“He’s sleeping with my sister,” Asher growls.
“I think you should be worried about me never sleeping with you again!” Molly shouts from the top of the stairs. Damn, when did this girl get so feisty? She must be really pissed. I don’t miss how my father’s eyebrows raised at Asher’s comment.
“He’s banging his stepsister.” Chase being Chase takes a jab back at Asher.
“Say I’m banging her one more time and I’ll bang your head into this fucking marble floor.”
“Enough. Both of you into the kitchen so I can clean you up. You might need a stitch,” Grace tells one of them. I’m not sure which. Chase’s lip is cut, and Asher has a gash over his eye.
“Family drama.” I sigh. Molly gives me a look like I’ve lost my mind but then bursts into laughter.
Mission accomplished. For the moment at least.
15
Chase
“Let me check it,” Grace says to Asher. He snags her wrist before she can try and lift the bandage from above his brow. The two of us have been sulking in the study for the past few hours.
“I’m really sorry,” he tells her.
“I know, honey. You’re more like your father than you know. You try to protect your family, but sometimes it ends up hurting them.”
“I’ll earn her forgiveness. I’m in love with her.”
Grace pulls the bandage up from over his eyebrow to check it. She actually put two butterfly strips on it. “Molly is easy to love.” Grace always smiles when speaking of her daughter. I hate that this is something Emily never got, but I’m sure Grace is giving her some of that motherly love if she’s giving it to Asher, who’s been an utter asshole to her. “She’ll forgive you, but please, Asher, be careful. Molly is full of sweetness. Fix your mess and then get her back.”
Asher doesn’t look like he wants to agree. He wants to march upstairs and demand Molly forgive him now, but he chooses the wise path and nods, agreeing to her mother’s wishes.
He still, however, shoots another glare at me. Tomas is sitting behind his desk watching this all play out. I think it’s a lot for a man who thought he finally got his happily ever after. For years, he lived in hell with his ex and now, right when he thinks he’s about to have it all, it starts to slip between his fingers.
“And, you,” Grace points to her husband, “everything is going to be fine. You’re going to get yourself all worked up. You’ve got twelve years on me. I need you to remain youthful.” She smirks at him.
That’s right. I forgot that there is a big age gap between Grace and Tomas. She actually looks much younger than she is. I think it’s why they get a few looks and people assume the whole sugar daddy thing, but that’s when men go for girls in their early twenties at his age. Tomas was looking for love, and he found it. Hell, he brought it home with him, and now this house is bursting at the seams with it, and not necessarily in the best way.
“When are you going to yell at him?” Asher motions to me. I run my tongue across my split lip. I have to admit it felt good to get some aggression out. We both needed it. It’s been a few years since we’ve come to blows. Normally we did it on a mat with gloves but not every time.
I don’t know how he knew, but the second I stepped into the house, his ass was on me, questioning me about his sister. Maybe he saw her come in or caught more of her voice then I realized when we were on the phone. He could have put things together because it wasn’t normal for him to call and there be a woman in my bed.
Either way, the shit was coming out at some point. “What is it you want me to say, son? You’ve been in Japan while Chase has been here keeping an eye on her.”
“He’s supposed to be. He’s my best friend.” Asher tries to get up from his seat, but Grace puts her hand on his shoulder, and he keeps his ass put. I want to laugh. It was a week ago he wanted nothing to do with his stepmom, and now he’s doing whatever she tells him.
“Asher, you’re not stupid,” Tomas says, leaning forward and putting his elbows on his desk. Asher goes quiet for a long moment, and I know what he’s doing. He’s playing back the past in his mind. He drops his head and takes a deep breath.
“We really failed her,” Asher finally says. I know he’s talking to Tomas and not me. “I might have gotten Mom out of her life, but really, have I been the best brother I could have been? Sure, I threw money at shit. Spoke to her about surface shit.” Tomas nods in agreement, knowing he’s done the same.