“I guess that’s your way,” he said.
“Yeah, I guess.”
We fell silent again. But this time, it was nothing like the usual comfortable quiet between us. Something heavy sat in the air, and I hated that I couldn't name it. After a couple of minutes, I decided to call it a night.
“Wanna call it a night?”
Di stiffened before nodding and getting up. I didn’t miss the way he flinched and pressed a hand to his stomach. Without thinking, I grabbed his wrist and stopped him. I didn’t let him pull away as I lifted his sweater up. Right there on the left side of his ribs was a purple bruise.
“What the fuck!?” I said, my voice coming out too loud.
I saw red. Who the fuck hurt him? Di pulled away and lowered his sweater. He wouldn’t look at me. Just stared at the floor like he wanted to disappear.
“I’m fine.”
“You call this fine? Who did this?”
Who did I need to beat the crap out of for touching my brother? I had been here before, once with Luc and once with Bren. The ones who had raised their hands on them… well, let's just say they would forever remember me every time they closed their eyes. Not even changing schools would help those bullies forget.
“I’m asking again, and I want an answer. Who. Did. This?”
“Just leave it, okay? I handled it.”
“You’re not alone. You don’t need to handle it by yourself.”
His green eyes bore into mine. I didn't know what he saw there, but he sighed and sank back onto the couch. Burying his face in his hands, he started speaking. "His nickname is Av. I don't know his full name. He's not bullying me or anything like that. It was just a one-time thing."
“What happened?” I’d heard of the guy, and I knew who he was.
"He was mocking a gay kid, and I stepped in. I got the beating for it. Then one of his buddies recognized me and said that I was a Hughes. Av freaked out, apologized, and ran off."
I will fucking kill this guy. No one is touching my family.
“I’ll take care of it.”
Di only nodded. I ruffled his hair and pulled him into a hug. It was a bit awkward, but I tried to offer some support. I wasn’t very good at this. He clung back for a second, then let go.
“Thanks, but I’m fine. He won’t bother me again.”
He won't. I'd make sure of it. No one hurt my brothers and walked away the same. No one ever continued to live a normal life after laying a hand on one of them. Diablos was my family. I protected what was mine. Always.
Chapter eight
Diablos
Iwanted time to reverse so we could return to last night and its games. The tension in the room was suffocating. We were all lost in thought, like we were waiting for a judge to deliver our prison sentences. My mind was yet again exaggerating things. A voice kept insisting that everything would change today.
When I was about to ask where our dad was, he entered the room. He scanned all of us, his gaze lingering on Dagon, whose body became even more rigid. So much for not looking at him. My eyes were like magnets when it came to him.
He always had these pissed-off vibes. Right now, his eyes could freeze anyone on the spot. Literally.
I didn’t know what to expect anymore. My insides churned. All these nerves and unpredictability were making me sick.
Luckily, before I got even more entangled in the spiderweb of my thoughts, King broke the staring contest with Dagon. He sat down in the chair across from us and said with authority I’d never heard: “Dagon, sit.” When Dagon didn’t move, our father slowly repeated, “Sit. Right. Now.”
Dagon exhaled heavily but did as he was told. When everyone turned to our father expectantly, what came out of his mouth made us all look at him as if he had just declared he was an alien. But his words weren't what made me look twice. No, it was the way he said them.
“I know what I have to say to you today will be hard to hear. I also know you will probably think I’m crazy. Many questions will arise, but I need you to only listen.”
