Bruce puts a hand up, timid and unsure. “Your mother's concerned for you, Chris. She talks about you every single day. I never served like you did, but I've had plenty of colleagues who did, and I know how dangerous it can be. The pay's pretty terrible for everything they put you through. I follow the news, and I know what might happen now that this situation with North Korea's heating up. Nobody in this house wants to see you get hurt.”#p#分页标题#e#
How the fuck does this guy manage a billion dollar company? He's such a worm. He can't even look me in the eye for more than three seconds at a time, but I guess looking like I'm about to tear his head off has something to do with it.
“I didn't come here to get berated and bitched at. I'm a grown man, mom, and I had to do most of the growing up myself. If it's taken you a lot longer than me, too fucking bad. I'll suffer for my job. I won't suffer for you. Any of you.”
I stand up and look right at Delia. She's sucking at her lip, tense and afraid, maybe a flash of sympathy in her eyes.
Great. Pity's just about the last thing I need from the hot girl at the beach I was going to spend all night fucking – the girl who some sick twist of fate just turned into my stepsister.
“Chris, wait, that's not what I'm saying.” The calm, controlled poise in mom's voice breaks. Her fists hit the table. “You never fucking listen, do you!?”
“Evie, it's okay.” Bruce puts a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down. She brushes him off like she's shaking off swamp water.
“No! It's not okay. He's going to wind up just like his bum of a father, too hooked on adrenaline to know what's good for him.” She buries her face in sugar daddy's chest and squeezes out a few tears before she looks back at me, her face wild and red. “Don't come crying to us when something awful happens overseas. I tried to help, tried to do everything for you. Why is it so fucking hard for you to just open up your heart and realize we care? All of us!”
My hand burns, just like it does when I'm flying up a flight of stairs in some terrorist asshole's luxury bunker, tearing open doors, ready to pop the first thing that moves with a sneer on his face and a weapon in his hands. I'm tempted to rip my glass off the table and hurl it over their heads, smash it against the mantle of that fancy fucking fireplace in the corner.
But I'm not giving her what she wants. Mom wants a raging, crazy outburst. That was the old Chris – mad, lost, undisciplined.
“I've barely met you,” I say, directing it to Delia. “I don't know what the hell any of you really think, nor do I care. I want to believe this is just mom, but for all I know, everything since I got back into town's been a damned setup meant to twist me into place. This rich, fucked up family time's a joke, and I'm not gonna pretend I belong. I'm out.”
Mom screams after me, but I don't turn back. The last thing I see before I turn my shoulder for good is pain flashing in Delia's eyes.
No, I don't want to believe last night was some weird conspiracy to soften me up. But I can't put anything past Evie, master manipulator, especially when the mask comes off.
And the rich asshole she married? He'll do anything to make sure I'm not an embarrassment, maybe even give his own daughter permission to flirt and tease before I find out she's off limits.
I'm stomping toward the big entryway, but the beer was bigger than I realized. I've been laying off the booze for weeks after the last mission fucked me over.
Shit. I'm too damned buzzed to drive, and there's no way they'll think I did anything except storm out.
I find the nearest servant and shake him, asking for a bottle of whiskey. He promptly brings me a glass and a nice bottle while I wait by the tall staircases. Then, I take the nearest one up and head into my room, kick the door shut, and flop down on the bed.
I'm supposed to be getting some R and R, and I'm not giving up.
If I can't deal with the bullshit here, I'll sure as hell drink 'til I'm too dumb to be pissed, 'til I can't think about the shit she said about my dead dad. Much less the twisted, dark haired little succubus next to me all night.#p#分页标题#e#
She still wanted my hand between her legs when I clasped her thigh. I couldn't mistake it.
I know a woman's body better than I know SEAL Team drills, and I'm so fucking good at those I work the new recruits.
There's a lot I already know about tonight. I know mom hasn't changed a damned bit, and her new hubby's exactly the weak, snob pissant I expected.
Delia's the only mystery left. She acted like she really didn't know who I was, and her body still can't believe it. Thinking about how close my fingers were to the hot little clit I brushed to convulsions last night makes my dick throb, even while I'm slinging fiery whiskey down my throat in quick, steady shots.