“What the fuck was that for?” I growl at Black, holding my jaw he just rammed his fist into. My first instinct was to fight back, but he and I have always gotten along even after the mess with Petal.

“Get up from there and fight me, you fucking son of a bitch!” he yells. He looks mad as hell, and the anger is all directed at me—which pisses me off to no end. I’m the one who got fucked over by his sister. I’m the one his mother tried to get arrested. Where in the hell does he get off?

I feel like a chump because I’m lying on the ground. Shit. Black’s punch caught me off-guard and rang my jaw. It hurts like a bitch, and there’s blood oozing from the corner of my mouth.

“What the fuck is your damage, man? I told you I didn’t know your sister was only sixteen! I would have never touched her if I had known! If I knew what a lying bitch she was, I wouldn’t have touched her regardless of her age! I wish to God I never met her!”

“You bastard!” Black screams like a crazy person. Fuck, maybe that entire family is unhinged.

Before I have time to react or do anything, he falls down on me, delivering punch after punch to my abdomen and face. I do my best to fend off the hits, and I get a few in myself. The truth is, from where I’m at, it’s hard to get a good angle. I’m getting the shit beat out of me.

I manage to redeem myself enough that Black gets off of me and stands up. I look up at him, the sun is glaring in my eyes, but I see a little blood on his face, so I don’t feel like a total loser. It’s then I notice that it’s not just Black standing there looking like he wants me dead. Fuck. It’s Black, Gray, White, Green, Blue and Cyan… I literally have a rainbow of men wanting to kill me. Jesus.

Dad was right. I should have been more careful where I stuck my dick.

“You need to leave Mason and never fucking come back!” Cyan says, spitting down at my feet, and I swear if I was able, I’d get up and beat the damned asshole. The sad fact is, I’m not. I have to wonder if Black broke a rib or two. Shit, I think my face is swelling.

“You come near our sister again, and I’ll bury you so deep, the crows won’t even find your ass,” Blue threatens me, and his words don’t ring false at all. He’s usually the quiet one of the family, and right now I’m sure he’s completely serious. He delivers his own kick in my side.

I use my hands to push myself off the ground, feeling like a chump. Each of them add their little warnings, and then finally Black is back in front. He grabs some papers out of his back pocket and throws them down at me. “I thought better of you, man. You make me sick. Stay away from my sister, stay away from my family!” I watch as they walk away and then bring my attention back to the papers. One is a check from my dad’s account for fifty thousand, and the other is a note from our family attorney. As I read each line, I feel sick inside.

It’s money for an abortion. Petal is pregnant… with my baby…

* * *

Present:

“What the hell are you wearing?” I growl before I can stop myself. When Petal walks into the room, I instantly want to smack her ass and make her go put some clothes on. Is this what she thinks she’s going to wear out on a date with that douche canoe? She’d better think again.

“Luka? What are you doing here? Is River okay?”

“River’s fine. He’s with Mom.” Petal frowns at my words, and that pisses me off too. “Don’t give me that look. He’s fine. My father is out of town at some government conference.” She doesn’t want River around my father, and to be honest, I don’t either—at least not alone. Still, she should know I’d never let my son stay somewhere that wasn’t safe. My parents have been apart for years—a fact my father hates my mother for. It doesn’t matter she left him because he’s a fucking asshole. In my father’s eyes she’s the reason for his failed bid for congress.

“Fine. That still doesn’t tell me what you are doing here.”

“You are not going out with that fuckwad Craig.”

“How do you know I have a date?”

“Please. We live in a small town. The minute you said yes, it was spread from county line to county line. And while we are on the subject, what are you doing having your brother fix you up on dates?”

“Gee, I don’t know! Maybe because my ex was out on a date and they think that’s a sign that I need to be getting out more and stop grieving my marriage.”

“Like you grieved our marriage? You’re the one who walked out.”

“You’re being an ass right now, Luka.”

“That’s better than showing my ass. What the hell do you have on?”

“It’s a dress.”

“That’s not a dress. It’s a fucking bikini.”

“It’s a perfectly fine dress,” Petal argues, but she’s blushing so deeply she is practically glowing in the small foyer. “I was trying to look nice for my date. I wanted to look presentable.”

“You definitely look like you’re presenting something,” I respond, my voice a low rumble because every protective instinct I have is coming out.

“Did you come over here just to be an asshole?” Petal huffs.

“Hey, Luka. You want a beer?” Black asks, coming back into the foyer.

“He’s not staying,” Petal snarls.

“What the fuck were you thinking, Black? Setting Petal up with that piece of shit? Have you gone stupid?”

“What? Petal needs to start getting out there again. Her and Craig will have fun together, and since you’re watching River, she won’t have to worry about whose bed she sleeps in tonight,” Black says.

Petal’s squeak of surprise echoes after his words. Anger is firing through every part of my body. What the hell has happened to him since he moved to Dallas?

“You son of a bitch!” I growl, and I deliver a hard punch to Black’s face, and then another. Then, just because I’m fucking livid, I deliver yet another. Black doesn’t even try to defend himself; he falls to the hard tiled floor with a thud.

“Black!” Petal cries, diving to the floor after him in concern. I thought my anger was at least marginally satisfied until I see the flash of red silk between Petal’s legs. Her fucking dress is so short, you can see her panties. Jesus, the fabric is so small, it’s probably a fucking thong!

“You’re all as fucking nuts as your mother,” I growl, and I leave before I throw Petal over my shoulder and remind her of the one thing we always did right between us.

Because it sure feels like everything has gone horribly wrong right now.