Laurelle’s face drops. “You can’t. I’m your mother.”
“Exactly. You’re my mother which is why I've allowed this to go on for so long. You weren’t welcome when you showed up a few weeks ago, and you’re not welcome now.”
Colton drops down onto the couch and the room remains silent, all eyes on Laurelle, waiting and watching to see her next move. Except, with the pressure of an audience, she finally cracks. She stomps her foot against the marble floor like a toddler and within the blink of an eye, she turns on her heel and stalks out of the room. “You will not get away with this, Colton. Mark my words, you will pay.”
“Holy fuck,” Spencer howls, roaring with laughter as Milo sits beside him with his jaw hanging wide.
A slow smile begins pulling at my lips but it falls away as a soft sniffle sounds behind me. The room falls to silence once again as we find the twins standing awkwardly in the kitchen, staring at their big brother.
Silent tears track down Casey’s face as Cora stands there dumbfounded. Casey glances around, not strong enough to meet her brother’s eyes. “Does that mean us too?” she asks in a soft tone.
Colton watches them for a second, figuring out his next move. His gaze sweeps to me before falling back to the guys, unsure how he wants to play this. “I don’t know,” he tells them honestly. “Do you want to be here?”
Casey instantly nods while Cora holds back, not ready to give in to her brother, especially after the way he just tore her apart. Perhaps being away from her mother and living with Colton is what she needs to gain a little perspective. Hell, it sure worked for me.
Casey’s eyes go wide, her bottom lip quivering. “Please don’t make me go. I like it here. I actually have friends here who don’t care that my daddy gave me a bank account.”
“Mom’s going to fight you on it,” he warns.
She nods vigorously. “I can handle Mom.”
Cora scoffs at Casey’s confidence and Colton turns his sharp glare on her, making her shrink under his stare. “And what about you?”
She pauses, looking up at her brother as though she’s trying to find the courage to actually speak. “Did you really mean what you said? You think that lowly of me?”
“I’m not here to parent you, Cora, I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Yes, I think you’re a spoiled brat with a shitty attitude and my first instinct is to send you back with Mom. I don't want your fucking drama.”
She looks away, and for the first time I see a true emotion come out of her. “I don’t want to go,” she whispers so low that I have to strain to hear her.
Colton takes a step back, crossing his arms over his wide chest and studying his sisters. “Okay,” he finally says. “You can stay, but there are conditions.”
“Like?” Cora questions cautiously.
“Take one guess.”
Her eyes flick to me before going back to Colton. “No, don’t make me do it.”
“Then don’t stay,” he says simply. “Ocean is my girlfriend and I plan on keeping her around for a long fucking time and if you can’t get on board with that then you can fuck off to whoever the fuck knows where with mom. I’m not having your hostility in my house. If you’re here, you’re chill. Make things right with her. I don't give a shit if you're besties or not, but there won’t be bad blood between you. Got it?”
Cora looks back to me while Casey appears to be shitting herself, knowing her fate lies in the hands of her bratty twin sister. Cora slides her gaze back to her brother before letting out a sigh. “Fine,” she says. “I’ll clear the air.”
“All the bullshit ends,” he says.
“Yes.”
“Or else, Cora. You’ll be out before you even know what’s happening. Got it?”
“Yeah, yeah. I got it. Anything else, oh wise one?”
“Your attitude fucking stinks,” he tells her. “If you're here, I want you to be an active member of this household. You’re not just coming home, sleeping, and then leaving. You’re going to help plan the parties, clean up after yourself, and be a pleasant person to be around. Those are my rules.”
Cora and Casey look between themselves and I see the clear begging in Casey’s eyes, desperately wanting this to work out. “Okay,” Cora says. “I’ll make an effort around the house.”
Colton looks at Casey expectantly.
“Yep, me too. I’m all in,” she tells him.
Colton finally sighs and drops his arms from across his chest. “Fine,” he says. “You can stay but you’re dealing with the storm Mom cooks up over it. I want nothing to do with it.”
Casey runs full steam ahead, bolting into his chest and wrapping her arms tightly around him. “You won’t regret it,” she tells him on the verge of tears. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”