Page 5 of Hate So Deep

He’s already agitated, and one false move will only devolve into an argument that I can’t win. Buck doesn’t believe in rules or fucking boundaries and I’m tired of being his punching bag.

“Let’s go,” he says, and I mumble goodbye to Tori, who looks between us with arched brows.

Shrugging, I follow Buck out the door because he doesn’t care enough to actually be a decent human being and I’m too weary to fight.

Once we’re in the car, I rub my neck where a tension headache has formed and ask, “What’s going on?”

“Stupid shit about Dad again,” he mutters, peeling off down the street.

Grabbing the oh-shit handle above my head, I suck in a breath and bite back my terse response. With Buck, I’ll get further with honey than vinegar, another lesson learned the hard way.

“What’s the deal this time?” I ask.

Our parents fight all the time but if we were summoned home then it must be worse than usual. I’m not sure I’m in the headspace for this, especially high, although that’s blunted by the rage, I can feel vibrating within my brother.

He’s a lit fuse and I would do well to avoid the explosion.

“Who cares?” he says, his mouth curling in a sneer.

I do. Or I did. Now I’m not so sure. I’m tired of the damn vitriol.

“I don’t know why they don’t just divorce,” I mutter. “Save us the misery.”

“Yeah,” Buck says, huffing out a bitter laugh. “He’d like that, wouldn’t he?”

“Dad? Can you blame him? She’s always on him about something.”

Totally true. Mom rags on Dad so much, it’s no wonder he spends so much time at the office. I’d avoid her bitchiness, too.

In fact, I do avoid her because when he’s not around, she focuses her bitch on me.

Ugh.

Of course, Buck doesn’t agree and when he slashes his hand through the air, I shrink toward the window.

“That dick deserves what he gets,” he barks. “You think he can play house with some other bitch and get away with it?”

Wait…

“What?” I gasp, whipping around.

What the hell does that mean? Play house?

He eyes me sideways, his hands curling around the steering wheel before he mumbles, “You still don’t know? So fucking stupid.”

Wisely, I don’t comment although the bitter retort trembles on my tongue. Buck’s attitude is about as warm as Mom’s but he’s her favorite and I think her poison lives in his veins.

“Whatever,” I finally say.

Why would I believe anything he spews? He’s just as bad as her when it comes to Dad.

“Not whatever,” Buck sneers. “He’s got a bitch on the side. Oh, and two kids.”

Dumbfounded, I can only stare while he makes a right turn.

That’s completely insane. Right?

Eyeing his hands clenched around the wheel, I shake my head and say, “Buck, don’t be…that’s crazy.”

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