Maelstrom (Inferno 5)

“I don’t mean it the way you think,” she replies casually as a slow smile begins to spread across her lips.

Pushing past me, Luna crosses the hallway and puts her hand on Mom’s bedroom doorknob.

“Are you going to help me before he gets an infection or disease?” she asks in annoyance.

I feel ill.

A wave of nausea crashes down over me. What possessed him to cross this fucking line, I’ll never know, but there has got to be some kind of explanation and I’m willing to give him the opportunity to defend himself.

“Yeah,” I finally say before covering my hand with my mouth. I place a hand on my stomach as I retch, feeling the bile starting to back up. Luna gives me a grin, taking her hand away from the door and placing both on her hips.

“You know, you remind me of him a lot,” she says with a chuckle.

“We’re twins. I would hope so,” I bark as I push past her and grab the doorknob. I grip it tightly in my hand and give it a turn, but then grunt when I realize that he’s locked it.

“Kalen!” I boom as I begin to bang my fist against the wooden frame, “Open the fucking door!”

“Not him, silly. Dad.”

“What?” I ask distractedly as I lean against the door and start shoving my body against it. If I can break the fucking thing open, then I can stop him before he does any more damage to her body.

“You think me showing up here was a coincidence, Dalton? I thought you were smarter than that.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I grunt as I put both hands on the doorknob, raise a foot against the door and begin to pull. And if I can break the lock, then he’ll never be able to do this stupid shit again.

“Stop acting like a goddamn animal for a second and pay attention,” she says sharply as she grabs me by the arms and yanks me away from the door.

I give her a deadly glare before I turn my attention back to trying to get into Mom’s room. Tired of being ignored, Luna forces her way in front of me and gives me a rough shove backwards.

“I didn’t randomly answer the fucking ad, kid. Dad sent me here. He wanted to know how Hailey was doing and to know what she had after he left.”

I blink a few times as my heart begins to beat erratically. “What?”

“Finally,” she mumbles as she crosses her arms over her chest. “I started to watch you online when Dad mentioned that I had brothers or sisters, he just wasn’t sure which since he bailed when I was ‘old enough’ for him to take. Yeah, he came back and knocked up ol’ Hailey because he’s a guy—he couldn’t help it, you know? Besides, he has a thing about keeping the family line clean and in order. Anyway, I saw all of the ads that would be posted with this address on the listings, and before I had a chance to answer any of them, someone else would. I guess I finally got lucky,” she says with a shrug. “After the last time you filled the babysitting spot, I set an alert on any posts your email address would make. I’m actually renting an apartment on the next street; I figured it would be the only way to get in here without getting beat to it,” she continues with a laugh. “I can’t believe it actually worked.”

I close my eyes tightly for a moment as I start to rub my temples. I’m suddenly battling the worst migraine I’ve ever had in my life, and I have a feeling she isn’t done.

“What I didn’t expect was for Hailey to be like she was when I got here. I guess one of you has a temper and decided enough was enough, eh?”

The grin on her face ... it taunts me, almost as if she knows it was me who did it but would rather have me admit it than make the assumption.

But I won’t give her that satisfaction.

“What I’m trying to say is that I’m really your older sister, Hailey is my mother too. And that guy who showed up? The one who rattled Kalen? That’s Dad.”

“Get out,” I whisper.

“No can do, kiddo,” she replies in a sympathetic tone. “Dad showing up meant it’s time for me to go home, but he can’t have any more kids of his own. He’s too sick, and if I’m being honest, being away from him hasn’t been easy. So, I need you to come with me so we can give Dad what he wants.”

Her demand is simple, clear, and to the point.

And when Mom’s door finally opens and Kalen stumbles out, bumps into Luna and looks at me with shock in his eyes, I feel angry all over again.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure can,” she replies as my brother attempts to cover himself before running down the hallway toward his room and slamming the door behind him.

“What would he do right now?”