Page 103 of Painted Truths

"You've done that without any help from me, Rico." All signs of upset have disappeared as she hisses the words. "So just go. LEAVE! I don't fucking want you anyway."

Ducking into the bathroom opposite, as I hear footsteps approach, I barely make it inside, when my dad throws the door of the master bedroom open. I can see him through the slit between the door and the jamb; his face is scarlet, his green eyes identical to mine like thunder. He's carrying a small case, which he heaves under one arm as he turns one last time.

"I gave you the last two years to try to mend fences with my sons, to form some kind of bond with them, but that's been a fucking waste of my time. I can't do this anymore."

He's leaving us, leaving me, leaving Alex!

Not that I should expect anything else after years of his form of absentee parenting, but hearing it stings.

It stings so badly that I immediately shoot off a text to the boys, telling them I'm on board for the party Cade's older sister Cassidy is having later.

Having never touched a drink before, being too fearful of my stepmother's wrath, tonight is different.

I know she'll be too busy burying herself in plans of revenge to hit him where it hurts—my best bet being the company. He cares for nothing else anymore.

Not to mention her little gin habit that she thinks I don't know about. She'll be off her tits by teatime, so all I have to do is steer clear of her, and I'll be home and dry.

Realising the coast is clear, Lauren having retreated to the confines of her room, and my father very obviously disappeared, not even bothering with a goodbye, I leave the bathroom and make my way to Alex's room. I'll need to get him settled for the night before I can go anywhere; otherwise, he'll want to sleep in my room and then I can kiss goodbye to sneaking out.

"Hey, Al, you in here?"

His bed is impeccably dressed, not a single item out of place, and no sign of my little brother until I hear a noise from underneath the bed. Bending down to look underneath, I see his light brown head face down on the hardwood floor, his shoulders shaking as he sobs his heart out.

"Hey, buddy. Got room in there for one more?"

His head shoots up, his unusual amber eyes that he got from his mum focusing on me as tears fall silently down his cheeks. Whereas Lauren's eyes are cold and full of hate, my baby brother’s are always brimming with his absolute devotion to me.

"I'm coming… out… Ri." His words are choppy as his voice quavers, but he doesn't waste time climbing out and into my waiting arms. I bury my nose in his neck, inhaling his comforting scent and allowing him to do the same with me.

"I don't like when they shout, Ri. It hurts my ears."

Frowning in frustration at his useless parents, glad that I'd had at least six years of decent parenting compared to his zero years, I rub soothing circles on his upper back as I begin to hum some Johnny Cash. It's our thing, always has been, and within a couple of minutes, he's calm and has stopped crying.

"Can we do some art before bed? Please?"

Swallowing a sigh because now I know I'll be late to that party, I nod my head anyway, knowing I can't deny my brother a damn thing.

And so, we spend the next hour painting and sketching, and what he lacks in talent, he more than makes up for in enthusiasm. Finally, we wind down laughing and splashing paint on each other, resulting in both of us needing to wash up before I settle him down into his bed.

"Please sing me the empire of dirt song, please?" Then, seeing that I'm about to shake my head, he ploughs on. "Please, pretty please, I'll love you forever!"

Rolling my eyes, I launch into the latest Cash song that we've been singing together, Hurt, the words spilling easily and with conviction from my lips and before I've reached the second chorus, he's out like a light.

Tiptoeing from the room, I quickly and quietly descend the staircase, noting the place is in pitch-black darkness, which I find strange. Lauren is always overly concerned with how things are perceived by the outside world and our mansion in darkness on a school night won't look well to the neighbours.

Despite that, I'm in a rush, so I don't ponder and instead leave via the French doors at the back, ensuring it's latched before grabbing my bike and hot-footing it to the North's house two miles away.

When I arrive, the party is in full swing, and it doesn't take me long to find Nate with his flavour of the month stuck to his lap.

I love my boys, but they are fucking manwhores of the highest order. Cade was the first to pop his cherry, having fucked Mrs D'Onofrio on her desk the day we finished Year 10, and I don't think he's ever fucked the same girl twice since then.

Nate wasn't long after that, though he'd kept the details quiet. I'll get them out of him one day.

With Alex as my sole responsibility, it doesn't leave a lot of time for a relationship, and call me old-fashioned, but I kind of want my first time to mean something, so I'm the odd man out.

If they ever found out I've never even kissed a girl, they'd never let me live it down. Not from lack of opportunity. Mind you, I was only really interested in one girl, and she was out of bounds.

"Hailey, grab Henry and me a drink, yeah?"