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“They know…know about dad. The kids at school, I mean.”
He grabbed my arm gently, forcing my gaze to his. “Did they say something to you?” His tone turned cold. “Did they…hurt you?”
That shove came back to me, but I shook my head. “It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine if they hurt you, Ry.”
That ache inside me that already felt too much for this man and this family swelled inside me. “It’s nothing I can’t handle, put it that way.”
“Okay,” he gave a sigh. “I respect that. Butifit does ever get too much, I want you to come to me.”
I gave the ghost of a smile and nodded.
“Promise?”
My smile grew wider. He just didn’t leave well enough alone, did he? It was easy to see where his sons got their tenacity. “And it you're not comfortable telling me, then I want you to talk to the boys. They know the school and will help. Besides,” he gave a chuckle. “They seem to have taken an instant liking to you. I haven't seen Nick away from his damn games like this for ages.”
My body clenched tight, remembering the way he'd hauled me over his shoulder like I was a brat and carried me to the car in front of everyone.
“Now, about this food.” Creed slid the menus my way. “It’s your night, so your choice.”
I settled on my favorite, Chinese with soup dumplings, and when the food came, we sat in the living room, trying our best to impress each other with our pathetic skills using chopsticks. I found myself laughing when he grew frustrated and stabbed the thing and ate it, caveman style.
By the time mom came home, I was happy and stuffed. Creed’s sleeves were rolled up and he wore this kind of goofy grin on his face when she walked in, slightly intoxicated. Mom took one look at the two of us giggling like idiots on the sofa and chuckled. “Looks like you guys had a better night than I did.”
Good food.
Good company.
Sitting at home.
What more could I ask for?
Mom laughed again, kicked off her heels, and went to the kitchen. “I need water.”
I watched her leave, my gaze drifting to the shadowed outline behind Creed’s shoulder on the stairs, a shadow that moved when I stared longer, a shadow that stepped forward, glaring at me with betrayal.
A shadow which was going to be my stepbrother…
Tobias.
EIGHTEEN
ryth
“You ready, princess?”
I lifted my gaze from the keyboard, the scowl still trapped on my face. “Yeah.”
“Something bothering you?” He stepped closer, peering at the mess of information scribbled across a hundred different colored sticky notes attached to the wall behind my desk. “Looks complicated.”
“It is.” I shoved upwards, stepped around him, and grabbed my bag. “I think I’m going to die of old age before I get it finished.”
“At least you have some extra time,” he said carefully. “Seeing as how you’re staying home the next couple of days.”
My cheeks burned with the memory. Last night Creed had told mom that I’d had some trouble at school and that it seemed to be taking a toll on me. I hadn’t meant to break down and cry in front of him. I hadn’t meant to cry in front of anyone. It had just happened.
But mom just nodded and brushed her fingers along my cheek and over my mark before pulling me close. I think it was the alcohol more than anything that made her hug me. But still, I took it. This was the mom I remembered, the one grounded in reality and not distant and cold.
