Page 26 of Abra's Acquisition
Max snarls at me, but maintains his distance. He swipes his hand through his hair and glares around the room. “I need a few minutes with my sister.”
I snort. “You’re an idiot if you think I’m going to leave you alone with her.”
Max looks stunned. “Why? I wouldn’t hurt her.”
“That’s not how you’re acting,” Hex says. “I have sisters. I’d never bellow at them like you just did.”
I see Delphine open her mouth, likely to argue, but she closes it again.
Max deflates, but not by much. “I need to talk to my sister. She has to explain this!” Max shakes the evidence bag containing a pregnancy test for emphasis.
Rey whimpers behind me, spiking my anger. “Rey doesn’t owe you, or anyone else, an explanation. This is her business, not yours.”
“It’s my business if that asshole knocked her up as well as knocked her around. She needs to handle this before it’s too late,” Max snarls.
Rey lets out a sob and rushes up the stairs. I grab Max to keep him from following her. He struggles against my hold, but he’s no match for me. Hex helps me muscle Max into a chair. “Sit there, shut up, and think about what you said,” I order. “Can you ladies explain to him how much he just fucked up?” I ask a livid Cleo. She nods her head once as she glares at Max. Max has the intelligence to shrink under her angry gaze. Delphine and Olivia circle to stand with Cleo. I count my blessings that those glares aren’t directed at me as I jog up the stairs in search of Rey.
I expect to find her in the hallway, since I locked the door to my room. However, the hallway is empty. I stand still until I hear her soft sobs coming from my left. She’s in the infirmary. Entering, I find her sitting on the floor in the corner. She has her arms wrapped around her legs as she sobs into her knees. I slide down next to her before gently lifting her from the cold floor to pull her onto my lap.
I say nothing as I stroke her hair and let her cry. After a few minutes, her sobs subside as she relaxes against me. Her breathing evens out, so I think she’s falling asleep. I’m just about to lift her and carry her to my room when she speaks.
“I’m sorry I fell apart,” she whispers.
“You have nothing to apologize for,” I assure her. “Your brother is the one who should be apologizing. I’m guessing that will happen after the Old Ladies explain to him the error of his ways.”
Rey shifts so she can look at me. “What?”
“I left Max in the hands of Cleo, Delphhine, and Olivia. They didn’t look happy. Your brother is likely getting an earful about his poor behavior towards you. He’ll be begging to apologize by the time they’re done with him.”
“He’s right,” Max says from the doorway. Hex, Dixie, and Lake stand behind him, likely ready to drag him back downstairs if he says anything to upset Rey again. “I’m sorry, squirt, Ishouldn’t have yelled at you like that. Seeing the pregnancy test threw me, and I panicked. Can you forgive me?”
“I don’t know yet,” Rey says, honestly. “I’m not getting rid of this baby. At least I don’t think I am. But it is my decision, not yours. Not anyone’s, but mine.”
“You don’t have to talk about this right now,” I tell her. “I was going to carry you to my room and put you to bed so that you can rest. You can talk to Max later.”
“No, I’d rather get it over with,” Rey says with a sigh.
“How about we go downstairs, where it is more comfortable,” I suggest.
Rey smiles at me and nods. “Okay.”
I help her to her feet and keep an arm around her while we walk back downstairs. Olivia is coming out of the kitchen carrying a mug. She follows us to the sitting area and hands the mug to Rey.
“This is an herbal blend that will soothe you. You’ve had a rough few days, so I thought you could use it.”
“Thank you,” Rey says, taking the mug and breathing in the aroma.
I sit on the couch and pull her so she’s next to me. When Max tries to sit on the other side of her, I growl at him and point at the chair across the coffee table. “Sit over there.”
“But she’s my sister,” Max protests.
“And you’re an asshole,” I lob back. “Sit over there.”
Max grumbles but takes the seat I indicated. Hex, Dixie, and Lake all take seats before pulling their women onto their laps.
“Where are Zip and Pirate?” I ask, giving Rey time to drink her tea.
“Zip had a late appointment with a client. Pirate is on his way. He was with Cicero.”
