Page 51 of Endure the Pain

Without giving him my back, I moved toward the door. Once I was standing just outside the bathroom, I smiled triumphantly and flipped him off.

The corner of his mouth tugged up and his arm snapped out to grab me. A startled yelp rang from my lips and I ran. As I booked it out of the bedroom into the living room, I could hear Jamie’s chuckle from where he still remained in the bathroom.

I helped Louie prepare breakfast. He had everything to make pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon. The three of us ate quietly at Louie’s little dining room table. I gobbled down all of my pancakes and bacon, but couldn’t bring myself to touch any of my eggs, at least not without upchucking all of my breakfast.

By the time we were done eating, I had let down my guard around Jamie. As I was taking my plate and fork to the kitchen, I passed where he was sitting. A hand came down on my ass, a loud slap echoed off the walls, and my entire body bristled.

That bastard.

Louie’s shoulders were shaking with silent laughter. Jamie held a daring and smug-as-hell expression that made me want to smack it off his face.And that’s just what I’m going to do.

I scooped up a fistful of uneaten eggs off my plate and smooshed them right onto the center of his face. Louie’s head fell back with roaring laughter while Jamie sat there stunned, eggs dropping onto the table.

“Sorry it’s not cake this time,baby,” I cooed. “And don’t expect me to lick it off of you either.”

Jamie shot up from his chair and lunged for me. I jumped out of his reach. His predatory eyes held mine as he wiped eggs from his face. Still holding my plate in one hand and my fork in the other, I debated chucking them at him as I took a small step back.

The devilish grin he held promised another slap on the ass. “You better run.”

I didn’t hesitate. Not that it did me any good. I made it four steps into the living room when his arms locked around my stomach from behind. I screamed as I was lifted off the ground, my legs kicking the air.

I barely heard Jamie’s chuckle over the sound of the front door bursting open and slamming against the wall, followed by Stefan and Brody storming in.

Jamie and I froze as we watched Stefan and Brody’s wide eyes bouncing everywhere before settling on us.

Louie came up beside us, looking as surprised as I felt.

Stefan cleared his throat. “We heard a scream.”

Jamie set me on my feet and took my plate and fork from me.

“What are you doing here?” I asked with as much indifference as I could muster.

Stefan put his hands into his pockets as he stared only at me. He had a nasty bruise on his cheek from where Jamie had hit him. Seeing it made everything that had happened last night flood my mind.

When he didn’t answer right away, Brody glared at the back of Stefan’s head and hissed, “Stefan.”

It was an effort not to show my shock. I’d never heard Brody use such a tone with my father before.

Stefan’s shoulders noticeably tensed. “Can I have a moment alone with my daughter?”

Did he just ask versus order?

“I’ll be out in the car,” Brody announced just before walking out and closing the front door behind him.

Jamie and Louie looked to me for my approval before going into the bedroom.

Nothing was said for the longest time and I watched as Stefan looked around the room, absorbing every detail. “I’ve only been here once, when Jameson first bought it.”

I crossed my arms. “Brody made you come here?”

“He threatened to leave me if I didn’t,” he said casually. That had to be the first personal thing he had ever admitted to me. I didn’t know if I should feel happy about getting a glimpse past his impenetrable walls or angry that it took Brody threatening him to come talk to me. What was worse was that I cared either way because why should I waste my energy on someone who wouldn’t waste theirs on me? I was an obligation to Stefan. Nothing more.

His eyes flicked to me. “How long have you known?”

I made sure there was zero emotion in my voice. “How long have I known that you’re gay or how long have I known about you and Brody?”

Even though his blank mask was unwavering, his body was tense and still as a statue.Is he uncomfortable?