Page 66 of We Are Yours

“What do you expect?” My patience was wearing thin. “All I do is clean up your bullshit!”

He stepped back with his arms at his sides. “And who asked you to do that, huh? Because I sure as shit didn’t!”

“Everything I do is for you, you ungrateful shit!”

He laughed me off. “And you never let me forget it.” He pointed at Isla. “Let me remind you that the only reason I’m even around her is because you asked me to watch her!”

She grimaced, another quick expression, but I saw it. His harshness hurt her, and it tore into my disbelief.

“I can see it in your eyes, Kraven. I’m not an idiot. What did you do?”

He didn’t cower down. If anything, he stood taller. “What, Big Brother? You want to play the hero again because you love that I’m the fuckup, and you can just swoop right in and be the smart one, the good one, the golden boy…?” He scoffed, his glare flickering with equal parts bitterness and rage. “That’s what you are, right? That’s what she always called you? Her golden boy…” he taunted.

“Kraven,” I warned, ready to snap and lay into him for once.

I was tired of hearing him run his mouth and not appreciate a damn thing I did for him.

“Yeah? Well, where was the golden boy when I was helping Mom out of bed after she passed out in her own vomit? Huh? Where were you then? Because Pops didn’t give a shit.”

“Kraven,” I stressed, “I mean it.”

I never shared any of this with Isla, and I hated that she was finding out this way.

He didn’t think twice about it, ranting, “How about all the times I thought she drank herself to death because she wouldn’t move, passing out everywhere and anywhere? All the times we had to drag her ass out of the bars! Or how about all the drugs they had all over the house at any point in time?”

“Krav—”

“The group homes! The foster placements! The fucking emergency rooms! Dad fucking around on Mom! Mom fucking around on him right back! Where was the hero then?!”

“That’s enough,” I ordered through a clenched jaw, fists at my sides.

“What?” He got in my face. “Truth hurts, doesn’t it, Julius? But I’m just getting started.”

I shoved him. “Get the fuck out of my face!”

For the first time, I wanted to hit him. It was this knee-jerk reaction because he was provoking me. He wanted me to hit him, and soon enough, I’d learn why. Letting out all the years of pent-up resentment toward me, he didn’t let up.

“You want me out of your face?” He body checked me. “Then you’re just going to have to make me.”

I did, pushing him harder that time, and he didn’t wait to return the sentiment.

“Come on, Julius!” He hunted as if I were his prey. “Prove to me you’d actually do something for her!” His expression turned vicious as he snarled. “Or do you want me to show you how little you mean to her!”

In a single step, my fist collided with his jaw. The sharp sound cut through the air like a whip. Kraven’s head whooshed back with blood trailing his lower lip.

I barely had a second to catch my bearings before Isla screamed, “Stop it!” Getting right between us with her palms flat on our chests, only further pissing me off that she wasn’t facing me.

Instead, her body was turned so that she could look at us both.

Truly placing her in the middle of us.

I was hurt.

Betrayed.

Seeing red.

After the initial shock wore off, I comprehended the severity of the situation. I was stuck with the sound of her voice. Kraven didn’t have to punch me back since the fact that she finally spoke did.