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“Tell that to the cry baby over there,” I replied, pointing at Jackson.
Jackson snorted and stood up. “You call me the cry baby? Say it again and see what happens.”
“BOYS!” This time it was Kat. We all turned to look at our sister. “You guys are seriously embarrassing. Especially you, Jackson. You were raised better than that.”
Jackson turned his anger on Kat. “Of course you would be okay with replacing Dad. We know you never loved him—”
Mom slammed her hands down on the table. “If you boys can’t act like civilized human beings and respect our guest, then leave. Take your fighting elsewhere.”
“Gladly,” Jackson chugged the rest of his drink and stormed from the room. As he left, he whispered a name that our dad often called me, “pussy.”
My fists were balled at my sides, and I’d had enough. I followed him into the hallway, grabbing ahold of his shoulder, and without realizing my own strength, slammed him into the wall.
“What did you fucking say to me?”
Jackson shoved me off him. “I called you a pussy. Because that’s what you are. Letting another man come in here and take over Dad’s spot, just because you didn’t get the praise you thought you deserved.”
Jackson’s speech was slurred, and I realized he had had more to drink than the one in the dining room. He’d been drinking for some time, maybe since after we parted ways at the pool.
“Dad hasn’t contacted anyone in over a year, Jackson. He doesn’t fucking care about any of us.”
“He’s depressed, Aiden. He’s depressed and he’s embarrassed.”
“No, he just found himself a young blonde sex toy and replaced Mom. Why can he replace her, but she isn’t allowed even an ounce of happiness?”
“You’re just mad because you know you were the disappointment in this family. You couldn’t even stay in the military—”
I pulled my hand back, but someone grabbed ahold of it before I could connect my fist to Jackson’s jaw.
Jackson headed for the stairs.
“You’re in denial, Jackson.”
I knew my words were lost on him. He didn’t even turn to look at me, just flipped me off when he got to the top of the stairs.
“There’s no getting through to him,” Nathan said, speaking softly.
“I know, but he can’t talk to Mom like that. He sounded just like Dad.”
“I know,” Nate said. “But you’re not going to get through to him when he’s drunk.”
I looked my brother in the eye. “Well, the way things are going lately, that means we’ll never get through to him.”
16
Nathan
Aiden took off up the stairs as I called after him, but it was no use. He was correct—Jackson had no right to talk to Mom, or anybody else like that. He needed to get over the split. He was a grown ass man, yet he was acting like a ten-year-old upset that his parents were divorcing and seeing other people.
My phone buzzed and when I checked it, my heart sank.
Nathan, I’m sooooo sorry.
It was a new number, since I had long since blocked the old one, but I had a feeling in the pit of my belly who was messaging me.
A second later, another message popped up, confirming my suspicions.
I knw I fuckd op whn i cheatd on u with Brett.I know we r getting married next month, but i made a big mistake. Pleas call me?
