Page 97 of Ezekiel
“Shove off, Kai,” Levi pushed right back.
“You first, asshat,” Malachi sneered. He was a crotchety man, all bark and bite, throwing barbs and jabs where he saw fit.
“Can we please not bicker?” Delilah begged across the table. “Seriously, guys.”
I felt Zeke’s hand tense around mine again before he dropped it. I could tell from where I sat he was fidgeting. Everyone was being too loud. It was too much.
“Quiet down, please,” I asked, pushing my discomfort aside as I worried for my husband.
“No, Kai, I’ve had about enough of you with all this,” Levi pushed, arguing with his brother.
“I don’t really care if you’ve had enough, Levi. You know how I feel about it. All of it. This whole fucking shit show of a mess. And you’re just making it worse by bossing us all around all the damned time.”
So this was happening. An all out fight between the lot of them, with Zeke freaking out as no one paid any attention.
“Please quiet down,” Zeke asked them as calmly as he could. I could see the way he clenched his teeth, forcing the words past the anxiety that was rising up for him. I tried to rub a soothing hand over his back.
“Breathe,” I whispered so that only he could hear me. “Deep breaths,” I tried to coach him. His feet were twitching, his hands fidgeting.
He was about to bolt.
“You’ve got this, Zeke,” I praised him, trying to give him the comfort he needed. The comfort he damn well deserved. Unfortunately, tonight it didn’t work.
“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” he finally screamed, standing from his chair with such force it knocked back and went crashing to the floor. His hands immediately went to his ears, making a horrific groaning sound as he ran from the table towards the back door and straight out into the yard.
Everything went silent as Zeke fled the room. Malachi stood first, as though he were about to go after him, but I was done. Fucking done.
“Sit the fuck down,” I seethed, standing from my chair, narrowing my eyes at the lot of them.
Malachi had the decency to sit back down. Each of the brothers had the wherewithal to at least look sheepish. Good. They should.
“How fucking dare you?” I fumed, glaring at each of them as I forced the words past my anger-clenched teeth. No one answered.
“I asked you a fucking question,” I roared, bringing my fist down onto the table. “That man, that sweet, kind man, invited you into his home and you all treat him like shit. Youdorealize that, don’t you?”
“We do not treat him like shit, Talia. We are trying to get to the bottom —” Levi began in his usual commanding tone. I may be a submissive, but I was not his submissive, and this was sure as hell not a dynamic situation.
“Get fucked, Levi,” I snarked. “I don’t want to hear what your plan was. This,” I began, gesturing to the surrounding room. “This is our home. Mine and Zeke’s. Not yours. So don’t waltz in here like you own the goddamn place, because you don’t. We do. Have some respect.”
“I’m sorry, Talia,” Levi stated with sincerity.
“You damn well should be. That man out there takes y’alls’ shit day in and day out and says nothing,” I seethed.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Gideon piped up.
“It means that he has to deal with a lot and you guys don’t spare him even the smallest measure of compassion! Malachi is the closest one to treating Zeke the way he deserves to be treated, but let’s be honest, Kai, even that is the bare fucking minimum,” I scoffed.
“That’s not true. I don’t know what you think is going on here, but Zeke just struggles sometimes,” Levi protested.
“With what? What does he struggle with, Levi? I’m all ears. You seem to be in charge and want to run the show, so please enlighten me on what my husband struggles with,” I scoffed derisively.
“He’s just different,” Ollie answered, shrugging nonchalantly.
“But name it. Seriously. Can any of you actually name what he struggles with?” I waited for them to answer. None of them, not one of them, answered. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Have any of you ever even asked?”
I shook my head as they all sat there in subdued silence.
“My husband loves each of you very much. I am growing to love each of you as my brothers. When I was in distress, you all came running to support me, no questions asked. Well, you had plenty of questions, Levi,” I said. “You all need to take a good look in the mirror and realize that you do not give Zeke the respect, nor the care, that he deserves. Shape the fuck up or get the fuck out.”
