Page 73 of The Rowdy Ones

Thankfully, Destiny is in the shower. Otherwise, we might have a meltdown right about now.

“Why the hell not?” I demand, crossing my arms over my chest, voice rising.

“Rowdy,” Uncle Atticus warns from the kitchen. “Tone it the fuck down.”

Is he serious right now?

“I want her in the RV with me where I can keep her safe,” I say again through gritted teeth. “It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.”

So I guess we’re doing this. I’m having a battle of wills with the woman who birthed the most stubborn guy I know.

“I said no,” Aunt Eve growls. “No, Rowdy, no. How many other times do you need to hear it? No.”

The twins parrot her, saying the word “no” over and over again until it makes my ears bleed.

“I’m not sticking around for this,” Wild says after polishing off the rest of his dinner. “I’m out.”

My supposed best friend abandons me to deal with his unreasonable family.

“She’s upset,” I grind out, trying to reason with the tiny woman glowering up at me. “She needs me.”

Aunt Eve pokes me in the gut. “You are a big man. She’s young and small. I don’t want you alone with her.”

Okay, so now she’s pissing me off.

“She’s my sister.” My jaw muscle ticks with fury. “It’s my duty to protect her, not harm her. What exactly do you think I’m going to do to her?”

Guilt must shine in my eyes because Aunt Eve bares her teeth at me.

“You are not her husband. You are her brother. You don’t share a bed with her!”

Uncle Atticus thankfully intervenes, pulling his furious wife into his arms. “Our house means our rules, Rowdy. Destiny stays in the room we’ve provided for her. She’s not sleeping in the RV with you. Simple as that.”

A storm of fury and humiliation whips around inside me as I try to think of an argument I can win. But neither of them is budging. They’re worse than my parents. Overprotective and strong-willed.

“Can I stay with her here then?” I ask, defeated.

“No.” Aunt Eve bores her gaze into me, daring me to argue.

I fucking want to.

“Maybe we should go back home,” I threaten, feeling like an insolent child.

“Because your father will be much more accommodating,” Aunt Eve deadpans. Then her lips twitch. “He dealt with my brothers and father. He would deal with you the same way.”

No one talks about Aunt Eve’s family much, but I know they all died. What I didn’t now until now, though, is that my father was responsible.

“Why do you think I’m going to hurt her?” I ask, chest cracking down the middle. “I would never.”

Uncle Atticus softens first. “We don’t,” he assures me. “But it’s not appropriate. You can see her first thing in the morning. Take her to the clinic if you want. You two just aren’t sleeping in the same bed together.”

My face is hot and I know I’m red from embarrassment. It probably makes me look guilty as fuck, too.

“Can I at least tell her goodbye?” My voice is tight with emotion.

They both nod.

I pace the hallway outside of Destiny’s room, waiting for her to get out of the shower. Finally, she exits with a towel on her head and dressed in oversized clothes. The college logo on the hoodie indicates they likely belong to Wild.