Stepbrother Unsealed(71)

It's not good enough for mom. She marches up, shoots her hand out, and slaps me across the face. It barely stings compared to the shit I've been through overseas, but it resonates through me like a fireball, threatening to turn everything I've built with my girl to ash.

I hear Delia sniffle, feel her reach up with her free hand to wipe her eyes. The urge to put my own devilish mother out of her misery with my bare hands has never been greater than it is right now.

“You hit me like that again, and you're going away in handcuffs. I'll have the cops here in a heartbeat.” All my reason is hanging by a thread in those words.

“Sure you will, you dickless little shit. You're just like your father. Not man enough to deal with me on your own terms. Always having to run away, or get somebody else involved.” She looks at the ground for a second and honest-to-God spits, before our eyes lock again. “You're such an embarrassment. You think you're stronger than everybody else, including the woman who suffered to squeeze you out? You think running around playing SEAL means everybody has to worship the ground you walk on, including this slut?”

Evie gestures at my girl with one bright green fingernail, and I swear I'm going to break it the fuck off. My muscles are totally wound up, ready to strike, ready to kill.

If only it were that easy. I've never learned how to handle her shit when she's this evil, and now she's just dropped an atom bomb on our heads.#p#分页标题#e#

I do the only thing I can. I turn around, squeeze Delia tight, cradle her in my chest. All the pain inside her comes ripping out. I push my fingers through her hair, a human wall between the psycho hellbent on ruining our promises.

“Uh-huh, go ahead, keep ignoring me, Christopher. Typical. You've got about – hmmm?” I hear her pause, as if she's checking the time. “Three hours until Bruce gets back. Better start packing. I'd tell you to bring the college girl with you, but something tells me there isn't room on base for her. Never mind the poor dear being a fish out of water without this glamorous life. I don't think she's ready to be without her father's riches and no man. She knows it's just a matter of time until you leave her to go on another mission to some God forsaken, savage land.”

“Shut. Up!” Delia tears herself away from me and it comes tearing out. Before I can stop her, she puts her hands on my mother's shoulders, and pushes her hard.

“Why are you such a freak? Why!? Is it the drugs? Why do you think it's your place to get between our love?”

I'm ready to restrain my mother, expecting her to fight back. Instead, she just straightens herself and smooths her skirt, the same freakishly calm smile on her lips.

Sonofabitch. I wonder what the hell she's got pumping in her system now, giving her this cruel, otherworldly focus.

“Dears, I haven't had so much as a non-alcoholic beer since leaving rehab. I'm completely sober. That's what's so amazing about this – I can see how insane this...this thing between you is. How wrong, how confused you both are. And I'm going to put a stop to it. It's taken me a long time to save myself, and now I'm ready to save my family too.”

It's so goddamned eye rolling I almost go blind. So, she's in her manic phase today, up on her high horse, ready to swing her sword and take everybody else's heads off for her own ego.

“And Cordelia, if you ever put your hands on me again, Christopher won't be the only one calling the cops,” she says with a smirk. “Haven't you done enough damage by fucking your own stepbrother and destroying your father's fragile psyche? Are you really going to make him pick you up from jail too?”

Delia looks like she's going to explode. I need to shut this fucking demon up, before she gets us right where she wants us, in too deep. She wants us to hurt her so she can play victim. I'm not gonna let that happen.

“Get out of our way,” Delia snarls, walking several paces ahead, stopping just short of Evie in the hall.

“What's the matter? The basement was perfectly fine while you were defiling my wine cellar, kids.”

“Move, mother. I won't ask again.”

“Then knock me to the ground, big boy. Throw me flat. I know you'll try to get in touch with Bruce and twist his righteous anger into supporting this sick fling you're both enjoying. I'm going to make good and well sure you're truly separated.”

I'm about to push past her and pull Delia with me when she lunges. The crazy bitch goes right for my eyes with her jade fingernails, and I twist away. Delia and I both catch her, shove her, fling her so hard against the wall she hits with a loud smack.

I'm surprised there isn't a hole in the drywall. Mom spins, sputtering, one hand near her abdomen like she's got a broken rib.