I wanted to kill himand then kick my own ass.
Withevery hateful word he spewed aboutShane, I could feel my balls shriveling up and the feeling ofemasculation was drowning me with each moment that I didn’t defendher.
When Ihad gotten out of bed this morning,it had surprised me that the guys were already up and so I sentthem out to grab some breakfast so that Shane would have somethingto take with her to eat before she started her waitressingshift.
I knewshe was going to be tired, and it wasmy responsibility to take care of her the best I could. When thedoor to the house opened, I had expected it to be my brothers. Ihad never imagined it would be my father, and he’d be here becauseof that stupid fight. I should have known better than to think itwouldn’t have been videotaped or put on social media.
And now we were allpaying the price for it. For my hotheadedness.
“Don’t threaten me, Dad,”Michael replied to my father’s threat, and everyone in the roomknew that tone.
My father cleared histhroat and backtracked as best he could. Even he knew Michael’stemper was deadly. “I’m not threatening you. I’mremind-”
Whateverbullshit he was about to spewwas interrupted by the sound of a door shutting down thehallway.
Shanewas awake.
Fuck!
All ourattentions centered on the opening from the hallway intothe living room and within seconds,Shane appeared in all her morning after glory.
Hers eyesscattered throughout the room,landing briefly on each of one of us and, for some reason, her gazeremained on Aiden as she finally spoke. “I…uhm…I’m sorry,” shesaid, her voice firm but small. “I…didn’t mean to…intrude, but…yourvoices were carrying,” she uttered, this time her voice softeningtowards the end. She nodded towards the front door. “I’ll just beon my way. I…you guys are…private. Uh, family…I…uhm…”
“Shane…” Aiden began,but got cut off by my father.
“Are youfucking serious?” I turned toface him. “That’s her, right? You’re telling me she means nothingto you, but the entire time we’ve been talking, she’s been in yourfucking bed, Mason? You actually brought a fucking girlhere?!”
“This is noneof your business!” I thundered.
“Like hellitisn’t!”
Myretortwas halted when Shane’svoice broke through our shouting match. “I…I’m sorry.”
My father turned toher. “What?”
This timeShane’seyes were focused onmy fuck of a father when she spoke. “I’m sorry, Mr. Buchanan. I’msorry if my…if I’m…if there are problems stemming from my rela…fromknowing Mason.”
“Shane…” This time it wasMichael addressing her.
She glanced athim really quickly beforereturning her attention to my father. “I’m sorry about the video,but there’s nothing that can be done about that now.” Shanereadjusted her backpack strap around her shoulder and then huggedher laptop to her chest tighter. “But you don’t have to worry aboutthe…the rest. Mason and I are just frien…” Her face flushed as shewent on. “We just know each other. He wasn’t lying when he told youwe’re not…”
Thatanswers that.
Sheoverheard enough, and she overheardall my responses to my dad’s accusations.
I had to avertmy eyes, even though she was focusing on my father, because Icouldn’t lookather.
“Whatthe fuck are you talkingabout?” Michael bit out.
Shaneignored him and keptaddressing my father. “Please don’t fight on account of this…me. Wewere just having a little fun, Mr. Buchanan. I’m sorry,” sheapologized again before walking towards the front door.
“Having fun?” Gabe asked,incredulously.
Icouldn’tstand it any longer.I couldn’t have her believing the shit I said. “Shane.” She frozefor a second but snapped out of it and turned the doorknob to openthe door.
“Bye, guys,”shemumbled, opening thedoor.
I wasacross the room and slamming thefront door shut in front of her before she knew what hit her. Myback was covering her, and my lips were at her ear. “Shane, pleaselisten-”
