Aiden sat upstraightand shrugged ashoulder. “We go wherever you go, Mason. Fuck Dad.”
I dropped myhead in my hands and ran myfingers through my hair. I appreciated everything they were saying,but could I really ask my brothers to risk their financial futuresbecause I fell in love? Because of my selfish wants and needs? “Andif we all end up out on the streets?” I asked.
Michael’sdimples came out. “We won’t end up on the streets, Mase. We’ll alljust shack up withShane.”
I letouta huff. “Right now, Ithink she’d rather see us homeless.”
Michaelscoffed. “Puhlease. She mightwant to seeyouhomeless, but shelikes me.”
Gabriel gotback to being serious. “Look, Mase, it’s not like we’re destitute.Everything we have is paidfor, so our allowances have been doing nothing but growing in abank account. Yeah, Dad can cut us off from any future monies andkick us out of this house, but the bank accounts were turned overto us the second we each turned 18. He can’t touch them,” hereminded us all. “We can live off that until we find jobs orwhatever.”
“We canevenstill afford to go hereif we’re careful,” Michael added.
“They’re right,Mase,” Aiden joined in. “The one thing Dad can’t take away from usis our last name.Even withoutDad supporting us, doors will open for us using our last namealone.”
I droppedmyhead back and closed myeyes. No matter what happened, I’d never be able to repay them thismoment in time. “What if she doesn’t forgive me?” I asked, voicingmy real concern. “It’s important to me that she’s happy. What if Ican no longer make her happy?”
“She’ll forgiveyou, Mason,” Aiden replied. “Once she sees you’ve given up everything you have for her,she’ll forgive you.”
“I wish it werethat simple, Aid,” I said. “Ilet her down like everyone else in her life has. I’m just likeeveryone else now.”
They all remained silentbecause they knew it was true. I made her feel worthless, and thatknowledge was gutting me wide open. I felt like I was being eatenalive with self-loathing and regret. I should have told my dad togo fuck himself. She should have witnessed how much she did matter,but instead, she saw another foster family sending herback.
Fucking Christ.I couldfeel the heat begin behind my eyes and I was pretty fucking sure mybrothers were going to witness me cry for the first time in theirlives. “For the first time in my life, I don’t know what to do,” Iadmitted.
“Let me think,”Michael whispered to himself mostly, and we all stayedsilentas he did his thing.Like I said, Michael could assess calmly when everyone else aroundhim panicked. After a lot of mumble utterances none of us couldmake out, Michael looked up at us with a smile on his face. “Let’shead home this Friday, after classes, and tell Dad to go fuckhimself. It’ll give Shane all week to calm down and it’ll give usall weekend to come up with a plan if all else fails.”
Gabelooked over at him as if he’d losthis mind. “That’syourplan?”
Mike rolled hiseyes. “We tell himin front of Mom, Gabe. Wemake sure to tell him in front of Mom. It’ll be her one chance todo the right thing and if she doesn’t, then we kill two birds withone fuck off stone.”
“Do you reallythink, after all this time, Mom will actually stand up for us,”Iasked, skeptical.
Michael smiled. “Oh,yeah.”
I narrowedmy eyes at him. He knewsomething. I just hoped whatever it was worked in ourfavor.
Chapter 23
Shane~
I had to be the mostpathetic person on the planet.
Once a doormat,always a doormat…I supposed.
It was Fridaynight, and I was a few minutesaway from my shift ending at the diner and all I felt was a deepsadness that I was going home to an empty apartment.
I hadn’t heardfrom Mason all week and I never imagined how lost I’d feel overthat. I know Iwas the one whotold him to leave me alone, but a small part…okay,a large part of me was hoping he’d ignore me and fight forme.
I hoped he’dprove that I wasn’t anunwanted, worthless case.
As devastatedas I had been over everything that happened, by the time Wednesday had rolled around, I startedthinking about Mr. Buchanan. Hearing the things he had said toMason and his brothers had been unimaginable. He spoke like he hadbeen training soldiers. He spoke to them like they were supposed tobe unfeeling robots and not young men with their own thoughts andideas.
Theone thing that had reallytaken me by surprise was his reaction to Michael. Mr. Buchanan hadactually seemed afraid of him. It made me wonder at everything Ididn’t know about the guys. I mean, sure I’d heard the rumors, andsince meeting them I’ve seen small glimpses of their personalities,but I really didn’tknowthem.
I didn’t knowthem, but I knew I missedthem. Michael had sent me small, random texts throughout the weekasking how I was, but other than that, they’d all beenscarce.
My shiftwas finally over, and Igrabbed my jacket and started my walk home. I usually took the bus,but this week, I looked to the long walks to help stave off theinevitable of walking into my lonely apartment. The night air wascool, but I didn’t mind. I had been walking around all week in anumb state, anyway.
