“No? You do know your father left you a lot of money, right? You only get that if you come with me to live until you’re twenty-one,” she replied hotly, not seeming to realize she was treading on thin ice.
No one would hurt her without me allowing it, but she shouldn’t rely on that.
They were lethal crews when they wanted to be, and the fact that she was there to take me away was a good way to start a war.
I snorted at her fake excuses.
“Max was in debt.”
“No, he wasn’t. Your father was rich as hell, you know that,” she argued, making me frown, trying to figure out the thoughts in my head.
I absently sensed Diesel move behind me before he put his arms around me firmly to steer me into the kitchen.
I heard Miranda growling at him, but I’d zoned out.
Dad wasn’t fucking rich.
He couldn’t have been.
Diesel turned the taps on and placed my bleeding hand under the cool water, sighing as he kissed the top of my head.
“Hey, talk to me, babe.”
Normally I’d argue, but I needed to say it out loud to try and figure it out.
“Dad lost all of his money to Tristan Holloway. The only reason he didn’t end up dead was because he gave me up as payment. I don’t get how there’s any money,” I said, still frowning.
He met my eye and cocked his head thoughtfully.
“Do you think he had it stashed away so he couldn’t lose it?”
It was possible, I guessed.
“Maybe, but he owed so many people money, that he would have been stupid to try and get out of it.”
He gave me a sympathetic look as he finished rinsing my hand, his voice gentle.
“Babe, I’m not trying to make you feel like shit, but if he thought you would cover the debt, why would he give them any of the money? He had you to pay it with.”
My heart ached at the thought, and I knew I’d never find out the truth.
“I just thought he got desperate.”
“Greedy more like it. Prick’s lucky he didn’t die slow and painfully,” he snorted, hearing a gasp close by.
Miranda looked horrified as she stood behind us, her eyes wide and voice shaky.
“How could you say that about my brother? Rory, how can you…”
I wasn’t going to play the good guy for her benefit.
Fuck this shit.
“I’m glad Max is fucking gone. He wrecked my life. He means nothing to me.”
“Is that why you didn’t call me about his funeral? Because you didn’t want us there?” She asked, but I gave her a bitter laugh.
“There was no funeral. He was cremated and tossed on the side of the road.”
“How could you?!” She exploded, and I wasn’t sure if she wanted to slap me or curl up and cry.
It would be wiser to do the latter.
I gave her a frustrated look, anger consuming me at the memories I’d manage to bury.
“Easily! All he did was hurt me!” I shouted, feeling Caden’s presence before I saw him out of the corner of my eye.
He put an arm around my shoulders and kissed my cheek.
“You okay, baby?”
“Yeah, I’m good,” I promised, but Miranda narrowed her eyes on him.
“And who are you?”
“Oh, this is Caden. His mom was dating Max for a while until she found out that Dad gave me to Caden’s dad to rape at the end of middle school. So Caden’s my ex stepbrother, ex-boyfriend, and my best friend, I guess,” I shrugged, watching my aunt’s face scrunch up.
“You were dating your stepbrother?”
Wow, that’s what bothered her?
“May as well since I was fucking him all the time. Now please, get out of my house.”
Confusion crossed her face as she spoke.
“You want me to leave?”
“The fact that you found Caden the disturbing part of this conversation gives me plenty of reasons to,” I bit out, but she just rolled her eyes as if I was being a brat.
“Your father had told me that you were lashing out. I chose to ignore what you just said.”
Caden growled, getting in her face as he started to lose some of his self-control.
“I’ve watched Max hit her. I found her naked and tied up at my father’s house before Max died. I see the hurt inside of Rory every fucking day, and I’m just the guy who fucks her. Goes to show who really loves her, huh?”
I felt sick, leaning on the bench and my hand throbbed with the pressure I was putting on it, reminding me of the cut.
I wobbled slightly, but I was suddenly lifted into someone’s arms.
I blinked away the black dots in my vision, peering up to find Hunter’s jaw clenched as he carried me up to my room.
“Hunter? What…”
He cut me off sharply, but with affection in his tone.
“You’re going to faint. You need to wrap your hand, and you need to get away from your fucking aunt.”
I was quiet for a moment before speaking again, my voice coming out shaky and weak.
“I really don’t feel good.”
“You’re still bleeding for starters, but your aunt’s triggering trauma for you. Hang on,” he sighed, placing my butt on the bathroom sink before rummaging through the drawers.
He pulled out a bandage and rewashed the cut, before drying and wrapping it.
“You need to stop smashing glass when you get upset. You’re running out of bandages and I’m running out of patience when it comes to seeing you hurt.”
I cracked a small smile.
“Big softy.”
“Only for you,” he muttered, giving me a kiss on the cheek before helping me back down from the sink and heading back out to the party.
Skeeter had gladly kicked Miranda out for me, and I just hoped she wasn’t locked in the trunk of one of their cars for later.
Caden
Watching Hunter stroll in and literally remove Rory from the bullshit with her aunt had made me feel guilty for not being the one to think of it.
She was spending most of her time with the crews, so it was no surprise that the guys and I were spending less time with her.
I hated to seem like a whiney bitch, but I missed the hell out of her.
I knew Jensen was going to do everything to get her back, but Tyler suggested letting her find herself a little bit before jumping back into a relationship, which I agreed with.
Our girl was feeling lost with everything that had happened, and I’d do anything I could to help her find her feet again.
I watched Skeeter escort Miranda out, not at all surprised when Diesel turned to me with a sigh.
“How the fuck can we help her heal when shit keeps being thrown at her?”
I shrugged, glancing at Tyler as he joined us.
“I’m not sure. Ty and I are trying to give her some space, but bullshit keeps finding her.”
Tyler snorted. “Basically. You guys better be watching out for her. We’re trying not to get in the crew’s way, but it’s hard because she’s always in the middle of fucking crew business. Now she’s banging Hunter? Is that even allowed considering she’s a Psycho?”
Diesel groaned, running a hand through his light brown hair hard enough that I was surprised it didn’t rip out of his goddamn scalp.