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Yes, my family was huge and insane, but they were also amazing. All five of my brothers were adopted by our parents, but that wasn’t something we ever really thought about. They were simply my brothers and since the day I was born they had been there for me, protecting me even when I hated it. Livy was my closest friend and my parents were completely wonderful and always had been. The second I walked into my parents’ house I knew I was surrounded by love and affection and I would forever be grateful to have each and every one of them at my back, always.
“Hey. We almost ready to eat?” Xander asked, startling me from my thoughts. I looked up and found him sticking his head in through the door. “The kids are getting feral out here. We should feed them soon,” he laughed.
“Almost ready, bro. We were just waiting for Evie to tell us who’s ass we need to kick,” Matt answered. Xander looked to me as if he hadn’t noticed me before. He took in my pathetic appearance and instantly walked through the door and strode over to me.
He didn’t speak, just smiled reassuringly, then he was pulling me into his arms. I tried hard not to cry as he pressed me into his front and just held me. Xander had always been the brother I could go to when I needed someone to talk to. He was just as protective as my other brothers, but unlike the others, he was also always willing to listen first. He gave the best advice and was the only level headed one of them all.
“It’ll be okay, sweetheart,” he soothed as he pulled back and smiled reassuringly. “Whatever happened, we’re all here for you.”
“Yeah, I know,” I agreed with a forced smile. My eyes were blurry with tears and I felt such a crybaby. I hardly ever cried but it just felt like my life was falling apart, and it was all my own fault.
Xander nodded, then backed off a few steps. He leant against the counter, and when I looked around me I realized they were all waiting for me to explain.
“Dean and I…we’re done. It’s over,” I admitted shakily.
“Oh honey, I’m so sorry,” mom cried. “What happened?”
I dropped my eyes to the floor, unable to see the ‘I told you so’ looks on my brothers face when I told them the next part.
“I…I walked in on him with another woman when I got home today.” My lip wobbled a little and tears trickled down my cheeks as the feeling of betrayal and the questions of why hit me all over again.
“He’s dead!” Kyle growled menacingly, but I didn’t hear what my other brothers were snarling, because I was instantly wrapped up in my mom’s arms, my face pressed against her shoulder and she held me tightly. The smell of her familiar perfume surrounded me as I clung to her and allowed my tears to fall.
“He’s a fool, Evie, and he never deserved you,” my mom told me.
“Your mom’s right, sweetheart. He was never worthy of you,” Dad agreed, and then he was at my back, pulling both me and mom into his huge arms and holding us both.
We remained that way as I cried a little and took comfort from the embrace of my parents. It was just what I had needed and eventually I started to feel calmer.
“Mom? When’s dinner? I’m so hungry!” The sound of Reece’s voice had us all pulling apart and turning to where she stood in the doorway with a disgruntled look on her face. She was the absolute image of her dad – Matt – with black shiny hair that had the most perfect amount of curl to it, and dark, all seeing eyes. Like her mom, she was petite for her age, and so damned smart. She was already a grade ahead in school.
“Aunt Evie!” She squealed when she saw me. She ran inside and threw her arms around me.
“Hey sweetie. I missed you,” I told her as I bent down to hug her. “Are you okay? Keeping your brothers and sister in line?”
“Yep, but it’s not easy,” she sighed dramatically, making me smile. I adored my nieces and nephews. No matter what was going on, they never failed to make me smile.
“Dinner’s almost ready, mi hija,” Matt told her. “Grab the others and go wash your hands.”
“Okay, Papá,” Reece agreed as she grinned up at me, then excitedly shot back out to the garden. I laughed when we heard her yelling for the others to all get inside to wash up. She had a loud voice for such a little thing.
“What happened to your hand?” Cole asked as my parents backed off enough for me to see everyone looking at me cautiously.
“Did that fucker put hands on you?” Kyle demanded through gritted teeth. Livy, clearly seeing how on edge he was, went right to him and wrapped her arms around his waist as she looked to me with a small nod and smile of support.
“No,” I shook my head. “Not really. He was just…he wanted to talk his way out of it and well…there was no way for him to do that,” I scoffed.
“What does that mean? Not really? Did he hurt you Evie?” Kade pushed.
“No. He grabbed me but I slipped his hold. You know I can take care of myself,” I told him with a roll of my eyes.
“He grabbed you?” Matt repeated as he stopped stirring and rounded the counter to come closer to me. “Where? Show me.”
It had been like this my entire life. My brothers protected me with a ferocity I had never seen anywhere else. They protected everyone they loved and cared for, including each other. I got it. They had all had crappy starts in life, and in one way or another they had been hurt and abused by those who should love them. They wanted to make sure that never happened to those they loved, but they were also very overbearing sometimes. But I loved them all dearly and I never wanted to hurt them, so for the most part I tried to put up with their macho crap and be grateful that I had them all.
“It was nothing,” I assured him. “He barely touched me before I had his arm twisted behind his back.”
“Your hand? What happened there?” Kyle asked. I looked down to my bruised knuckles and smiled a little.
