“Forever then,” she says sleepily.
WE ALL ENDED UP FALLINGasleep, and when I wake with the need to pee, I look at my phone to see it’s only nine pm.
Not wanting to wake anyone, I slowly and carefully remove myself from Abby’s body and slip out of the room. I don’t get too far because as I hit the top of the stairs to go down to the next level to the bathroom, my deadbeat dad decides to head down the hall from his room towards me.
And he just so happens to see me.
“Zed?” he says, his face full of surprise.
“Would you look at that,” I laugh, hating that I look so much like this man. “You remembered my name.”
“Don’t be like that,” he says, his face falling.
“No? And why not? Did you not get my mother pregnant, break her heart by tossing us aside while you ran off into the sunset to make your perfect Pure Blood family?” I snap. I shouldn’t let him get to me, but this is the first time I’ve seen him in years, the first time I’ve actually talked to him.
“You don’t understand. It’s not that easy...”
“Save it,” I tell him, raising a hand. “You know what’s not easy? Her finding a man to help her survive, that turned out to be an abusive piece of shit. The only good thing he ever did was make my sister. So don’t tell me I don’t understand.”
“What are you doing here?” he asks, but he doesn’t sound angry about it.
“My mate was upset. So I came to make sure she was okay. Because that’s what you do for the people you love. You make sure they are taken care of, that they are happy. You put them first, no matter how weird it might be for you. You see, I might have your hair, your eye color, hell I may even have the same smile, who knows, but what I do know is in here, where it counts...” I point to my chest. “I’m fuckingnothinglike you. I will spend every day making my mate happy. I will give her the whole fucking world if it gets her to smile for even a moment. I will kill anyone who harms her. The idea of leaving her, not being with her, fucking kills me. So when you go to bed at night, remember the son you tossed aside is ten times the man you will ever be.” I smile, shaking my head. “Just because you're God’s little lacky, doesn’t mean you're a real man. Just makes you his little bitch.”
I leave him standing there with a cloudy expression on his face as I go to the bathroom. When I come out, I stop at the stairs, watching Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael leave, their sons saying goodbye.
“Isaac, honey, can you do me a favor?” Abby’s mother asks.
“For sure, of course,” he says, and she smiles at him.
“Can you keep an eye on your sister? I’m worried about her.”
Isaac says nothing for a moment before nodding. “Of course.”
“Thank you, sweet boy. You really are an amazing son.” She gives him a kiss on the cheek. “We're going to stay at the resort for a few days before your fathers have to go back. We don't want to be in your way.” She leaves, and the guys stand there a little while longer.
“What a night,” Noah says, letting out a breath.
“Who fucking invited the Heathers?” Luke grumbles.
“My step-mom. She only means well,” Isaac says.
“Yeah, well now there’s fucking wedding plans. This shit isn’t a joke man, this is getting real. You need to do something about it,” Luke says.
“What do you want me to do?!” Isaac yells.
“I want you to get the fuck over yourself. I know you think it’s the end of the fucking world disappointing your dad. We feel the same way, but is it worth it?” Luke throws back at him.
“Luke, don’t be like that,” Isaac says, taking a step towards him.
“Save it,” Luke says, turning around and taking off deeper into the house.
“One of these days, Isaac, one of these days it’s just going to be too much. We're not marrying those girls. The question is, are you?”
“Noah.” Isaac tries to plead with his other friend, but Noah walks away.
When it’s just him alone, Isaac grips his hair, letting out a scream of emotional pain. He spins and punches his hand right into the wall.
I leave him there to deal with his shit and go back to my mate. I kind of feel bad for the guy. But he’s doing it to himself. No one is making him marry that girl. And his father sure isn’t someone you give up your life to impress. He doesn’t deserve it.
As I lay back down next to my Little Bird, I thank the universe I didn’t grow up here, with him as a father. Because from the looks of it, living as the rich and powerful do, doesn’t sound like it's all it’s cracked up to be.
I will choose love, every time.