Chapter Thirteen
Bentley
Watching her walk right up to him and wrap her arms around him pisses me off. I know that Brant can see the anger written all over my face, but he doesn’t say a word. Part of me wants just to go over there and put a bullet in his head just so she would choose me, but I know how irrational that is.
No woman has ever made me feel so damn hostile after one kiss.
Watching them walk out of the clubhouse is even fucking harder. I want like hell to go after her, but Anslie told me that they were pretty much living together lately. If I head to her place, I know that he will be there trying to figure out why the hell I was there.
Walking over to the bar, I grab one of the bottles closest and take a long pull from it. I don’t even care what the shit is as long as I can get drunk off the shit.
As the vodka hits my stomach, I can feel it turn. I’ve never been a vodka drinker, but right now, it doesn’t fucking matter. Anything that can numb the pain that is taking up residence in my chest is good with me.
It doesn’t take long for me to start stumbling through the clubhouse and I even see Raef’s ol’ lady walk in a few hours later. As she walks toward the bar, I watch her. I never really saw what my brother saw in her, but right now, she looks good. Having my brother’s kid really did something to her.
Maybe it’s the bigger tits or, the wider hips. Just as I go to say something to her, my old man puts his hand on my shoulder and squeezes. It’s a warning. One that I’ve gotten most of my life because I’ve always been more of a say something dickish and then regret it in the morning kind of guy.
“Hey, Sailor.” My old man beams at her. He treats her better than he treats my brothers and I. It’s almost like he considers her his daughter. I swear her and my sister get whatever it is they want by just asking while the rest of us have to bust our asses to get anything.
All because they have tits and a vagina.
Just as I go to say something again, Dom pulls me back and off the bar stool. He barely keeps us both upright as he drags me away from Sailor and our old man. “I won’t let you say one dickhead thing to Sailor. She’s still having a rough time with Raef’s death.” I groan at that. I hate knowing that she’s still hurting, but it’s the same for all of us. We are all hurting. He did that to us and fuck if I don’t want to head to wherever it is he is right now and beat his fucking ass for leaving us the way he did. Stupid fucking bastard.
Sailor is watching us, looking a little unsure about what the fuck is going on between my big brother and me, but I just end up going with him willingly. If I don’t, we will just cause a huge fucking scene, and I don’t want to do that to her. They just got her back, and I won’t hurt my sister by scaring Sailor away.
Dom pushes me back toward the hallway that takes you to our rooms and all but drags my ass back to mine. Once he gets me inside, I all but fall to the mattress and groan. She was sitting on this damn bed only a few hours ago and now? I am in here with my brother.
“What is your fucking deal?” he finally asks after what seemed like a fucking hour of silence. I’m not one to talk about my feelings and shit. Hell, it was a first when I told Brynn how I felt about her. I’ve never told a girl that I had feelings for her before. I’ve never wanted to be tied down by one bitch.
“I don’t have one,” I sigh putting my arm over my eyes to block out the damn light.
“You do, and I have a feeling it has to do with that little blonde from the shop.”
I don’t bother answering him. He already seems to know, so looks like I don’t have to spill shit to him. “Just tell me what the hell is up your ass. I know you don’t like the fact that she’s getting married, but why now? Why come home the day she gets engaged?”
It feels like a damn rock fell into my throat, and I am struggling to take a deep breath. “That shit happened today?” My voice cracks and fuck I sound like a bitch.
“Yeah, this morning I guess. Anslie was fucking in hog heaven.” I’m going to kill my sister. She was supposed to keep tabs on Brynn for me. She was supposed to be my in with her. But instead, she pushed her into saying yes to that asshole.
Grabbing my phone from my pocket, I scroll through it until I find my sister’s name. Hitting the call button, it rings a couple of times before she answers. “Benny!” I hate when she fucking calls me that. “I heard you’re back, and I can’t believe it! The boys want to see you when you get some –” I cut her off because right now I want to know why she didn’t tell me that today was the day.
“Why didn’t you fucking say a word? You dropped one hint a month ago and told me to get my ass home to claim my girl, and now she’s fucking engaged to that prick.” Dom tries to grab my phone from me, but I roll before he can grab it and keep going.
“All you ever did was tell me that I was letting the best thing I’d ever had a chance at go and that you’d be on my side and help me out. That you’d be the one to get her to forgive me. What fucking bullshit. Fuck you Anslie.” At that, I see Dom squeeze his eyes shut. If it were Brant in the room, I know he’d flip the fuck out on me, but Dom won’t. He’ll be pissed I talked to her like that, but won’t go off that fucking deep end about it.
Her gasp fills my ear, and I hate that I just said that to her, but she knew how I felt about her friend. She knew that I thought about Brynn every fucking night because I told her that shit. I confided in her because she said she would help me. Instead, she just went behind my back and fucked me over.
“Ben.” Her voice is no more than a whisper now. She’s hurt, and part of me doesn’t give a fuck. She didn’t come home to find out that the one person she loved was engaged to another person. I’m sure Brant would have a little bit more compassion for it since my sister married some other dick, but not Anslie. She got to ruin his little relationship when she came home.
“You don’t have to be a dick. I know you say you're in love with her, but I know you. You don’t commit, and that is something she needs. Brynn isn't just someone for you to fuck with. She deserves fucking happiness, and she needs someone who won’t let her down. You have never been that guy.”
“You don’t know shit about me anymore Anslie, so go fuck yourself.” I hang up before I say anything else fucked up to my sister. Before I even have a chance to react, Dom has his hand on my throat, and he starts to squeeze. I don’t even bother trying to fight back against him. I don’t have the energy right now. The alcohol in my system is doing nothing but forcing me to let my brother do whatever the fuck he wants.
“Don’t ever fucking talk to her like that again. I don’t give a shit how fucking pissed you are at her; you don’t get to take your frustrations out on her. She isn't the one that is supposed to fix that shit between you and Brynn. She is our damn sister, and that is it. Not your damn relationship fixer.”
He releases me, and I put my hand to my throat and rub it. “I know. She told me to stay the fuck away from her and then after I told her that I fucked her, she was all on board with helping me get her. Now, she’s all up that fucker’s ass, and I can’t take this shit.”
Dom takes a seat on the chair in the corner of the room that I used to leave all my clothes. “You’re a fucking idiot. You want that fucking girl, go get her. Tell her that you want her and stop bringing Anslie into the middle of it. When she tells Brant about that shit, you’re gonna wish like hell you were back in Seattle.”
I grunt out in answer because I know he’ll be pissed.
Dom doesn’t say anything else, he just turns and walks out of my room, slamming the door shut behind him.
I lay back on my bed and close my eyes. If she calls him, then I can expect him at any time. If she waits until tomorrow, then at least I’ll be sober when he pulls a right hook that he’s known for.
---
The sound of my phone ringing for the last thirty minutes wakes me even though I don’t want to get my ass up out of bed. When I finally find my phone, I see my sister’s name on the screen. Groaning, I rub my face and hit the answer button before putting it to my ear.
“Anslie,” I start, but she cuts me off.
“Don’t. I don’t want to hear it. I’m sorry I didn’t help you like I promised. I screwed up. I’m sorry. You’re my brother, and I love you. You’ll always be family no matter what shitty things you say to me. I’ve had plenty of years with you being a complete dick, but I didn’t deserve what you said. Brant’s pissed, and if he sees you today, I don’t know what he might do.”
She sniffles a little before she blows out a deep breath.
“I love you Ans. I know I’ve been the shittiest brother you have for more than half of your life and I’m sorry.” She giggles at that, but I bet she still has tears in her eyes.
“Well you definitely had your moments when I was a teenager, but I still love you. You’re my brother.”
It doesn’t take long for a pounding to explode through the room. The door opens, and I see Brant looking pissed as hell. He doesn’t even slow his stride as he makes his way to my bed and throws a punch right into my jaw. I drop my phone to the bed and block his next punch.
He continues to wail on me, and finally, I roll over and take him with me. When I finally get him under me and not swinging at me, I hold him down.
“I know you’re fucking pissed and I’m sorry. What I said was wrong, I know. I hate myself for what I said to her, but I was hammered. It doesn’t change that fact, but I love her. She’s my little sister, and I hurt her last night. I accept that shit and if you want to beat my ass for that, fine. I’ll let you take as many shots as you want.” I release him and let him off the bed.
His anger is still not doing shit to calm his ass down. I didn’t think it would, but it was worth a try. Instead, I stand in the center of my room and just wait for him to make a move. Brant clenches his hands into fists before throwing the first punch.
Every punch he lands reminds me of the pain that I’m still alive. Reminds me that I don’t give a fuck who I hurt most days. That anyone in my family is fair game, even my sister. The punch to my gut is the one that drops me. He must have clipped my rib because a sharp pain radiates through every inch of my body and I collapse to the ground at his feet.
He doesn’t say a word as he walks out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Laying on the ground, I try to catch my breath, but it’s no use. The side of my face starts to swell and fuck; I think I need some ice right about now.