Page 44 of Mouse
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Ingram
I couldn’t even look at my brother for the rest of the cookout. I actually didn’t even end up staying there that long because I was so furious. Chris tried to get me to calm down. He tried to tell me that was just the way it had to be and now that it was all over, things would go back to normal.
As I looked around and saw everyone back in their little groups and talking as if nothing had happened, I knew he was right.
I stood off to the side with Chris, Chry now in my arms and playing with my hair. Ky and Mouse were far across the lot and I glanced over there a few times to make sure they weren’t on one another again. I guessed they were talking but I was too far away to tell. What I could tell though, was that Chris may have tried to sound like he was brushing it off, but the daggers coming from his eyes in the direction of my brother told me another story.
I was grateful that Chris took Chry away when things started to happen. I didn’t want my little guy seeing his uncle and his friend fighting, that was for sure.
It hadn’t been a lie when I said Chry missed Mouse. I think he’d grown used to Mouse being in his life already. The same as he’d done with Ky, Chris, Laurel, and even Cami. But this was not the way I wanted him to see two of his favorite people act towards one another.
I could not stand around and watch them from afar any longer, so I quickly said my goodbyes and went back home.
I put Chry to bed, then I paced the length of the house. Over and over again. It did nothing to calm the anger I had inside.
I wasn’t sure how much time had passed but I was starting to think that they weren’t going to come home. I thought that actually might have been for the best.
Then, right as I was about to go get changed and ready for bed, I heard Ky’s bike pull up into the driveway. My sandaled feet slapped against the hardwood floor and I met them right in the doorway as soon as they entered.
Ky’s face looked apologetic but I didn’t care.
“What is wrong with you?!” I screeched in a harsh whisper because I didn’t want to wake up Chry.
Chris only shook his head and walked further into the house, leaving us to work it out, or so I assumed.
Ky said nothing and so I kept going.
“Why would you do that? You had no right to. If you had a problem then you should have come and talked to me, not beat up Mouse. Did it make you feel good? Make you feel all big brotherly, protecting me from… from… whatever you thought you were protecting me from?”
“Actually, yeah,” he said and as my head reared back in shock, I almost didn’t recognize him in front of me. I maybe had started to see him in a whole new light. But then he continued to speak and the shock slipped away. “Because it is my job to protect you. It’s my job to look out for you. And it’s not even that it’s a job. It’s my responsibility and my fucking right as your big brother.”
I stood there stunned and as my eyes just blinked at him, I couldn’t think of a thing to say.
“I left you unprotected once and I will never fucking do it again,” he told me and there was a softness in his eyes.
“But he is Mouse. He would never put me in danger,” I said truly believing those words.
“Yeah, and he’s my fucking brother and knows better than to touch my damn sister. He paid the price he should have before he even looked at you like that.”
“I do not understand,” I said and my head shook back and forth like a crazy person.
“You are family here,” he said pointing down and I guessed he meant here in this home. “And you are family there.” This time his arm raised as he pointed in the direction of the door. The club, he was talking about the club. “And that means they look out for you, not try to fuck you.”
We both froze and our faces flinched at the same time like we were twins.
“Fuck,” he said a little too loudly. “I can’t even think of that… no. You get me though?”
“I get you,” I repeated and bowed my head.
“Don’t do that. If you have something to say, you are always free to say it, but don’t ever bow your head to me even if I’m angry.”
“Who’s to say that Mouse doesn’t want to protect me? Maybe he only wants to look out for me in the highest way possible. Who are you to say what is okay and what isn’t?! He kissed… he kissed me like I mattered.”
“Fuck,” Ky spit out again and his eyes screwed closed.
“I asked him to. I wanted him to. And I have never felt anything like that before. I have never been treated so precious and tenderly in my entire life.” Maybe I was digging my hole deeper but I wanted Ky to know the truth.
