Levi stands taller, planting his feet on the hardwood floor. I observe them both, thinking through each movement, before it happens. Watching for any disadvantage points Grant leavesopen for my strike. I am done letting him play with us, done letting him feast on our fear, before devouring it like dessert.
I stand tall, placing myself between Levi and Grant. I am the leader of this war, not Levi. “Sit down before you hurt yourself. There is no reason to go throwing a god damn tantrum. Remember what you did to me when I had a tantrum? Do you? Should I do that to you? Should I buzz all your hair, should I blacken your eyes? Should I make you eat off the kitchen floor like a fucking animal? Would that make you happy? Would that make you smile, Grant?” His eyes are darting rapidly as he bounces between Levi and me.
Watching his fists fold in, as his forearm grows with pressure, the veins wiggling like worms inside a rotten apple, I watch his arm flex, waiting to block his drunken move. “You are worthless. They may love you now, but trust me when I tell you they won’t forever. If your mother and I couldn’t stomach looking at the two of you, no one else in their right mind would ever do it voluntarily. You are a disgrace to mankind, to my good name. The day you two no longer walk this earth will be the greatest day of my life.” He stumbles as he tries to make his way over. Levi and I back up in unison, because let’s be honest, I don’t want to fight him, nor does Levi. “Run upstairs to your safe place, before I make today the day.” He turns around, walking back to his chair, as the feeling of jumping and making him pay floods my mind.
Instead, Levi takes me quickly, running us up the stairs, into his room, where he shuts and locks the door. “Damn, Letty, you got him good with your twisted tongue.” I plop onto his bed and kick off my shoes.
“I learned from the best.” Sitting down, I pull my phone out of my pocket, clicking the screen on, and I gasp.Shit, fuck, shit, fuck, I forgot Spencer was on the phone. My eyes drift to Levi,and I show him my lit-up screen, Spencer’s name in big letters with the timer that continues to count. Levi’s eyes grow as I place the phone on speaker.
“Spence?” Hesitation sounds as my words whisper out.
“Scar?” His voice is soft, laced with sadness.
“How much of that did you hear?” Levi places his hand over his face, awaiting the answer.
“All of it.” I feel it, his worry, the way he says those words, and honestly, I don’t even remember what I spewed back at Grant. I was in the moment, raging with pure hate.
“Spence, if I am not somber, you aren’t either. If I am strong, you are strong. Be strong, because right now I can’t afford to break.” Levi runs his hand through his hair before jumping in.
“We’re good, it was only words, and trust me when I tell you they don’t hurt us anymore. So please, don’t let them hurt you.” Spencer is quiet, taking in our words of endearment.
“I hate that I’m not with you, but soon our plan will be executed, and we won’t have to worry about this anymore.” Spencer agrees, but his tone still suggests he is struggling.
He lets out a long breath over the phone. “You’re right, just a few more days, and we will get him where it hurts.” That we will, and that will be the most freeing day of our lives.
We all talk on the phone, until I pass the phone to Levi while I go to shower. “Door cracked, Letty.” I make eye contact because I know he is nervous for two reasons. One, that I will barricade myself in there and secretly burn myself, which, I am happy to say, I haven’t since Levi’s birthday. Two, Grant storming up here, entering through the other door, and drowning me. Honestly, number two scares me, too. Listening, I crack the door and shower quickly.
Levi and I switch places, and he passes me the phone. Now it’s my turn to watch the door and make sure there is no loud thud.
“Hey, you,” I whisper into the phone, lying in my bed now with my room door locked and the bathroom door cracked, so that I can hear if anything goes south.
“Hey.” Spencer sounds quiet, almost out of breath.
“What’s going on over there?” As soon as the question comes out, my window slides open. Jumping into his arms, he embraces me as if he hasn’t seen me in months.
“Worried about what’s going on over here.” Spencer stepped through my window in his athletic shorts with a black t-shirt. “I got to thinking.” He grabs my hands, lacing his fingers between mine. “How can I protect you if I’m not with you? Everyone has let you down, baby. They failed to keep their promises, but not me. I’m keeping mine.” He kisses my lips, giving me back the breath he stole. “I decided two nights ago was the last night I’ll sleep alone. As long as you want me.”
Jumping into his arms, I wrap my legs around him. “I’ll always want you, Spencer Collins.” I kiss him intensely, until we are rudely interrupted by Levi.
“What the hell!” He closes his eyes immediately, “Yeah, I’m gonna need to see some space between you two.” Spencer sets me down as my legs untangle from around his waist.
Spencer and I walk to the bed, taking a seat, when Spencer looks up at Levi. “Sorry, I just couldn’t leave her, ya know. I know you got her. It just makes me feel better to know someone's got you, too.” Levi smiles widely, because this is what it’s like to be loved by someone unselfishly.
Chapter 45
Brother To Jack Rabbit
Spencer
Spending the night with Scarlett is a new normal I wouldn’t change for the world. Holding her, feeling her heartbeat in sync with mine, the way her body molds into me, as she presses herself against my chest. In my arms, I know for sure she is safe; she is home.
I held her while she dozed off to sleep after Levi ran out of her room with bleeding eyes. That was funny, not for him, but for me it was great. I watch Scarlett sleep peacefully with her headon my shoulder, her leg draped over mine, while her hand rests on my chest. Watching her, how often does she sleep like this? How frequently did Grant storm in here and fill her beautiful brain with fear? My eyes take in her flawless skin, the mole on her right cheekbone, a small scattering of peppered freckles along her nose, and she has approximately twelve sunspots. Her eyes twitch back and forth, watching her long eyelashes flutter in motion as she dreams.What does she dream of?I don’t want to wake her, but I know my mom will be knocking on my door at home soon, given that it is half past seven. Ever so carefully, I scoot from under Scarlett, hoping like hell I don’t wake my resting beauty queen.
“Spence?” She moans as her grip holds tighter, her leg squeezes mine into her warmth. How can I possibly get up when the sound of my name falls from her lips like that? Instead of rolling off the bed, I rolled back into her. I grab her body, pressing her small frame into mine.
“Go back to sleep, baby. You sleep so well when you're pressed up against me.” She buries her face in the crook of my neck.
“What time is it?” Her warm breath hits my neck, sending a wave of warmth throughout my body.
