A Whole New Crowd(2)

Her cheeks got red, and I knew she had an angry retort ready for me.
“Taryn,” Jace murmured from inside the truck. I was at the truck now. The door opened behind me, and he added, stretched over the seat, “Come on. Get in.”
“Gladly.”
She was still on the patio, her hand clenched around the post. As I climbed inside and shut the door, I frowned. “Why isn’t she doing anything? She usually yells by now or threatens to lock me in my room.”
Jace leaned over to peer at her. “Because she can’t.” He shifted the truck into drive and pulled away from the curb. “She has no say over you anymore. Forget about her. You won’t have to deal with her any longer, and you’ll probably never see her again.” He glanced sideways at me. “You nervous?”
He was right. She couldn’t hurt me. None of them could. I really was done with getting new foster parents. Then his question registered, and my stomach clenched. “Yes.”
“This is a good thing, Taryn.”
Yeah. It was. “Then why are you driving me and not Brian?”
“Because my brother’s an idiot.”
Brian was my ex-boyfriend. Jace was not. Even though Jace was like a brother to me, it should’ve been Brian driving me. Starting a new future was a big deal. It was a once in a lifetime kind of thing, and he refused to be a part of it with me.
“He broke up with me last night.”
Jace grimaced. “You and Brian break up every other week.”
“I know, but…” This felt different. This felt final. Maybe it should be, said a voice inside my head, and I frowned. There was nothing more to be said. Jace had his own problems with Brian. Since their dad passed away, the two had a hate/strong dislike type of relationship and couldn’t stand to be in the same room as the other. The animosity was more on Brian’s side. He had worshiped his brother, but then loathed him in high school. I never knew the real reason for the change and Jace wasn’t one to communicate his feelings. I never knew how he really felt about Brian, but there were moments when I saw the wariness in him. If Brian came home, slamming the door behind him, Jace would sigh and leave. A fight was avoided.
“Taryn.”
There was a dead serious tone in his voice. My stomach took a dive at the sound of it. I was going to hear something I didn’t want to.
“You should leave us both behind.”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Yes.” He kept driving, but his knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel. “I mean it. Brian’s my brother, but he’s an addict. He’s probably always going to be an addict. He’s violent, Taryn.”
“Never with me.”
“That doesn’t matter. He gets into fights. At school. At home. With me. With guys who look at you too long. I love my brother, but I care about you too. It’s better for you if you leave us behind. Don’t visit.”
“Stop.” I wasn’t perfect either.
“Don’t come back. I mean it. When I leave you with them, I don’t want to see you again.” His voice gentled. “You know what I do. I’m not a good guy.”
“You own businesses. You’re in the Panthers.”
“I sell drugs.” His tone turned harsh. “I’m aware that it’s f*cked up, but that’s what we are. We’re f*cked up. Me, Brian. Both of us. You can get away from us. You have to. This is the break that you need. You can have a better life. You know I’m right.”
“Shut up! Brian’s trying to get better, and I’m a thief. Are you forgetting that? I’m not perfect either.” The tension inside me snapped. It imploded inside me, drenching my insides with shame, guilt, anger, pain, longing, and so many other emotions I couldn't name. They were becoming too much. I choked out, “You and Brian are the only people I have left.” A tear slid down my cheek, and I grimaced. I hated crying. It was a waste. I never felt better afterwards.
“You can stop. You don’t have to steal anymore. This family is a good family. Kevin’s a doctor. Shelly’s a stay-at-home mom, and you’ll have a brother and sister. From what I’ve heard, they’re both popular. The girl’s in your grade. This is a new future for you—”
“Fuck you.” I was seething. My hands curled in on themselves, my nails cutting through my own skin. “Shut up. Just…shut up.”
“Brian’s going to come crawling back to you. Don’t take him back. Find a new guy at your school, someone who’s not violent, someone who will go to college, someone whose future is not prison. We both know that’s where Brian is going to end up.”