Page 154 of Pretty Broken Wings

I could kill him.

I put my forearms on the counter. The sink isn’t clean enough. I can smell it. It’s not clean enough.

Fuck. I grab more cleaner and scrub. I wait for the distress to hit me. The 'I can’t believe I just thought about murdering a person' to sink in.

No. Not a person. A pedophile.

The guilt doesn’t set in.

Okay. How long do I have before Axel decides to go after Rich, too?

Fucking Raven will calm him for a bit.

How long is a bit?

Oh my god, he’s fucking Raven. I’m gonna go in there.

No. No, I’m not. She didn’t invite me, and most of me is okay with that.

I’m gonna fix this. I’m gonna fix it before Axel can butt in and fuck it all up. I wasn’t able to protect my brother before. But I can now.

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX

I worry that things will be awkward the next day, so I avoid coming out of my room for as long as possible. Is everything going to be different now? I mean, I’ve fucked both of them. Will they fight each other? Fight me?

Will they coddle me? Treat me like I’m damaged, ask me about Max, or decide I’m too much? I really don’t want to talk about Max. It’s clear they know. I don’t want to relive it.

When I finally come out of the room, Buddy following behind me, Gage and Axel are bickering about what pizza they should order for dinner.

“Ah, good,” Gage motions at his brother. “Tell this idiot that three cheese is too much cheese. Gotta break it up with some pepperoni orsomething.”

“Too much cheese?” Axel groans, rubbing his forehead. “Do you hear yourself?”

They continue to bicker, tossing insults back and forth, and it makes me relax. I slide into a spot on the loveseat, patting Buddy.

Gage gets up with a dramatic sigh, then comes over to me. “Hey, princess.”

“Hey, don’t–” I cut off as he turns to sit on me.

“Gage!”

Too late, he’s dropped his weight on me and leans back. I grunt, trying to squirm away, but his weight pins me down solidly. His back vibrates as he asks, “I thought Raven came out.”

“Get off!” I half laugh, half cry.

Axel’s voice is muffled. “I didn’t hear her defend cheese. She must not be here.”

“You guys aren’tthatblind.”

I continue struggling, and then Gage shifts. “Oh! There you are! Why didn’t you say anything?”

I gasp for air, wiggling my torso around his back. “Get off you fucking… giant… fucking…”

“Hmmm. Not unless you pay the tax.”

My legs are fully pressed into the bottom of the cushion, and they’re getting wet from the last bit of the cleaner that hasn’t dried. “Okay! Fuck, get off!”

“Good.” Suddenly, Gage’s weight is gone. Then, I’m being whisked up and plopped back down in his lap.