Page 22

Jamie

What’s yours is mine now.

Those words refuse to leave my mind as I drive to Jace’s school.

It’s been so difficult trying to find someone I can trust with Jace.

Not too many guys are enthusiastic about sharing me with my little brother.

But Anders just accepted that Jace and I come as a package.

Since we met, he’s been so good with my brother, patient and kind like he’s known Jace forever.

Like we’re a family.

Swallowing around the lump in my throat, I grip the wheel tightly.

That’s a dangerous line of thinking. Anders isn’t staying.

He has goals, and I’m not part of them. Once the year is over, Anders will choose revenge over Jace and me and return to his timeline.

I’ll have to move on without him. This isn’t a relationship—it’s just sex.

That’s all. I can’t afford to get attached.

“I don’t understand why he would start a fight.” I bite my nail while I wait for the light to change. “He never acts out like this.”

“Does he have enemies at school?” Anders’s big body is tense, a muscle flickering in his jaw.

I totally don’t feel mushy over how protective he is of Jace already.

Not at all. “Not that I know of.” Did some kid start a fight?

If someone is bullying my little brother, there’s going to be hell to pay.

“What if he’s being bullied and I’ve just been so busy with the shop that I missed the signs?

” The idea that I’ve been unintentionally neglectful makes my knuckles whiten around the steering wheel.

“Then we will deal with it,” Anders growls, and the fact that he looks ready to charge into a fight on Jace’s behalf soothes me.

We. We will deal with it.

For the first time in so long, I’m not in this alone.

My heart’s ready to beat out of my chest as I jog to the principal’s office. Throwing open the door, I find her behind her desk. Jace is hunched in a chair and scowling. There’s a Band-Aid on his cheek, which is already bruising purple.

“Jace!” I kneel beside his chair. “Are you okay?”

Lips folded tight together, Jace glowers at the floor.

“Please have a seat, Mr. Sullivan. Kevin and his parents will be here at any moment.”

Oh, great. I have to speak with angry parents.

She directs a smile at Anders. “And you are?”

“My boyfriend,” I blurt. I need Anders in the room for this.

“Aye,” Anders agrees, making my cheeks warm as he comes up behind my chair and grips the top of it, looming over me like a big, protective guard dog.

Instantly, a comforting sense of safety envelops me like a blanket—until the door bangs open and a man and woman storm in with a scowling, red-faced little boy.

“Mr. and Mrs. Davidson, please have a—”

“I want that boy expelled!” Mr. Davidson booms, pointing at Jace. I have the sudden urge to bite his damn finger off. “He’s a violent, out-of-control hooligan!”

Outrage flares in me.

“I am not. He’s a bully! He started it first!” Jace snaps, leaping out of his seat.

“Easy, lad.” Anders grips Jace’s shoulders.

Shushing both my guys reassuringly, I ball my hands into fists so I don’t explode at Davidson as I turn to face him. “I understand you’re upset, Mr. Davidson, but can someone please explain what happened? I’m sure we can work this out.”

Mrs. Davidson throws me a scathing look. “That boy attacked my child completely unprovoked!”

“I didn’t!” Jace erupts, and Anders urges him to sit down. “He deserved it anyway!”

“Jace, that’s enough!” I say, shocked. “Is this true?” I ask the principal, hoping for a more measured response to cool my boiling blood.

“The schoolyard monitor pulled them apart when they started fighting, but she wasn’t sure who started it, and we have mixed reports from the other children present.

Regardless of who started it, we have a zero-tolerance policy for violence at this school.

Both Jace and Kevin are suspended for a week.

I expect better behavior when they return to class. ”

My heart sinks into my stomach. How am I going to look after Jace and manage the store at the same time? Anger rises in me.

“What?” Kevin barks. “But he started it!”

Jace stays silent, arms folded and lower lip jutting out.

“I understand,” I say, trying to contain my frustration. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience this caused.”

“That’s it?” Mrs. Davidson sneers. “That boy should never be allowed to come back!” She side-eyes Anders. “Then again, with a father who looks like that , it’s no wonder the boy’s a savage.”

A low snarl escapes Anders, making both the Davidsons jump. “That’s enough.”

I grip Jace’s arm. “Let’s go home.”

He rips his arm away and storms out into the hallway, his rejection like a blow to my chest. “Jace!” Anders and I pursue him into the hall, and Mr. Davidson and his fuming son are just behind us.

Anders rounds on Mr. Davidson. “Control your runt,” he growls, and Mr. Davidson blanches. “If he lays a hand on Jace again, there will be consequences.”

“Leave them alone,” I grumble. “They’re not worth it.

” Anger simmering low in my gut, I follow Jace outside.

As I walk, I take deep, steadying breaths.

Getting mad at Jace won’t help the situation at all.

He’s an empathetic kid, so he probably feels bad enough that his behavior has caused trouble for me.

Jace is already slouching in the back seat, arms wrapped around his chest and face hidden from view.

I get in without a word and pull on my seat belt.

Once Anders is buckled in, I drive us home, stealing glances at Jace in the mirror.

Tears have dripped onto his shirt, and the sight makes my chest tighten.

Fuck. What a shitty day this has turned out to be. I’m dreading going upstairs when we park outside the apartment. All through the drive, I tried to think about what to do. Do I punish Jace? Is the suspension punishment enough? What do I say? I wish my parents were here to tell me what to do.

Once we’re upstairs, I turn to Jace. “Go to your room. I’ll be there in a moment.”

Jace throws his backpack on the floor and storms into his bedroom, slamming the door.

Blowing out a breath, I go into the kitchen and pour a tall, cold glass of water.

I drain the whole glass in a few gulps and try to gather my thoughts.

I never got into fights as a kid, so I have no frame of reference to draw from.

“Did you fight a lot as a kid?” I ask Anders.

His mustache lifts in a smile. “Oh, aye.” He sounds proud of himself.

“And what did your parents do?”

“That depends. If I won, they were very proud. If I lost, they told me I brought shame on my ancestors and the family name.”

“Not sure that’s what Jace needs to hear right now…”

“Go easy on the lad. Hear his side of the story first.”

Right. That will make it easier to decide how to approach this.

Girding myself, I knock on Jace’s door. When I don’t get a response, I ease it open just enough to peer inside.

The lamp is on, and Jace is sitting on his bed with his knees to his chest, flipping through the pages of a book.

The sour odor of anger still permeates from him, though.

Clearing my throat softly, I say, “Hey. Can we talk?”

Jace shrugs, white-knuckling the corners of his book.

Dropping onto the edge of his bed, I count the loose threads in the carpet, trying to piece together the perfect thing to say.

My parents wouldn’t have had to try. They always knew how to calm us boys when we got upset.

I’m nothing compared to them. Jace would be better off with anyone other than me.

Clearing the despair from my throat, I say, “Jace… can you tell me what happened?”

He doesn’t even look at me.

“Hey.” At a loss, I try and take the book away. “Jace. Talk to me.”

Jace slaps the book down on his bed. Man, where did he get all this attitude from? “Talk about what? I got into a fight. The end.”

My molars squeak together as I grind down. “No, it isn’t ‘the end.’ Stop being a pain. You owe me an explanation.”

“If you’re so sick of me, just drop me off at an orphanage,” Jace snaps.

“Tempting!” I bark back, way beyond talking now.

“You only care about me when I’m upset anyway.”

I flinch from his words. “What? That is not true.” Is it? His accusation hits me like a cannonball, blowing a hole straight through any confidence I had.

“Yes, it is!” Jace’s shout fills the room, making me wince. “You’re always busy all the time!”

Guilt twists my stomach into knots. Is this how he really feels? In my own hurt, I lash out. “And you thought I wasn’t busy enough, so you got yourself suspended! Is that it? Why are you such a freaking brat?”

“I wish Mom and Dad were here instead of you!” he screams, tears coursing down his cheeks.

An ache spreads through me, like I’ve been punched in the stomach. I wish that too, so fucking much. I miss them. I need them here helping me, telling me what to do. Throat thick, I choke out, “So do I.”

I wish I’d died in their place.

Instead of coming to an understanding, we’ve ripped the scabs off wounds that have never healed, and we’re bleeding all over again. Incapable of speaking, I stumble from the room and slam the door before I say something I’ll regret. Jace’s sobs come from behind the door, making my heart break.

Tears try to dampen my cheeks, but I can’t. I can’t break. If I break, I don’t know how I’ll put myself back together. Jace needs me to be strong for him. Furiously scrubbing my eyes, I ignore Anders and head to the front door.

“Where are you going?” Anders asks.

“A walk.” I sniff hard, shouldering my bag. “I’ll be back in a bit, just… need to clear my head.”

“Aren’t you hungry? You didn’t eat a big breakfast. I could cook us something.”

A bitter laugh punches out of me. “You don’t even know how to use the stove.”

Anders is quiet behind me, and the scent of his hurt makes me want to hit myself. “Aye… that’s true.”

I want to scream, to fall apart in his arms, to rage and cry. Instead, I let the door slam behind me. At the end of the day, the only one who can take care of this family is me.

No matter how wonderful Anders is.