“They’re parents, fuckhead.” The elevator doors opened, and they entered.
“Well, Landon is grounded again. Mom’s ready to call for vacation. Jacob and Lou are expecting again.”
“Congratulations.”
“They announced it at dinner yesterday. You weren’t there.”
“I get it. I’m a bad brother.”
“You’re not a bad brother. Just an absent one. Do you think keeping Harper away from the family will some way protect her?”
“I don’t know what I’m doing. I only know that I’ve got to do something. This is not the world she lives in,” he said.
“You’re selfish,” Oliver said.
“What the fuck did you say?” Abel turned toward his brother.
“You heard me. You’re fucking selfish.”
“You don’t even have a woman so you don’t know shit.”
Oliver snorted. “I know enough to know that when I have my woman, she won’t be left at home wondering where the fuck I am. Did you know that? Did you know the first night back she was calling her friends, Mom, and then Dad to find out where you were?”
Abel took a step toward him. “I was doing my job.”
“Yeah? Part of your job is making sure your woman is taken care of.”
“Is this more bullshit about me telling her the truth?”
“Why should it? You don’t take notice of shit. You’re fucking useless right now. No one will tell you.”
Abel slammed his fist against Oliver’s mouth. “I’m fucking useless? Dad’s having to clean up your mess—”
He didn’t get to finish as Oliver charged him, slamming him against the wall. So much anger and pent up frustration had built inside Abel, and he unleashed the monster he thought had been tamed.
Pounding his fists into his brother’s flesh, he took the fight that he’d started with Oliver. Like all Denton men, his brother didn’t back down. Even when the elevator pinged onto their father’s floor, they continued to fight each other, determined to be the one that won. He’d had enough of people telling him how to deal with Harper. None of them knew her like he did.
She was strong, just not strong enough to deal with what they were.
Are you strong enough?
He ignored the question running through his head. Abel couldn’t live without her, and he knew once she left, she wouldn’t be coming back.
They landed outside of the elevator, hitting the floor with a grunt. Abel straddled his brother, and started to land a couple of blows. Oliver, always known for fighting dirty, reached down, gripped his balls, and twisted. Crying out, Abel fell to the floor gripping his nuts.
“What the fuck is going on here?” their father asked, storming out of his office.
Abel turned to see his brother and Uncle Stuart glaring at them.
“Sorry, a little problem.”
“You’re becoming my problem,” Maddox said, glaring at him. “You’re late again.”
“What about him?” Abel asked, pointing toward Oliver, who stood as if he hadn’t just been pounded in the head. He was convinced their mom dropped him. Oliver was not right, or normal.
“Oliver is on time. Oliver turns up for work. Oliver doesn’t have someone living with them who can be a fucking risk to all of us, Abel.” Maddox looked around the room.
It was then that Abel saw all of his brothers, and that sobered him up. His brothers, his uncles, his father’s anger, it could only mean one thing: there was a problem.