The Better Brother

“Precisely what it sounds like. I am sick to death of you putting me down. You might think you love me, Gavin, but be honest with yourself. You barely like me. Not to mention, I don’t like you when you’re critical of my talents and—”

“Talents? You point a fucking camera, Bella. It’s not like you’re making a living from that weak attempt at art. You’re making a huge mistake and acting like a little, spoiled bitch. Where are you?” I picked the phone up off the counter, and as I turned to walk out into the bedroom, Reed was standing in the room, his eyes were hard and focused on the phone as if he’d heard every word. His jaw was set and his fists where balled up at his sides.

I was going to take the call off speaker mode, but he snatched it from my hand as Gavin continued.

“Bella, I don’t know where you’ve gone, but I suggest you get your fucking ass back here before you regret it. We can still move forward together, and I’ll overlook this.”

“I’m not coming back!” I held my finger to my mouth as Reed opened his mouth as if to speak.

“You get your ass back here, Bella. I won’t have you make a fool of me to my family. I’ve defended you and entertained your useless pipe dreams.”

Reed couldn’t hold back any longer. “Fuck you, man. Bella’s not coming back to your abusive, sorry ass. And if you ever call her again, I’m going to show up on your doorstep and feed you your tongue.” Reed’s voice roared through the room, and his eyes were so red, so hard and focused, that I thought they might bleed.

“Reed!”

“Who the fuck is that? So that’s what this is? You’re with someone else, you fucking slut! You’ll pay for this! Where are you?”

“You come near her, and you’ll be the one who pays. Stay away from Bella and forget you ever knew her.”

I tried to get the phone away from him so he would stop, but when Gavin hung up, Reed threw the phone on the bed.

“Why did you do that? Now he’ll think I cheated on him.”

“Who cares, you’re done with him, right? You’re not thinking about going back?”

“Of course, I’m not, Reed! I just don’t need him slandering me to everyone because he thinks I was unfaithful.” I hadn’t wanted to hurt him that way, either, but I wasn’t going to tell Reed that. He would take it the wrong way.

“He’s an asshole, and I can’t believe you expected me to sit there and let him talk to you that way!”

“You being an asshole too wasn’t going to help anything!” I was near tears from anger and couldn’t believe he’d interfered.

“I’m the asshole? Then I’ll leave you alone too.” Reed’s glare pegged me hard, and without another word, he shook his head and left.

Things were getting too intense too soon.

CHAPTER TEN - REED

I stormed into my room and sat on my bed thumbing through my phone. I had to do something to get my mind off wanting to kill her fucking ex with my bare hands. The asshole reminded me of my father and the way he’d yell at my mom. Being a kid, I’d sat idly by and let him talk to her that way, and I’d lived with the guilt that maybe if I had done something, anything to help my mother, to stand up for her, that she’d still be with me.

A moment later Bella walked into the room. “I think it might be better if I go.”

“Why, because I won’t treat you like shit and let that asshole talk down to you? I’d never treat you that way.”

A sarcastic laugh bubbled up from her and anger flashed in her eyes. “Because you’re such a saint? You manipulated me to get me to sleep with you by threatening to have my best friend arrested!”

I tossed the phone aside and stood up meeting her eyes. “Yeah, I made an asshole move but I told you before you climbed into my bed that it was your choice. Don’t act like I had a gun to your head when you sucked my dick either.”

“You can’t think there’s more to this. I mean, it’s not like you want a relationship and it’s not like I’m ready for one anyway. So, what difference does it make if I stay or go?”

“Because I want you to stay. And don’t tell me what I want.” I walked back to the bed and took my phone. “If you want to leave I’ll call you a cab. You can wait downstairs so you don’t get soaked.”

She glanced back to the window behind me and frowned at the sight of the rain. It had grown even worse since we’d been at the creek.

She raked a hand through her long hair and sighed. “I’ll call Kayla when it stops raining. Until then I’ll be in my room.”

“Do whatever you want sweetheart.” I breezed past her and headed down to the living room bar and poured myself a drink. I shouldn’t let her go; I should do whatever to takes to make her stay, to make her want to be here.

It wasn’t that I wanted a relationship either, though with her, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. I shook my head at the thought of it. No, she was a free spirit with a dream, that was best for both of us.