Page 17 of Bully for Sale

“Then it isn’t safe for him either!”

“Amos made his own bed, and he’ll lie in it. You, however, useless as you are, are my son, and I won’t have you ruining the only thing you have of value. He told me about the boys attacking you. I suppose that’s why you’ve been mincing around? I’ll have one of the servants look to your bruises. You should have told me about it.”

Dahadbetrayed him then. Ezer’s heart spasmed with pain. How could Da have done this? When would he ever see him again?

“I’m fine. Da’s making a big deal out of nothing.”

“Amosmade it very clear that he was indeednotmaking a big deal out of nothing. It will be a very big problem if those alphas succeed in their attempt the next time.AndAmos believes there will be a next time, thoughwhyI don’t fully understand,” Father said. “You’re ugly, Ezer. How long until you get it through your head that you have very little to attract alphas to you? You’re skinny, scrawny, with some decent eyes to recommend you. And let’s not even discuss how stupid you are.”

“I’m not stupid,” Ezer gritted out, hands clenching.

Shan and Flo shifted in their seats, looking ready to defend him, but Yissen sent them a sharp, muting glare.

Little Rodan murmured, “Ezer’s stupid?” A question, not a declaration, so that was something at least.

“You aren’t smart, that’s for certain. You can’t even read.”

Ezer jerked back. “You know why!”

“Whatever the reason, with all of your deficits and defects, being untouched is the only way I’ll ever get a decent contract for your heats, much less for a marriage.”

“I don’t want—”

“I don’tcarewhat you want.” Father snapped his napkin down and glared so hard Ezer was surprised he wasn’t impaled by his father’s disdain. “You are a thorn in my side, Ezer. Don’t think I’m not considering how best to remove you.”

Ezer blinked at his father, trying to parse the meaning of that threat. Yissen caught his eye and shook his head.

Watching wide-eyed, Rodan sucked his thumb, something he hadn’t done in a long time, and only removed it from his mouth when Yissen reached out to tap his wrist, sending a warning glance. Rodan paled and jerked his thumb from his lips, but he didn’t start eating again, his attention darting between Ezer and their father.

For their part, Flo and Shan looked sick to their stomachs, but somehow, they managed to pick up their forks and make the motions of eating. Ezer, deciding that between the bruises throbbing on his arms, legs, and chest, and the pain in his heart, he was done taking a beating for the night, said nothing more, but didn’t eat another bite of dinner either.

His father might control his life, but he couldn’t make him eat.

That night, Shanand Flo came by Ezer’s room together, holding hands like they always did since they were young. “You have to be careful,” Flo said, closing the door behind them, and flopping on Ezer’s bed, taking the spot Ezer had been in. Shan sat down next to him, his black eyes shining with fear.

“Why? What do you know?” Ezer asked.

Both of his middle brothers were handsome, but they were so invested in their relationship with each other that Ezer wasn’t sure marriages could be made for them. Heats could be auctioned, as could advantageous contracts for breeding, but a marriage would require they let go of their obsession with each other and let an alpha come first in their hearts. Ezer couldn’t see that happening.

“Shan overheard Father on the phone earlier. When he was talking with Da.”

“He did?”

“Yes,” Shan said, twisting his hands in his lap. “We were in the library, in that corner where I prefer to read—”

“I was asleep, which is why I missed it,” Flo said.

Of course they’d been together. They always were.

“And Father came in to sit at his desk. I figured that so long as I didn’t make any noise, I wouldn’t bother him, so I continued to read in the corner. A phone call came through, and Father took it right there, and when I realized it was Da…” Shan swallowed, his eyes growing wet as he fought tears. “I miss him!”

“We all miss him,” Flo said, pulling Shan down to cradle against his chest. “He’s our Da. Of course we miss him.”

“Even Yissen?” Shan asked.

“Especially Yissen,” Flo said. “They butted heads, but that just makes it worse, doesn’t it? He hates that Da left when they were on bad terms.”

“Whywerethey on bad terms?” Ezer asked. “I never understood it.”