“Happy birthday, R,” I breathe, when all I wanna do is pull him into a hug, because damn, I’ve missed him, but he pushes past me. “Raine, what—?”
“Who’s he?” He nods at Jason. “Is that the motherfucker you had staying over instead of me?”
“You know what this motherfucker has to say to you?” Jason snarls, and I whirl to stare at him as he transforms from a quiet, nice guy into a wild animal, all teeth and claws.
Jesus fuck. “R, stop—”
“Look at that top you’re wearing. What the fuck. You’re a hooker?” Raine ignores me completely, as if we see each other every day and not like the last time I saw him he was being dragged away by my aunt, howling and crying.
Breaking my heart.
“Yeah, I’m a hooker,” Jason hisses. “Got a problem with that?”
“Don’t you? You proud of it?”
“It’s what’s kept me alive,” Jason spits the words. “Not everyone has the chances you got, baby. Not everyone has an older brother who’d do anything for you.”
Dammit. “Hey. Enough, both of you. Jason, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t you dare apologize on my behalf,” Raine snarls.
“Fuck, R, then apologize yourself, or shut your mouth.”
“I’m leaving.” Jason hesitates, glances at me. “Again thank you, Ocean. You saved my life. Please tell Kayla my thanks, too. That was the best soup I’ve ever had.”
And he leaves, closing the door behind him.
Raine stares at it, splotches of red on his cheeks, then glances at me. “Shit.”
“That’s about right,” I growl. “You’re better than this, Raine. This isn’t you. You’re not an asshole, so what’s the matter with you?”
“You don’t know me anymore,” he reminds me.
“Yeah. My fault. I know.”
“No,” he says, shocking the hell out of me, especially when he turns away, his shoulders trembling. “No, it isn’t.”
Damn, I don’t know what to say. I’m so used to defending myself with him, I’m drawing a blank. I rack my brain for something to offer, then settle with placing a hand on his shoulder.
He doesn’t shrug it off. Doesn’t move. When I wrap an arm around his shoulders, he doesn’t resist. When I pull him into a hug, he lets me.
“I’m sorry,” he finally says, muffled against my shoulder, grabbing me and thumping his fists on my back. “I’m so fucking sorry, Shun. But I’m not going back.”
“No, you’re not,” I agree, my voice thick. “You’re staying here with me. Happy eighteenth birthday, asshole.”
He laughs, and it comes out like a sob.
When I lift my gaze, Kayla is standing in the middle of the room, looking at us, and smiling.
***
“I’m coming with you,” Raine says, sinking on the couch and raking his hands through his dark hair. “To visit Mom.”
“Good idea.” I exchange a look with Kayla. She shrugs.
“I don’t trust her, you know,” he continues.
“I know.” How do you trust a mother who was never a mother to you? “It’s okay.”