After Math(36)
I don’t understand why his brother is a big secret, but he’s obviously agitated. “No. I didn’t tell anyone.” Then I remember my conversation with Jason. “Wait.”
His panic-filled eyes shoot to my face.
“I mentioned him to Jason, but he didn’t know who he was.”
Tucker bounces off the bed to his feet and paces, rubbing the back of his head. “You told Jason?” He turns to me. “When did you talk to Jason?”
His swinging pendulum of emotions scares me, but not for my physical safety. “He came to see me in the math lab earlier this week. He told me to end things with you. That I was distracting you.”
“And you didn’t tell me this?”
I shake my head, my breath sticking in my chest. “You and I weren’t exactly speaking then. You’d made it clear you weren’t interested in me. I didn’t see the point. There was nothing to end.”
“How did Marcel come up in the conversation?” His voice is cold.
I pull the sheet up to my chest, suddenly feeling vulnerable. “Jason told me he was your brother so I asked him if I could expect a visit from Marcel next.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“What did he say?”
“He asked me who Marcel was.”
“Did you tell him?”
Anger burns in my chest. I feel sorry for Tucker and the pain he’s in, but he doesn’t have the right to treat me like this. “No. I didn’t answer him.”
He nods.
“So is Jason your brother?”
Tucker glares.
Resentment and disappointment threaten to swallow me whole. I slide my feet to the edge of the bed.
“Where are you going?”
I grab my panties on the floor and step into them, keeping my back to Tucker. I’m exposed enough without having him see me naked right now.
He grabs my shoulders from behind, his fingers digging into my flesh with his tight grip. “Where are you going, Scarlett?”
Jerking from his grasp, I reach for my bra and slip it over my arms, fastening the back before I turn to face Tucker. “Home.”
“Why?” Pain fills his voice again. “You’re leaving me?”
“Tucker.” Tears clog my throat. “I want to be with you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life, but you can’t even share something as simple as who your brother is. If you don’t trust me enough to tell me about your family, then this isn’t going to work.”
His eyes narrow with anger. “So you’re running away from me.”
I step into my skirt, tears blinding my vision. “No, Tucker. You’re the one running away from me.”
“You’re the only person I see leaving.”
I can’t find my shirt and then I remember Tucker took it off when we came home to his apartment last night. How did everything change so quickly? My chest shakes with a sob. I look up into his face. “I don’t want to go. I want to stay with you, but you have to open up to me, Tucker. Give me one thing. Just one thing, and I’ll stay.”
He turns to the side.
“Who’s Marcel? Why do you think it’s your fault?”
His eyes close, and his chest rises and falls.
“Who is Jason? Why do you have different last names?”
His hands fist at his sides.
“Tucker. Please.” I wonder how fair this is. He’s clearly upset, and I’m pushing him to do something that he’s uncomfortable doing. But he needs me, and the only way I can help him is if he lets me in.
“Jason is my foster brother from my last family.” He sits on the side of the bed, defeated. “We have different last names because my foster family didn’t adopt me. Jason lives with me here.”
I sit next to him and wrap my arms around his shoulder. “Thank you,” I whisper.
“Don’t leave me, Scarlett.” He chokes on the words.
Tears stream down my face, and I brush the tears off his. “I’m here.”
He turns and kisses me, his hands grabbing my cheeks. “But for how long?”
I stare into his guarded eyes. I can’t answer. I’m surprised he doesn’t realize he’s the one who has the answer to his question.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jason is gone for the weekend, so I spend most of Sunday with Tucker, but he’s reserved, which is understandable given the fact someone close to him is in trouble. But Tucker seems raw and wounded, and I wonder if he needs to spend some time alone. He takes me home by mid-afternoon, only because I insist I need to study.
Caroline is frantic with worry when I walk in the door. “Where have you been?”
“I told you…” My voice trails off as I realize I only told her someone was bringing me home. I close my eyes. “Caroline, I’m sorry.”