they were as furious about the situation as I was.
My brother shook his head. “Plagiarizing is the most unethical thing that someone can do. I’ll try to find a way to fix it.”
I lifted a shoulder. “It’s okay. It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Lily.” Emmie gave me a look that said no room for argument. “I’m not going to let someone else steal my sister’s work and embarrass her like that, okay?”
A soft smile tugged my lips. “Okay.”
Emmie nodded, matching my smile with his gentle one.
“As much as I love the sibling telepathy, you don’t have to worry about it. I already took care of it,” Mikey added.
“Good,” Emmie agreed as he went back to his pasta, speaking in hushed tones to Evy about how incredible it was.
I narrowed my gaze at Mikey. “What did you do?”
“Secret.” He sneaked a quick kiss on the side of my head.
I would’ve been happy with his answer on any other day. My heart would have tugged at his gesture. But whatever cards Mikey pulled could stop her from stealing another young artist’s work and that was enough for me.
“I didn’t realize you were such a softie, Mikey.” I ruffled his hair so wildly that some escaped from the low ponytail he was sporting. I knew it annoyed him. Mikey spent an immaculate amount of time on his hair, and he had a whole process dedicated to it. Hell, it was way better than mine—softer and shinier.
“Fucking hell, little mouse.” He swatted my hand away, opening the front camera of his phone while he fixed his hair.
“You guys are so perfect. I’ve been wanting you both to be together forever. Right, Jay?” Evy twisted her questioning eyes to my brother, knowing very well he didn’t want to answer.
“Maybe,” he grunted out and captured her mouth in a kiss which made her forget what she had asked in the first place.
Evy patted down her blush from the kiss while Mikey and I regarded them with cheeky grins.
Only the sound of a fork hitting the plate and the clink of glasses filled the room for the next few minutes before my brother asked, “When did you get your hair colored, Li? You’ve been begging Mom forever, and I didn’t think you’d actually do it.”
“Thought it was about time.”
“It suits you,” he commented.
“Of course it does. It makes her look badass even though she is anything but.” Mikey grinned, pulling my chair closer to him.
“You know what? I think I didn’t punch you hard enough last time, you fucker,” Emmie quipped.
Mikey laughed, rolling his neck. “I don’t care. Unlike you, I have this masterpiece insured.”
“Wait.” Evy stilled her fork midair as her eyes coated with curiosity. “Are you joking, or do you really have your face insured? ”
“Why would I joke? Of course, I have several of my body parts insured.”
Her curious gaze fixed on him. “What other body parts have you got insured?”
“The basics; legs and arms.” Mikey’s lips tugged in a sly grin. “Oh, and the precious package between my thighs.”
Fucking hell, that fucker doesn’t know when to stop.
Evy’s eyes widened. “Why would you have that insured?”
Mikey’s eyes gleamed under the bright golden lights as he gazed at me. “Just in case a little mouse bites it off.”
I gaped as my face bloomed with heat. I couldn’t believe that fucker.
“That’s it,” Emmie roared as he shot up to his feet, and his chair landed loudly on the floor. “You’re dead.” He pointed an angry finger at Mikey, the vein in his forehead throbbing with tension.
“What?” Mikey rose to his feet, backing toward the door. “What did I do?” he asked innocently.
“You better stop right there. Today is the day you die,” Emmie promised.
But Mikey was already out the door while Emmie cursed, chasing him.
Only the sound of grunts and a few choice words could be heard after that.
Evy and I both released a sigh and met each other’s eyes, shaking our heads.
“Children,” we said at the same time.