Page 2 of The Spare

Suddenly, Hendrix's infuriated face steps into my eyesight, and he snatches me up roughly by my elbow. I rise fluidly from the chair, looking past him to catch her eye again. Her head turns to keep my eye contact, and a grin tugs at my mouth as he pulls me behind him, moving to the other side of the room and well out of the ear shot of our families.

"Hey, Hen.Let go of me!"I snap tugging against his hold, but it just makes him tighten down even harder as he jerks me around to face him.

"What the fuck are you doing?" he says roughly. "She'ssixteen,Mason!"

Irritated, I throw his hands up and take a step back, getting some distance between him and me. Seriously, it's too much after my conversation with Father. I need them to leave me the fuck alone.

"Nothing, Hendrix.Goddamn, you are such a fucking killjoy. I thought being married to Isobel would calm you down a little because you're finally getting laid on a regular, but nope, still just as uptight of a dick as ever," I snap, snatching my arm away on a frustrated grunt and narrowing my eyes at him.

He narrows his eyes back, pointing a finger at my face. "Stay the fuck away from her, Mason. She'sunderage!"

"All I did was look at her! Goddamn, bro. Can you mind your fucking businessfor once?"I clench my jaw hard as I avert my face and fold my arms, leaning a shoulder against the wall. Across the massive room, Melody is taking a seat on one of the leather couches, away from the others. She pulls a throw pillow to her chest and hugs it.

"No," he snarls. At his violent tone, I drag my eyes from watching Melody, and see he's clenching his fists. Good, I hope he tries it. My eyes slowly slide back to his.

"I want her."

He shakes his head and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Ohhh, Jesus. You have really lost your goddamn mind." He takes a deep breath.

I guess it'd be too much to ask that he hold it till he passes out for once.

My eyes slide back to Melody, uncaring of what he thinks about me. I've pretty much given up ever receiving approval from him or Father. Melody shakes her head as Teresa offers Vi to her to hold, and the soft, apologetic smile that graces her face does something to me. My heart tugs at the way her doe-shaped eyes can't quite maintain anyone's eye contact, and she doesn't try to take up any more space than she has to.

Instead she works to make herself smaller. As far away from the spotlight as possible. She tucks her hair behind her ear, shaking her head no once again as my father offers her a water.

Her movements are insular, graceful.

I feel a connection to her I can't explain. My eyes slide back to Hendrix, seeing him staring at me with a perplexed look on his face.

"No, Hendrix. You don't understand,I want her."

As we stare each other down, his eyes widen.

"No!" he says sternly, shaking his head and taking a threatening step towards me."I forbid it!She's too young.Stop thinking with your motherfucking dick! She's not a conquest, Mase. Not one of your back alley whores you pick up at the strip club. That's my wife's sister, and I won't hesitate to fuck you up if you hurt her."

My eyes narrow, because I haven't even thought once about fucking her.

"I didn't say I wanted hertoday,"I stress quietly. Turning my gaze back to Melody, I continue to watch her, fascinated. As I think, I tap my hand nice and slow against my bicep. "But in any event, I'll wait.Say,what do suppose you call your sister-in-law if she's also your brother's wife?"

Melody crosses her long legs, and though she's in a skirt that goes to her knees, the action causes it to ride up showing plenty of thigh. Heat crawls up my neck at the sight. Hendrix scoffs, turning on his heel to walk to her, snagging a blanket off the back of a leather chair and draping it over her legs. She looks up at him, arching an eyebrow.

Pulling out my phone, I type out a text.

Fuck you, Hendrix. -Mase

Hendrix pulls out his phone, before being distracted by something Donna says to him. I walk over to join them, deciding I'd like to get to know her. I sit down directly next to her, ignoring Hendrix's face turning pink. The first thing I notice is her smell. She smells sweet. Innocent.

I hate she's tainted by this family. She deserves to be free.

My phone pings.

I'm going to haul you to the backyard to beat your fucking ass. Go sit somewhere else, NOW!- Hendrix

I'd like to see him try. I'd lay his ass out so quick he wouldn't know what hit him.

Thoroughly annoyed with my oldest sibling, I throw him a filthy look before shifting my stance; I spread my legs and cross my arms, grazing Melody's thigh with mine. She shoots me an innocent look and smiles, shifting herself to where she's facing me a little bit more head on and pulling her leg away.

I give her a smile, looking back at my phone to text Hendrix back.