Fallen Crest High(154)

"Not your stepsister!" my mother cried out.

He bore her down with a look that silenced her. Shivers went down my back, but I didn't dare glance up. I didn't want to remember that from him. Then he taunted her in a soft voice. "You should be happy, Analise. My father isn't a mechanic and my mother's not a cashier at the local grocery store. Your daughter did well for finding a bedmate."

Logan hooted out in laughter now.

She flushed as she remembered her own words. "This is not right. The two of you should not be—"

Garrett rolled to his feet again. "You can't do a thing to stop her, Lise."

She whirled to him. "Shut up, Garrett. You've had nothing to do with her all your life. You have no right to start now—"

With two steps he was in her face. "I have every right. I had a daughter that I didn't know about. You kept her from me! You had no right to do that. Maybe it's my turn now. Maybe I should be her parent now."

She paled even further. "No!"

David stepped forward. "I wouldn't be averse to that. I've been in talks with Analise about sharing responsibility of Samantha. I've offered to pay for her college already."

"You have?"

"I have." His eyes gentled as he turned to me. "I wanted to talk with you about some of those plans I've made with your mother at dinner tonight."

"You did?"

"Well, that's just dandy! You all knew my daughter was boning her stepbrother and no one had the decency to call me?"

"Watch it, Analise. Your age is showing." Garrett smirked at her. "And I did call you."

David stiffened as he turned. "Why would I call you when you haven't had the decency to consult me in any matter? You wanted to take her from me completely. You wanted to wipe her from my life."

"She's a bitch, isn't she?" Garrett threw an arm around David's shoulder.

"She is." Then his lip turned downwards. "Samantha, as the man who has raised you all your life…" He glanced upwards.

Garrett gave him an approving nod and patted his shoulder.

David continued, "I have to ask if this is a cry for help? Are you with Mason because you wanted all of our attention?"

Helen snorted and crossed her arms again. "Well, she got it."

I glared at her, but gentled as I looked at my father. "It's not a cry for help, David. It's—"

"They're hot as hell for each other!" Logan shot to his feet. "I can't keep quiet anymore. You all are stupid idiots if you think that. Don't you know her? Don't you know Mason? My god, I'm embarrassed to call you ass-dults!"

"Logan," his mother hissed. "Shut up. You promised."

He flipped up his middle finger. "I don't care. I can't handle this. My game is talk. You tried to take that away." He shot an arm towards Mason. "He fights. I talk. That's the magic of our twosome fearsome. Sam's one of us, man. She's got the guts to do the dirty deeds if we don't. She watches out for us too. Ya'll are stupid if you didn't see this coming." He thrust his arms out wide. "The three of us are a magical team. No way are you screwing this up."

James asked him with a dry voice, "Really?"

Logan puffed up his chest before he downed the rest of his beer. "You don't know what it's like being a Kade. Sam does. She's conquered and proved her loyalty runs deep." He flinched. "Real deep if I'm guessing at how far Mason goes in her—"