Where the fuck did she come from?
Ryan calms himself when he hears her. “Maddy, go back inside,” he orders her through clenched teeth.
“No. This is your friend. He loves your sister and you know he’d never hurt her.”
His eyes swing to her, his eyebrow raised. “You knew?”
“What I don’t understand is how you didn’t know. Come on, Ryan. Just listen to him.” She steps back closer toward the door.
“Because my wife asked me to, I’m giving you five minutes.” He glares at me.
It feels like a knife’s been stuck right into my chest, slowly twisting, driving the agony even deeper. I can see the hate in his eyes when he looks at me. Ryan thinks I’ve betrayed him and I’ve hurt his sister.
It’s killing me.
“It just happened, man. We love each other and want to be together. I know how protective you are of her, you got to know I’d never do anything to hurt her. She means everything to me.”
“How long?” he asks through gritted teeth.
What should I say? Do I tell the truth? But if it slips out later and I don’t tell him the truth, he’ll hate me even more. Fuck I hate this.
“How long have you been in love with my sister? Don’t make me ask again.”
“I was attracted to her the first time I met her. But with the age difference I did nothing. Over the years all I could do was think about her. I got to see her grow into the person she is today through you. I fell in love with the person she is now.”
We stand there silently. Neither saying a word. I just wish I knew what he was thinking.
“You were attracted to my teenage sister? She was barely sixteen when you first met her.”
“I know,” I reply softly.
“Get the fuck out of my house and stay the hell away from my sister.” His voice rises higher with each word.
I step closer to him, he needs to understand. Extending my arm out, he slaps it away.
“Get the hell out of my house, Jeremiah.”
I can tell he’s getting more irate with each passing second.
“Jeremiah, go I’ll make sure Angel’s brought home.” Maddy steps over, making herself a buffer between Ryan and myself.
“Okay.” I turn and leave, hearing Maddy trying to reason with Ryan. But his last words cut me to the core.
“He’s not my friend. If he was, he would never be lusting after my sister like that.”
I don’t hear any more as I step inside the house. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I send Amberlee a message.
Me: It didn’t go well. He kicked me out.
Me: I’m on the way home I can meet you and get Angel
Amberlee: No.
Amberlee: Let me drop off RJ and I’ll bring Angel to you.
Me: Don’t your brothers pissed I don’t want to make him angrier.
Amberlee: He needs to grow up and learn I’m an adult. I’ll tell you when I’m on the way.
