He shrugged. “Notsure.”
She threw herhands in the air and let out a frustrated squeak. “Big brothers, get inside.Now.” Turning to me with a grimace, she said, “Huck, I’m sorry these twoidiot-sticks dragged you into our family drama. They’re good guys, well,mostly. But I’m sure you have more important things to do than worry about meand my dumbass siblings. I’m so sorry they wasted your time.”
I was summarilydismissed, so I nodded, turned around and grabbed the trash, before heading tothe chute. Once I’d dumped the garbage, I made my way back to my sister’s tofind the hallway clear, so I stepped inside her apartment and made my way tothe shower.
* * *
Daisy
“Oh my god, if Ihad time to murder both of you, I would.”
“Who’s thedouche?” Cash asked.
“First, he’s nota douche,” I hissed. “And he’s Louisa’s boyfriend.”
Archer groaned.“Fuck, your hot neighbor’s got a man?”
“Can we pleasestop talking about Huck?” I snapped. “Why are you here?”
“Because youwent to Elixir without one of us having your back and you took Teagan who’s underage,”Cash said, in a ‘duh’ tone.
“I didn’t takeanyone anywhere.Shesurprised me with a girls’ night out for mybirthday.” I let out a frustrated squeal. “Notthat I need to justify myactions to you two dickheads.”
“The second yougot there, you should have texted one of us,” Cash said.
“Why?” Ichallenged.
“Because—”
Before Cashcould finish his sentence, someone pounded on my door and then it opened,revealing my father.
I settled myhands on my hips. “Really, Daddy?”
“Baby girl, somerandom asshole puts his hands on my kid, you don’t think I’m gonna do somethin’about that?”
My hallway waswired for picture and sound, and it went so much further than a doorbell cam.My parents, the club, my brothers and I had access to over six cameras outsidemy building, in my stairwell, in my elevators, on my floor, and directlyoutside my door. My father knew the second Huck made contact with Cash and wasprobably on his bike before my brother’s face hit the wall.
I threw my handsin the air. “He thought they were threatening me!”
“And why thefuck would some random guy care if your brothers were threatenin’ you?”
“First of all,he didn’t know they were my brothers and second of all, I would hope thatanyonewould care if someone,anyone, regardless of who they were, would beconcerned if I were being threatened, and that you would also want said anyoneto care if I were being threatened, and be happy they didsomething to stopit,” I screeched.
“Well, thosewere a lot of words there, Ducky,” Daddy murmured, stroking his beard with anamused expression on his face.
I took a deepbreath and glared at my family. I tended to get flustered when I was irritated.To be honest, I tended to get flustered when I was emotional, and I often had ahard time getting my words out.
Daddy thought itwas cute, Cash thought it was weird, Archer wasn’tquitesure what to dowith me, but Mom would just wait for me to gather my thoughts until I could getout what I needed to say.
I bit back tearsand took another deep breath.
“Aw, don’t cry,Ducky,” Archer said, pulling me in for a hug.
See? He had nofucking clue what to do with me.
“I’m not cryingbecause I need a hug, Arch,” I snapped. “I’m crying because it’s my body’s wayof releasing stress and negative emotions. The kind of emotions that make mewant tomurderyou.”
He stepped backslowly, raising his hands in surrender.
