AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Gabriel’s eyes rounded. I stroked his hair, but I fell short of a soothing smile. It wouldn’t form no matter how I tried.
“I told you I don’t have the money—”
“You’ve got that swank ass job, so don’t tell me you don’t have the money.”
My hand vibrated as my irritation rose. “I’m an assistant—”
“They’ll kill me.” Fear infused his voice, a wild swing from the anger there only a second ago.
“You brought those people to my doorstep. It’s your responsibility to make them go away,” I said callously.
I loved my brother. But I’d enabled him most of our lives by trying to help. This time, he’d taken things too far.
“Just help me out one more time, and I swear I’ll quit.” His voice cracked. I’d fallen for this before because I’d wanted it to be true so badly.
“I don’t believe you,” I said quietly.
Gabriel buried his face against my side and clutched me around my middle. My tension was palpable, and he deserved better than to deal with my stress.
“Holly, come on. Please. I got in over my head.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and envisioned the four men who’d shown up at my house, looking for my brother. That made it much easier to stand my ground.
“I’m sorry, but—”
“You’re supposed to be my family!” he exploded.
“Which makes it unbelievable you’d put us in this situation,” I said, keeping my voice calm.
“I need the fucking money.”
Gabriel heard every word. Most of Manhattan probably had at the decibel level Jason screamed.
“I’ve told you how I’ll help you. If you aren’t willing to do that—”
“I’ll go once I get these people off my back.” That was a lie, and we both knew it. My brother couldn’t get clean until he wanted to more than I wanted him to.
“That won’t work.”
“You don’t understand. You’re on your high horse and never help me out.” His shouted words stung. I understood addiction as well as he did. Maybe better. “I NEED THE MONEY! COME HOME RIGHT NOW!”
“I’m not listening to this.” I hung up the phone.
The guilt came fast and furious. Telling Jason no was the right thing to do, but that didn’t mean it was easy. I feared for his life. If the drugs didn’t take it, the people he was involved with would. Somehow, I felt responsible for him even though he’d been the one to make all the terrible choices along the way. We were the product of the same environment, yet he’d succumbed to that world while I’d run as far away as I could.
“Is Uncle Jason mad at us?” Gabriel blinked up at me with a sheen over his sky blue eyes.
Anger consumed me all over again. It was one thing for my brother to drag me into his problems but completely another for them to touch my son. I wouldn’t tolerate that.
I stroked his hair. “He’s had a bad day.”
“We could draw him a picture. That would make him feel better.”
My heart melted. Somehow, my boy was the kindest soul I’d ever known, no matter I couldn’t give him the perfect life he deserved.
“It would.” I checked the time on my phone. “We’d better be fast. Miss Jacobs invited us to have New Year’s dinner with her family.”
His eyes lit. “I’ll be as fast as lightning.”
