Chapter 25
Amberlee
I’m fucking livid. Whathas gotten into my brother?
It’s taking everything in me to hold it together and not break down in front of the kids. I knew Ryan would be livid, but I never expected him to kick Jeremiah out of the house, not with them being such good friends.
The kids put their ice cream picks on the checkout counter and I wait for the young teenage girl to ring it up. She’s quiet. Not saying anything to me other than the obligatory hello. I wonder if she can sense the turmoil in me right now.
“It will be twenty dollars and seventeen cents,” she announces with a smile. Pulling my debit card from my wallet, I quickly tap it on the machine and put in my PIN.
“Thank you for shopping at Hollen Foods.” She hands me my receipt and I pick up the bags taking one of the kids' hands in each of mine and head outside to the car.
I need to break the news to Angel that her father is gone and that she won’t be staying at the house. As pissed as I imagine my brother is, I wouldn't want her to stay either. One wrong slip of the tongue in front of a child could be disastrous.
The closer to the house I get the more red I see. This is my life. How dare Ryan try to dictate what I can and cannot do.
My eyes keep drifting up to the rearview mirror, taking in small glances at the children while still trying to pay attention to the road.
It’s now or never. Angel needs to know.
“Angel, your dad messaged me and he had to go home. So just stay in the car and I’m going to run RJ inside and then take you home.”
“But I wanted ice cream,” she pouts.
“We’ll take the one you picked home for you and your daddy,” I comfort her, which makes her smile.
As I turn into the driveway I pull Maddy’s SUV to a stop and undo my seat belt. I make quick work of rearranging things so that the cool treat Angel picked out is in its own bag.
In and out. That’s all it’s going to be.
“RJ, undo your seatbelt. Angel, stay in yours, I will be right back out.” Normally, I wouldn’t leave a kid in the car, but it’s the driveway and I don’t want her to be exposed to my brother's toxicity right now.
I grab the bags, opening the door for RJ. He takes off at a bolt toward the house, but quickly halts in his step at the porch, not going inside. Odd. It’s when I get closer that I can hear Maddy and Ryan’s raised voices inside.
“Are Mommy and Daddy fighting?” His soft, cracking voice has my heart breaking.
“No, I’m sure they’re just excited about something. When we get inside go straight to your room and put your shoes away.”
“Okay.” The frown still on his face shows me he’s more concerned about what he’s hearing than being sent to his room.
I take hold of the handle, opening the door slightly, sticking my head in and shout, “We’re back.”
It does exactly what I hoped it would, making them lower their voices.
“Go on to your room,” I remind him, before he takes off toward the hallway.
I take a deep breath and head into the lion's den to face, well, the lion, since it’s Ryan’s wrath that’s going to rain down on me like hellfire.
Stepping into the kitchen I set the bag down on the counter, Ryan’s fuming as he glares at me, and Maddy’s face is stern as she gazes at him.
“For the record, your son heard you arguing and he’s in his room upset. Maddy, I’m using your SUV and taking Angel home, she’s in it waiting for me.”
“The hell you are!” Ryan barks, slamming his hands down on the kitchen counter.
“Excuse me?” spews from my mouth as I try to reign in my anger, remembering there’s a child in the house who doesn’t need to see the people he loves arguing.
“You’re not going anywhere near him. That asshole, my best friend has been perving on you since you were a child. “
