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I held up my hand, silencing her, and kept right on talking. Nothing good ever came when someone started withlisten, and I didn’t want to hear it. I wanted her tolistentome.
“I get that you might not like Finn for whatever reason. You two have history together, and that’s your business. I have no part of it, and I won’t even try to get involved with it, but I will tell you that I’m dating him and he’s living with Romero now, so he’s not going anywhere. Also, I live with Rain, so you might want to tell your one husband to back the fuck off, because Finn is welcome there as long as I’m living there. Rain’s a big boy, if he doesn’t want Finn around, he’ll say something. Unless, of course, you want me to move out. Is that what you want, Ariel? If so, I really wish you had the balls to say it to my face, right here, right now.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Tyson asked from behind me. “Of course she doesn’t want you to move out of Rain’s house. That’s your home.”
I stepped farther into the room and to the side, pressing my back against the wall. I didn’t want to be between the two of them, but I also didn’t want to be trapped here in this little room with Tyson blocking the only exit. Too late, but I didn’t really think he’d stand in my way if I tried to leave.
Ariel’s face drained of all color, and she suddenly wouldn’t meet my eyes. She was too busy staring at Tyson with a strained look on her face.
“Isobel, Ty’s right. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I would never want to kick you out of your home. Not only would Rain kick my ass, but you’re a part of our family, and I would never treat you like that,” she said without looking at me once nor breaking eye contact with Tyson.
“Pretty words, but they don’t really mean much when just last night you were at Romero’s house saying nasty things about me. I know you were kidnapped as a child and had it rough growing up, so perhaps you don’t entirely understand how family works. Allow me to educate you. You do not bad mouth the people you care about, and you don’t allow other people to do it either. You don’t judge them for their mistakes. Instead, you love them for who they are and take them as they come. That’s how family works, but I guess that’s not how you work.”
I didn’t think it was possible, but her face got even paler. “Isobel, I don’t—”
I interrupted, cutting her off again, because I was on a roll. “I love your dad, and I’ve got feelings for both Romero and Finn. I’m not going anywhere, so whether you like it or not, you’re stuck with me. Luckily for you, I’m not like you, and family means everything to me, so I would never bad mouth you in front of anyone.” I waved my hand in the air, pointing at myself first and then her. “Unlike you, if I have something to say, I’ll say it to your face. But from here on out, I would appreciate it if you kept my name out of your mouth. And, while you’re at it, keep Finn’s name out of it too.”
Ariel’s eyes slipped to the side of Tyson and widened. She looked like she’d seen a ghost, but I didn’t care, I was almost done. I still had one more thing to say before I left. I didn’t know when I’d see her again, but I didn’t think we’d be so chatty when that time came.
I walked to where Tyson stood in the doorway and stopped. I looked back over my shoulder, and those haunted green eyes of hers finally met mine. “And, for fuck’s sake, they were pot brownies. What, were you worried he was going to laugh a lot and then eat his weight in potato chips? It’s not like it’s even any of your business anyways. What happens between Rain and me is between the two of us. He might be your father, but you don’t hold control over his life and who’s in it. If he could forgive me for something that doesn’t have fuck all to do with you, then don’t you think that maybe you ought to get over yourself and let it go?”
I turned back to face Tyson, and his eyes were incredibly soft as they traced over my face. It was a look I had only ever seen directed at Ariel and his uncle. I never expected to see it aimed my way.
“We’ll sort this out,” he reassured me quietly. “You’ll see.”
I saw everything just fine. Then again, I wasn’t exactly the problem here. I didn’t point that out to him, he already knew it.
He stepped forward, and I stood as still as a statue when he hugged me. My arms remained at my sides as he squeezed me tightly before letting go. He stepped back and to the side, getting out of my way and leaving the doorway empty.
What the hell just happened here? I couldn’t believe he’d hugged me. I couldn’t actually remember when the last time someone had hugged me. Maybe it had been my mother the day before she’d died. I used to hug her at the end of every day to wish her sweet dreams throughout the night.
It was as quiet as a tomb when I walked out of the storeroom, and I almost stumbled when I saw who was standing guard outside of the room—both the twins, Quinton, Dash, Julian, Trenton, and Simon.
At the very end of them all, standing side by side, were Rain and Romero. Judging by the concerned looks on all of their faces, I knew each and every one of them had been standing there for quite some time and not a single one of them liked anything they had just heard.
Still, they all stepped aside for me, and not a single one of them tried to stop me as I made my way to the front door and out of the store.
If Rain hated me for what I said to his daughter, then perhaps he wasn’t the man I thought he was. If he couldn’t stand up for me just this one time, then did I really want to be with him after that? I didn’t think so.
Perhaps Finn would enjoy being homeless with me while we both lived out of his car. Then again, Finn had a good thing going with Romero, and I really didn’t want to ruin it for him.
I unlocked the SUV, climbed inside, and got the heck out of there before anyone could come looking for me.
I thought about many things on the drive home, but the thing that stuck with me the most was that being with me would surely cause problems for all three of the men I cared about.
Rain was obviously Ariel’s father, as was Romero to Dash, and both of their children already hated Finn for whatever reason.
I had told Ariel that I wasn’t going anywhere, but was that really what was best for the three of them? I wasn’t so sure I thought so anymore. Maybe they’d be better off without me.
16
Promises, Promises
Rain
The quiet of the storm left behind by Isobel was so intense it felt like we were all waiting for a bomb to go off.
I didn’t know who to be more pissed at, but it certainly wasn’t Isobel. She had been right in everything that she’d said, and I was honestly mad at myself for not saying anything to Ariel when I saw her earlier.
