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He shrugs. “That’s some of it. We all have family issues, Kate.”
I feel guilty when I realize I hardly know anything about any of their lives outside of this house. The banging continues and I jump as I hear Asher and Ax start yelling at each other.
“You should go help,” I tell him.
He stands in the doorway arguing with himself silently. “I’ll be back in a few minutes to check on you, alright?”
I want to tell him not to come back. But I don’t say anything. He disappears from the doorway and I sit there silently as I listen to more bangs and yelling. When it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be subsiding any time soon I climb out of bed to follow the noise.
Outside Ax’s room something slams against the door making it shake and I jump. I don’t know what I’m even doing, but I hesitantly push the door open praying nothing comes flying at my head.
“Get out of here, Kate,” Asher snaps.
I know his anger isn’t at me so I ignore him. The room looks like a hurricane went through it. The bed is off the frame, lamps broken on the floor and Ax has a baseball bat in his hands that he is smashing against the shadow boxes of comics.
His swinging stops when he spots me and Eli eyes me nervously.
“What’s going on?” I ask quietly and Ax glares at me.
“None of your business,wife.”
I grit my teeth. His glazed eyes have me guessing he’s drunk. And apparently an angry drunk.
“You’re throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of the night.”
He chuckles darkly. “Did I interrupt your beauty sleep, princess?”
“Ax, man, it’s not her fault,” Asher sighs.
“No,” Ax agrees. “It’s not. It’s mine. Because I saved you, right?” He snaps. “That’s what you said. Said that I shouldn’t have saved you.”
My throat tightens as I just glare at him.
“Because if I didn’t save you, none of this would be happening, would it!” He growls as he throws the bat at the wall and stalks towards me.
Eli steps to the side, ready to grab at him but Ax keeps his distance.
“Wouldn’t have gotten raped, wouldn’t have these guys hunting you down, wouldn’t have to make deals with my dad, all to keep fucking saving you.”
“Fuck you, Ax. I never asked you to!”
“You didn’t have to ask!” He snaps, stepping closer again. “Because all you have to do is look at me with those big green fucking eyes and I’d do anything for you.”
My heart pounds and Eli shakes his head.
“Enough man. Let’s head to the gym—”
“I’d rather kiss my goddamn wife but I can’t do that anymore can I, Katie? Because even now all you do is stare at me like that.”
“Like what,” I breathe nervously.
“Like you hate me.”
I grit my teeth. I want to hate him. I need to hate him. I have to hate all of them. I can’t just forget everything he has done and lied about. They’ve all lied to me. They’ve all played me. Hurt me. But I can’t find the words to tell him I hate him. The idea of saying it out loud makes my stomach twist upside down.
“I’m mad at you,” I choke out. “I’m scared of you.”
His face falters and I feel even Eli and Asher eye me with surprise.
