Page 69 of Casualties

"Ace..."Ainsley mutters.

"What do you mean she's been through enough?What the fuck happened in Boise that you both are so tight-lipped about?"His face has morphed from untamed anger to perplexion.I probably shouldn’t have said that, but I don’t regret it.He’ll probably still be pissed at me, but maybe if he knew just how bad it got for her with Jackson, he wouldn't speak to her this way.

I hear footsteps running up the stairs."AC?Ainsley, I'm coming!"Cassie sprints to my room, then freezes in the doorway."Fuck, Ains, are you okay?Morgan, what the fuck?"Tears flow freely down Ainsley's face, as Cassie tries to catch her breath.I move to reach for Ainsley.

"Oh no, asshole, stay the fuck away from my sister!"Morgan attempts to block me, but I push him out of the way.

"Over.My.Dead.Body."My words are laced with venom.I never thought Morgan and I would get here, but now that we are...Fuck it."Stay the fuck out of my way when it comes to her.She's mine, and there is nothing you can say or do to change that!"I rush over to Ainsley, wrapping her in my arms.She looks the same way she did when I found her in the club that night: panicked and broken.I shush her, trying to calm her breathing down, and it seems to start working as she takes a big inhale and lets it out slowly.

"Get out.Go downstairs and wait for us there."Still holding her, I shoot him the deadliest glare I can, making him fully aware I'm not fucking around.

"Let's go Morgan, let them get dressed," Cassie pleads.He jerks his shoulder away from her and storms out of my room.When they’re both gone, I take a deep breath to calm the anger surging inside me.She doesn't need my storm, she needs calm.

"Let's get dressed and meet them downstairs, princess."I gently cradle her face, forcing her to make eye contact with me.Her breathing has calmed, but her tears are still there, dampening her reddened cheeks.All she can do is nod her head as she slowly gets out of bed to get dressed.

We're downstairs in fifteen minutes—Ainsley wanted to wash her face and brush her teeth before facing her brother.He's pacing the living room holding a bourbon neat, while Cassie fidgets on the couch.I cough once we're at the bottom of the stairs to get their attention.Morgan may look calmer than he was before, but anger still adorns his features.

Ainsley lets go of my hand in a rush to sit next to Cassie.

"AC, you don't have to tell him if you don't want to.It's one hundred percent your decision."Cassie tries reassuring her as best she can, but she just opened Pandora's Box.

"Tell me what?What are you three hiding?"Morgan's anger is now laced with hurt, as he realizes the rest of us are in on a secret he knows nothing about.

Ainsley didn't intentionally lie to him, she went through something traumatic, and was too embarrassed to tell anyone else.When she remains silent, he continues.

"Why Ace?You had plenty of guys at school to choose from, but you chose him.You had a boyfriend that supposedly made you so happy, but still ended up here."I'm about ready to beat the shit out of my best friend when an earth-shattering scream pierces my ears.

"AHHHHHH!For fuck's sake, Morgan!Jackson tried to RAPE ME!At none other than the club you work for!I bet you didn't expect that!You were right to scare me away from him, he was just as you warned me about, but a million times worse.If Ace wasn't so fucking worried about your friendship, I would have been with him instead.And no, I'm not saying this is your fault, but STOP MAKING THIS ABOUT YOU!"Morgan falls into the chair he was standing near; she's up on her feet pacing now.I want to wrap her in my arms, but she doesn't need that right now.

Morgan stares, shocked into speechlessness.

"Why are you so against us being together?You got over your shit with Jackson, and he's a psychopath.Ace has been your best friend for almost a decade.You trust him more than anyone in this world.Why wouldn't we be good enough for each other?Besides, you have no room to talk.I've watched you toy with Cassie since school started.Is that all women are to men?Just casualties in whatever game you decide to play?Well, I'm done being a casualty.I didn't need anyone to save me from Jackson—I saved myself!"She presses her palm to her chest to calm her racing heart.Morgan's eyes are welling with tears.

It took so much courage for her to say all of that.I've never been more proud of her than I am in this moment.Ainsley thinks she's changed since last year, and while parts of her have, she had a voice all along—it just took her digging deep to find it.

"Ainsley...I—" Morgan has a hard time finding his words, attempting to choke back the tears he's still holding at bay."I'm so sorry, I had no idea.If I'd have known, fuck...I don't know."Tears start falling down his face."I'm so fucking sorry."He jumps from his chair and rushes to her, wrapping his arms tightly around her back."I'm s-s-so fucking sorry, I wish I would have been there for you.Please, please forgive me."

She tries keeping her composure, but a roughhhnnkkescapes as she inhales a trembling breath.They stand there in the middle of my family room, crying hysterically in each other's arms.I attempt to choke back the lump in my throat as Cass remains on the couch, softly crying.

"Look at me."Ainsley grabs his face, forcing him to look at her."Hey...Look.At.Me.I'm okay...See?Jackson didn't break me.I'm still me, still the bratty little sister that loves to tease you....Momo."A brittle, choked laugh breaks free, cutting through his sobs.

"I'll let you call me that for the rest of your life, Mini Copeland.Come here..."He pulls her back into his arms in the kind of tight bear hug only a brother can give.I want her in my arms, but they need this.They need to be in this moment together to get rid of all the bad and make room for the good.

* * *

After that emotional rollercoaster of a morning, I offer to cook breakfast.Morgan hasn't brought up the elephant left standing in the room since their breakdown—my relationship with Ainsley.He needs to know there's nothing that will keep us apart—I'm all in with her.Ainsley speaks first.

"So, let's just nip this in the bud now."She turns in her chair to face her brother."Morgan...Ace and I are together.I'm talking ‘in love, head over heels, I'll get a ring and babies when we're older’ together.We have gone through so much to get here, and whether you approve or not, it's happening.End of story."My eyes bounce between them as I hover over the stove cooking bacon.

Well fuck, she just laid it all out there.I can't read his face, what the hell is he thinking?I seriously don't want to fight him.The match would be fair, dragging round for round.

I'm preparing for us to rearrange each other's faces when he turns to look at me.His stare gives nothing away.

Fuck, here we go.

"You're in love with my sister?"he asks bluntly.

"I am."

---