AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Don’t marry him,” I whisper.
Her smile fades. “What?”
Swallowing down my discomfort and looking away, I add, “I just mean…don’t marry anyone and sacrifice your dreams, Briar. You should do whatever you want with your life.”
Just then, the door opens, and I see Sean emerging from behind Briar, but she doesn’t look toward him. Her eyes are glued to my face as she sternly replies, “I plan to.” Then she stands from the wall and walks toward him.
“Hey, babe,” Sean says as he slings an arm over her shoulder and tugs her against his body. I have to look away when he presses his lips to her cheek.
Sean’s eyes meet mine over the top of her head, and his expression isn’t warm or cordial. “Thanks for watching my girl, Goode.”
I clench my molars as I glare back at him.
He takes her mouth in a kiss, and I feel hatred like nothing I’ve ever felt burn inside me. It’s like he’s kissing her to spite me, but there’s nothing I can do about it.
As they make their way to the parking lot, I stay on the brick wall. Alone.
* * *
Present Day
I can’t sleep. I’m sitting up in my bed, texting Luke. My twin is practically nocturnal, so when I can’t sleep, he’s the first one I text. The conversation starts innocently enough until he starts asking about last week’s meeting with our father.
How was it?
I hated every second of it.
He’s living in some piece-of-shit apartment in the city.
I heard that he can’t access the church funds anymore.
He’s broke.
He’s lost a lot of weight too.
And I think he has a drinking problem.
Careful. You almost sound sympathetic.
Fuck you.
I don’t give a shit about him.
He can rot to death in that apartment for all I care.
Did he ask you to help him?
Of course.
And?
I stare at my brother’s text and replay everything my father said. Of course, I didn’t agree to help him, but I also didn’t tell him to fuck off like I wanted to either. He got into my head, and I’m not proud of it.
I stood by silently while he droned on and on about how I should be a good son and help him. He quoted a Bible verse about family and told me how a man’s duty is to his parents before his brothers. I even sat in silence as he talked shit about Adam and Sage, and I let him.
He tried to open his mouth about Lucas once, and I shut him down fast.
Other than that, I barely said a word the whole time. I left him with anI’ll think about it, and I’ve been trying to shake the whole encounter all week. But I can’t say that to Luke. I’m too ashamed to admit that I didn’t sayno on the spot.
