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If this had been Brody’s handiwork, Drake really was going to kill him.
He just hoped he could prove that Brody was the culprit. Otherwise, it would be his word against his cousin’s.
After filing a police report, Drake and Ajax returned to Drake’s vandalized house. Thankfully, they were able to board up the windows and clean up most of the mess.
Drake had never felt so violated before, and it only made him angrier at his cousin. He was tempted to go and hunt him down, but he knew it would only make matters worse. He had to let the police do their job.
Maybe, one day, Brody would realize the mistake he had made and apologize. Until then, Drake would do what he could to protect himself and his property. He still couldn’t believe that his cousin could do something like that to him. It was heartbreaking. So many of Drake’s things had been destroyed.
“We can stay at my place,” Ajax suggested after he cleaned eggs off the wall in the kitchen. It was as if Brody had used the wall as target practice with the dozen eggs that had been in the fridge.
“I don’t want to leave.” Drake looked around, balling his hands into fists. “What if he comes back and destroys my house all over again? What if he breaks more windows or puts more holes in the walls?”
Ajax stepped closer to Drake and placed a gentle hand on his arm. “I’ll stay with you. I won’t let anything happen to you or your home.”
Drake looked up at Ajax, grateful for his presence. “Thank you.”
There was no way in hell Drake was going to let Brody step foot back in the house. “I want to pack his things and set them on the porch for now, until I can get them to his mom’s.”
Drake was certain Brody had done this because, one, his cousin’s room had been untouched. Two, some of Brody’s things were gone, as if he’d packed a hasty bag and left.
Ajax led Drake to his bedroom and helped him sit on the edge of the bed. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.
Drake shook his head. “I just can’t believe he would do this to me,” he said, his voice quivering. “We’re family. How could he do something so malicious?”
Ajax sat down beside Drake and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “Sometimes, even family can hurt us. It’s not your fault, Drake.”
Drake leaned into Ajax’s embrace, feeling the warmth and safety that he provided. “I just feel so violated,” he said. “All of my personal space has been invaded. We need to flip my mattress if we’re going to sleep on it tonight.”
“We’ll fix it,” Ajax said, his voice firm and reassuring. “We’ll make everything he’s done better.”
Drake looked up at Ajax, their eyes meeting. “Did you see how many holes are in my walls? The living room, kitchen, bathroom, and my bedroom. That’s a lot of anger, Ajax.”
“He’s pissed you kicked him out and is acting like a damn tantrum-throwing child.” He kissed Drake’s temple. “I doubt he’ll return, but if he does, I’ll deal with him.”
“Just don’t kill him,” Drake said. “Beat his ass, but don’t kill him.”
Brody was a straight-up dickhead, but he was still family, and his aunt would be devastated if Brody was killed. Drake wanted his cousin arrested, to pay for what he’d done. Drake had opened his home to him, had loaned Brody money, paid the bills, and bought groceries for both of them, and this was how his cousin thanked him.
An ass-kicking would serve Brody right.
“I promise not to kill him,” Ajax said. “But be warned. If he puts a hand on you, all bets are off.”
Drake nodded. “I appreciate that.”
They got up from the bed, and Drake gestured for Ajax to follow him to his cousin’s room, where he began to gather up Brody’s things, stuffing them into a backpack. He was determined to get everything out of his house so it would feel like his own again.
When he was done, they placed the backpack outside the door, and Drake put up a sign reading, “Trespassers will be shot. Also, I have a wolf, and I’m not afraid to use him.”
Ajax chuckled when he read it. “Very true.”
He turned to Ajax and smiled. “Let’s go back inside. I’m feeling better already.”
Ajax smiled back, and they went inside, Drake feeling secure, knowing he wasn’t alone in this. Ajax would always have his back, and for that, he was thankful.
Tonight, they would turn his house into a home again.
Chapter Nine
