Yanking it open, I walk back into the bedroom and find Tieran half-laying on the bed, hands clasped behind his neck, watching his porn.
“I don’t forgive you,” I snarl at him. “And I never will again.”
He clears his throat, his eyes still on the crackling screen on the broken dresser across from the bed.
“Did you hear me?” I shout angrily.
“You’re screaming, Hens. Of course I heard you,” he replies quietly.
“Then what do you have to say for yourself? Leaving me alone—again—to go fuck some mangy whore, then coming home to me like it’s okay?”
He sighs as he brings his hands around and drops them into his lap. Glancing at me, Tieran chews the inside of his mouth thoughtfully, trying to find the words that he hopes will fix the rage that I’m feeling.
“The only thing I can say,” he begins with a shrug, “is that I love you. I sell myself to keep you from getting sick. Are there better ways to get you what you need? I’m sure there are. Do you think our childhood prepared us to be anything other than whores?” He shakes his head as he looks back at the screen, “I’d take a bullet for you, Hens. I’d let one of those fucking monsters take me before they could even get close enough to do you harm. If we’re ever put in that position, I’ll gladly die first, and you know why? You don’t need me. You keep me around because you’re used to having me, but … sometimes I think that you can do so much better, but you refuse to open your eyes to that.”
My lower lip trembles as he speaks. I ball my fists by my sides as the feeling of euphoria continues descending over me.
“Can I tell you a secret, though?” he asks, giving me a mischievous grin. I nod as I blink back tears. “If you everdidfind better than me, I’d fucking kill him. And if you found someone else, I’d kill him too. I guess I’m jealous; just like you.”
By the time he’s done, the grin on his face melts into something completely different. Almost as if he’s beckoning me to get into the bed with him instead of just standing here, screaming at him.
I use a knuckle to brush away a stray tear as I walk over and climb onto the mattress, curl up against him, and close my eyes.
Soon enough, we’ll be happy. I’ll find a way to get clean, he’ll stop whoring for my smack, and we’ll find Mom.
Slipping an arm around my brother’s waist, I dig my nails into his side, eliciting a pained, but happy chuckle out of him.
Then we’ll be able to prove to her that monstrous acts always come back to haunt you.
CHAPTER5
TIERAN
Feeling Hensley's nails break skin, I know she finally was relaxing. Maybe I could get her to eat something now.
"Hens, you need to eat something."
"Mmmm-hmmm," is the reply I received.
Sitting up, I pull my backpack over to me, unzip the ratty material, then take the spoiled sandwich out. Tearing as much of the rotten part off that I can manage, I hold it to her lips hoping she will try to eat.
___
"Did I say you fucking kids could eat my food?"
Mom's voice was like nails scraping a chalkboard. No, she hadn’t technically said Hensley and I could eat, but she did throw it away. It was just scraps, anyway. Before I could reply, she backhanded me so hard I wound up across the floor.
"Tieran!" Hensley cried, like she always did when I got hurt. Except mom didn't hurt me. She tried, but it only fueled my anger and hatred for her.
Picking myself up, I saw her literally take the food from Hensley's mouth. She used food as a reward system. Like, if we let her gross male friends do unthinkable things to one of us without fighting or arguing, then she would give us her leftovers. Tonight, she didn't have any johns come over, so we weren't given a second thought when it came to feeding us.
Stomping in my room, I slid the little food I had left under Hensley's pillow. At least when she went to bed, she would be able to get a couple of bites for her empty belly. Being the object of mom’s disdain this time meant I would be sleeping chained to the table.
Mom screamed my name to come back into the kitchen. Hurrying up, because I knew if I didn’t she would take it out on the nearest person, and in that case, it happened to be Hensley.
She grabbed me by the scruff of my neck, slamming me down to chain me up to the kitchen table. She clicked the lock before I realized that Hensley was locked on the other side.
“She didn’t do anything. It was my fault. Let her go.” I pleaded and begged but it fell on deaf ears.