We both flinch, sending one another worried looks as a fist bangs on my door. Interrupting our peaceful morning.
“Who the hell is knocking on my door like that?” I mutter angrily as Amelia scurries off my lap.
She follows closely behind me as I make my way to our early morning inconvenience.
I feel her fingertips touch my bare back as I open the door.
Oh.
I didn’t think this would happen right now.
“What the fuck, Amelia?” Leonidas sneers at us on my doorstep with his girlfriend and brother behind him.
The two send apologetic looks to Amelia as her oldest brother fumes in my face.
My girlfriend’s hand wraps around my biceps and pulls me back, so she can come face-to-face with him. “Leonidas, please listen to me—”
“I’m not mad,” he interrupts. “I’m just annoyed you kept this only from me. Yes, I think you deserve better—”
Amelia interrupts him with a loud scoff as she pushes his shoulder.
“But,” he says, giving her a serious look, “I’ll get used to it. But what makes me even madder is the fact that Dad fucking threatened you and you didn’t say anything.”
Pushing into my house, they all crowd my entranceway, and I lock my door shut and pinch the bridge of my nose.
It’s too early for all this talking.
“I’m sorry. My intentions weren’t to hurt any of you. But I was so confused. I didn’t even know how to bring it up since you didn’t know about us yet.” She gestures to where I lean against the wall beside her.
“Amelia, you let him win.” Leonidas grabs her shoulders in a firm grip. “He wanted you to be scared. So, that way, you’d never tell anyone what was going on. But we’re a fucking team. We tell each other everything, and that includes our relationships … okay?”
When he pulls her into his arms, she visibly relaxes at his support.
“I can never stay mad at you for long.”
“How come that doesn’t apply to me as well?” Elijah scoffs, crossing his arms across his chest.
Leonidas turns to his brother. “Because you’re you.”
“That’s it.” He throws his hands in the air. “Amelia is my favorite sibling.”
“Ditto,” he snarks back.
I look over at Trinity to see if she’s going to butt in, but she just shrugs her shoulders at me, like this is normal.
Pulling Amelia’s back to my chest, I speak loudly over the arguing brothers. “All right, when are we going to confront your dad?”
“As soon as possible. I’ll do that shit right now,” Elijah says strongly, his eyebrows frowning because he’s clearly displeased.
“Count me in,” Leonidas says just as angrily.
We all look over at Trinity, who’s inspecting her long nails with a pursed mouth. “I already have my bat in the trunk.”
I know Amelia’s nervous. I can feel her tense muscles, but the faster we get this over with, the freer we’ll be.
“You got this, honey. We’re all behind you.”
Leonidas cringes at my words, for sure not used to us yet, but I don’t give a shit.
