AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Mybigbrother.Thosewords still don’t make any sense to me. After everything that’s happened, I can’t help the pang in my chest that wants to know him, to have a relationship with him, and to not lose every piece of my family. So no pressure or anything. I take my seat at the table and gratefully accept a glass of water from Wade.
“You didn’t drug this, did you?”
“Not this time, but you never know.” He winks playfully at me, and I can feel heat creep up my neck.
I watch as Gray once again sets up his laptop and clicks around to make sure he has the right part of the recording ready to go. The other guys talk quietly about how to begin this conversation, but since I don’t know anything about Eddie or how he’ll react, I stay quiet and sip my water. Sooner than I’m prepared for, there’s a knock at the door, and Wade goes to answer it. When he and Eddie walk through the kitchen door, my brother’s eyes flash to where I’m sitting, but he quickly looks away.
I can’t deny the disappointment that courses through me at being dismissed. Hayes sees my face fall, and his feet tangle with mine beneath the table. I look up at him, and he smiles at me, which makes me feel a little better about things. These things take time, and like Gray said, Eddie has basically been conditioned to hate me. I need to chill the fuck out.
“Hey, bro. Thanks for coming by on such short notice.” Adler and Eddie do some weird handshake that is both ridiculous and sweet.
“Of course, man. There’s actually some stuff I need to talk to you guys about, so I’m glad you wanted to see me alone.” He glances at me again, and I wonder if that’s some sort of hint that he doesn’t want me here.
I start to stand. “I can go in the other room, so you guys can have some privacy.”
“No, Little Bird. You’re staying right where you are.” Gray pulls me down into my seat without taking his eyes off his computer.
Wade offers me a reassuring smile before he turns his attention to Eddie. “Okay, what we’re about to tell you is going to be hard to hear. We learned about this today, and we’re still trying to process, but timing is of the essence in matters like this. Please, listen to everything we have to say before you jump to conclusions or try to leave, okay?”
“Don’t be so dramatic, Wade. I’m going to hear you out, no matter what it is.” Eddie sounds so confident, and I’m curious to see how his demeanor changes with this news.
Wade looks to Gray, and he starts his rundown. “Okay, so this morning, Rory was able to get a recording of Henry confessing to killing our fathers and attempting to do the same to all of us. It’s pure gold. The problem is, he revealed some information about Mal and her hand in the deaths of our mothers. Why don’t you listen, and we’ll go from there.” Eddie gives a single nod, and Gray presses play.
I zone out a little because I don’t really want to listen to my father saying these horrible things for the third time today. The guys are slightly less tense than they were this morning, but it’s clear that they are still just as angry but now also worried about how their brother is going to handle the revelation. To Eddie’s credit, he’s taking it well. He looks like he’s chewing on the inside of his cheek, and his fingertips are digging into his forearm, but other than that, he almost looks calm. I guess, given who his parents are, maybe this should have been expected.
The important part of the recording is over, and Gray stops it. Everyone’s eyes are on Eddie, and he’s staring a hole through the table. He straightens up, clears his throat, and looks directly at Wade.
“I knew, but before you freak out and get mad at me, Mal just told me last night. I don’t think she even meant to, but she was all over the place after we left here yesterday, and she was saying all kinds of crazy shit. She let it slip about Adler and Hayes’ mom, so I pressed her, and she admitted to all of it. Of course, she swore me to secrecy, but I’ve been trying to figure out how I was going to tell you all. I’d never hide it from you guys.”
“Fuck. I guess there goes any doubt about Henry being a fucking liar, then,” Adler mutters.
“Did she add any other details that we should know?” Wade’s face is all business, but I remember how he broke down, and I admire how strong he’s staying in this moment.
“No, she didn’t. Honestly, what Henry told you was more than what I got from her, but I can confirm that she admitted to it. I wish I could say I was more surprised, but I think Mom has suffered from a lot of things for much longer than we’ve been alive. If it wasn’t your families she went after, it would have been someone else’s. I’m sorry, guys.” Eddie sounds so defeated, and I wish I could give him a hug or like, three seconds of eye contact that doesn’t make me think he wants to kill me.
“I want her gone, Eddie. Mal deserves to die for what she’s done. You have to know I
don’t say that lightly, and it isn’t a decision that we came to carelessly. You’re our brother, and we love you, but we know this will be different and more difficult for you, so let’s talk this out.”
It’s quiet for a minute while Eddie absorbs what Wade has said, and no one is going to push him. I desperately want to get up and leave because I feel like I’m intruding on an important family conversation. I know if I try though, it’ll just result in the guys making a big deal about wanting me to stay, and I really don’t feel like replicating Mal’s drama from yesterday.
“I know you guys love her. I do too, she’s my mom. We’ve all had our own unique experiences with her, but as the youngest, I’ve probably spent the most time alone with her. She used to lock me in the closet when I’d misbehave, and sometimes she’d leave me there for days at a time. She’d rant and rave that I was just like Henry and how she’d die before she let me turn out like that. I’m not going to go into it all right now, but she and I have a lot of our own issues that you guys know nothing about. I’m not saying she deserves to die for those things, but if you add them together with the fact that she’s an actual murderer and how that affected all of you too, I understand. I have enough of her in me to see your decision for what it is and be okay with it, as fucked up as that is.”
“Eddie, dude, why didn’t you ever tell us? We could have gotten you out of there or done something to help you.” To my surprise, it’s Adler speaking first, but I can tell all of the guys are on the same page as him.
“You were all starting to do really well for yourselves, and this wasn’t all the time. I didn’t want to be the reason you lost anything else in your lives. You’re my big brothers, you did what you could.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal, but I can clearly see that this person is a far better man than our father ever was.
“I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through. It takes a very strong person to deal with the things you have. That all of you have.” The words are out of my mouth before I can take them back.
Everyone turns their attention to me, and I really want to leave now. “Thank you, Rory. I appreciate that.” Eddie and I lock eyes for a moment before he looks away, but I can’t help feeling like it was a step in the right direction.
“So does this mean you’re cool with us killing Mal, or are we going to have an issue?” I want to slap Gray upside the head for sounding so callous, but Eddie chuckles, so I keep my hands to myself.
“Fuck, man, I don’t know. I want to move on from all this. I understand what you have to do and why, but I don’t want to help. Can that be good enough?”
“As long as it means you aren’t helping her, I’m good with that.” It’s a question without actually asking, but Eddie looks at Wade thoughtfully.
“I would never do anything to go against my brothers. You’re my family and have always done right by me. I’m on your side, always.” They stand up and do that bro thing where they hug aggressively and slam their palms against each other’s backs loudly. It’s cute.
