Clipped by Love (Bellevue Bullies 2)

“What does that mean? I have a great relationship,” Jude says back, scrunching his face up, and even I’m confused by Jace’s little outburst.

“Yeah, but you cried ove

r her for fucking hours, and now you’re crying over some chick that means nothing to you,” he says, pointing to me, and all I can do is glare at him.

“How do you know she doesn’t mean anything to me?” I ask, incredulously. “Obviously she does, or I wouldn’t be so bummed about it. Not everyone is programmed to just walk around, fucking anything with tits and leaving them behind.”

“It’s a better life than actually caring about someone,” he says. “Use and dump, that’s my motto.”

This little shit.

“You say that because you haven’t met someone worth making a life with,” Jude says.

“Whatever, y’all are weak,” he says, shooting the puck quickly into the goal.

For some reason, the little shit’s comments have pissed me off, and I find myself closing the distance between us. Reaching for his shirt, I yank him to me, his eyes going wide as he looks up at me.

“Listen, you little shit, not everyone is our dad, okay? So shut the fuck up and grow the fuck up, because you aren’t him either,” I sneer. He sputters something, fear visible in his green eyes, but I don’t let up, not even when Jude tries to stop me.

“Whoa, killer, back down,” he says, but I smack him away.

“And if you think you’re gonna be Dad, you have another thing coming. I will beat you stupid. No girl deserves to be treated like that, and every time you fuck a girl and leave her behind, think of how our mother felt when our dad did it to her.”

Breaking away from me, he pushes me off him. But instead of snatching him back up, I let him be as he says, “Damn, dude, I’m just having fun! Why you being a dick about something that isn’t even a big deal? I’m not hurting anyone!”

“Yeah, well, your fun hurts people in the long run. Respect girls, okay?”

He doesn’t say anything, just glares before stomping into the house like a little baby. When he reaches the door, I fully expect him to look back at me and tell me he’s calling Mom. But to my surprise, the door slams behind him as Jude comes into my heated view.

“Dude, we all have fucked around. I know you have.”

Shaking my head, I pinch the bridge of my nose as I exhale a breath. “Yeah, but we always made sure girls knew the score,” I say, turning to get a puck. “He’s careless. Mom has babied him. We have to remind him how to treat women.”

“Yeah, just calm your shit, dude. You’re being a dick,” he says, taking the puck to shoot. “And I know why.”

Looking over at him, I’m sure he has no clue. But to entertain him, I ask, “Why’s that?”

“Because you have daddy issues.”

“Fuck you,” I scoff, shooting the puck hard in the goal. “You don’t know shit.”

But he doesn’t let up. “Dude, I know you. You’re my best friend.”

Ignoring him, I shoot again and again. I can feel his gaze on me as the anger bubbles inside me. Finally, I can’t hold it in. Pausing, I let the stick hang loosely in my hand as I look over at him. Pointing my stick at him, I nod before saying, “Yeah, we may be best friends, but you left. You’ve started your own life and left us behind. You don’t have to watch Mom cry or deal with Lucy, Angie, and Jace. I do. I have to do it all. You only see half of what’s going on.”

Folding his arms across his chest, he holds my gaze and doesn’t seem the least bit surprised by my impromptu outburst. “Because that’s what I’m supposed to do. Mom didn’t raise me to sit back and not live, and she didn’t raise you to do that. Stop letting everyone else hold you back. It’s not your job to care for them.”

“But they are my family!” I yell, surprising not only him but myself.

Taking a step toward me, he points at me as he glares at me. “You’re right, and you are my brother, my best friend. And I’m telling you right now—stop dwelling on what that sperm donor did. Stop worrying about Mom and her problems. Claire and I have the finances taken care of. Stop working two jobs and working your ass off at school—”

“I have to,” I counter, but he shakes his head.

“No, you need to focus on your game so that you can join me in the NHL. Mom would lose her shit if she knew how much you are allowing all our family drama to hold you back. I’ve seen it, but Claire told me to let you work it out on your own, but you’re not. You’re holding it in. Quit. Worry about you. Live the life you want, and most of all, don’t let this chick fuck you up any more than she already has.”

Looking away, I bite into my lip to keep it from wobbling. I don’t want to admit that he’s right, but he is. When he takes me by the shoulder, squeezing it, I look up, meeting his intense gaze. As much as he hates our dad, he has the same mannerisms. He is our dad made over, he just isn’t a dick, and he sure as hell doesn’t fuck around. When he speaks, you listen.

“I may be gone, not in your face driving you crazy, but I am a phone call away. I’m your brother and that will never change. You will always have me, Jayden. Stop carrying all this weight on those massive shoulders. You have me and you have Jace. He may be a little shit, but he is our little shit, and he will help you if you need it. I know Lucy has a lot on her plate, but even she can be there for you when needed. You can’t do it all; you’re not supposed to do it all. So stop. Okay? Do you understand me?”