Chapter 3 #2
But there was nothing hiding there, the way I thought there’d been in his words. His eyes shone with peace the way they had only a few times before. When we were all together.
“It’ll be alright, love.” He gave a small smile. “You’ll see.”
It was the first time he’d said it where I didn’t want to throttle him. Or make him spill all his secrets. But the peace in his expression overpowered the accompanying dread.
I recalled our talk from before the Courage Challenge ended.
After so much tragedy, believing things would work out in the end grew harder. I struggled to trust the good when recent experiences had brought only pain, and to hold onto faith.
Just like I had while waiting for answers.
But it was worth it in the end.
So, for the first time, when he said the words, “you’ll see,” I believed him.
And I believed my faith in Max wasn’t misplaced, either.
Smiling at Kingston, I pushed off the wall I leaned against. “Alright then. Let’s go find the tall, dark, and broody one.”
Kingston nodded and took my hand, but as he led me from the room, a loud bang came from the hallway. I rushed to the door, swinging it open right as Max shouted.
“Are you fucking kidding me right now?”
Max seethed at his half-brother, rapid breaths from flared nostrils coming in quick succession, and guilt sank in my gut right as his fist connected with Morty’s stomach. Morty lurched backward, and Max pushed his way past him, barreling through to get out of the room.
“Stay the fuck away from me,” he growled.
“But little brother, I can explain—”
Lifting his head, Max glared down the hallway in the direction of the other rooms.
First, Landon’s.
Then he found me standing in the doorway, eyes wide and mouth open with words I’d been on my way to give him. When Kingston stepped out of the room behind me, Max jolted with the truth of whatever Morty had said to get under his skin.
Morty brushed off his clothes and straightened his spine.
My eyes flicked to him before shifting to Max and begging him to believe me. For what, he had no way of knowing. Nothing to hold onto but that I’d kept the truth from him, even if it was my secret to keep.
Even if that moment had been mine.
And Morty couldn’t help himself. “God, little brother, could you be more medieval? It’s the twenty-first century. Women are allowed to have sex.”
Fury lit up Max’s features as he pinned his gaze behind me.
“Don’t look at him that way. He didn’t do it.” Morty laughed, clapping Max on the back. “Can’t really blame the guy for reaping the benefits once the card was cashed in, right?”
Rage, deep and foreboding, filled his eyes. But it was nothing compared to the blaze that followed, sparked by footsteps coming up the stairs.
Landon reached the top of the staircase, his face pained and exhausted, and Max lunged. He drove forward, dropping his shoulder and ramming it into Landon’s chest.
Landon didn’t see it coming and couldn’t brace for it in time. His body flew backward and slammed into the ground.
As Landon’s head hit the carpet, Max climbed on top of him, straddling his chest and drawing back an arm.
I screamed, “Max, stop!”
But he couldn’t hear me through the rage.
Or, if he did, he didn’t care.
As he let the first punch fly, I ran forward, hellbent on stopping them.
Kingston was right behind me, and he grabbed hold of my arm to keep me away. While I registered his concern for my safety, it didn’t stop me. I tore my arm free from his grip.
But then Morty was there.
Banding an arm around my middle, he lifted me off the ground in one swift movement. As I kicked my legs and screamed for Max to stop, Morty dragged me away from them.
Kingston raced in their direction, and he seized Max’s arm before his next punch landed.
Horror gripped my throat, and another hoarse cry tore out as Max reacted and shoved Kingston away.
I clawed at Morty, shouting an incomprehensible stream of profanities until I couldn’t breathe. And as soon as I paused for breath, Morty smirked. “Easy, killer. It’s better if they get all this out, trust me.”
“Shut up, Morty! Let me go!”
He laughed and shook his head as Kingston yanked on Max’s arm, and Landon finally got free beneath him.
Landon surged forward as Max pushed Kingston off him and got to his feet, ready to keep fighting. Landon tackled him from behind, forcing him to his knees right at the top of the stairs. He covered his back, his arms and legs locked around Max’s larger frame.
With a growl, my Dark Knight pushed off the ground and reared backwards, crushing Landon with his weight until his arms slackened and released their hold.
Kingston shouted at Max, trying to get through to him with words I couldn’t hear or fathom doing any good, and I kept screaming for him to stop.
But Max’s dark eyes pinned me with a furious stare right before Landon’s fist connected with his side. He roared with rage right before knocking his skull back into Landon’s face.
“Max, please!”
I gasped in horror as Max and Landon catapulted down the stairs, the sounds of their fighting echoing up to the hall as Kingston chased after them.
“Outside!” he shouted, and a resounding crash through the patio doors followed.
Morty chuckled through it all, smirking at the spectacle. “Is it just me, or is this kind of hot?”