River's End (River's End Series, #1)(91)

She straightened her back. Damn him. He always did that to her. He chickened out and pretended she was the problem. He refused to take responsibility for desiring her. Or liking her. He seemed to forget those things whenever anyone else became involved. She stepped out of the alcove and into the kitchen, but avoided meeting any of their accusing eyes.

Shane grunted. “Well, didn’t see that coming. Seems I missed something.”

Would Jack stand up for her? And tell Shane to shut up? No. Jack merely took another sip of coffee, and leaned towards the basket behind him before pulling out a donut, which he then bit into.

“Hi Erin.” Charlie’s warm greeting delivered Erin from her shame. He was smiling at her and she smiled back. If he found it odd that she emerged from his father’s bedroom at nine in the morning, he didn’t say.

“Hey Erin,” Ben said, his gaze glued onto the table, as was hers. Ben, no doubt, felt as awkward conversing with her as she felt talking about his dad with him.

“Hey Ben,” she said, her tone quiet. He finally raised his eyes to hers and a small smile turned his lips up before his cheeks went all pink. So did hers, but she managed the same strained smile.

Ian was sitting between the boys and there was no ignoring his scowl. He didn’t like it one bit. Ian suddenly stood up, his chair scraping across the hardwood floor. It was as if the chair substituted for the words Ian wanted to say.

“I have to get to work. See you out there, Jack.”

Minutes passed in uncomfortable silence. She hated Jack. Right then, she hated him far more than she ever hated Joey. At least, Joey never promised her one thing and acted like another. With Joey, she knew right where she stood from the get-go, and she never expected to be treated any differently. He didn’t flatter her with the illusion that she was anything but the stupid girl she was. She went to the front door and jammed her feet into the flip-flops she wore over there last night. She had to pass Shane who was still staring at her.

“I’ll walk you out,” Jack said finally, from behind her.

She turned her head. “Don’t even bother.”

She was outside in a second and leaned her head back into the front door as tears filled her eyes. She straightened up to rush down the steps when she ran smack dab into someone. She looked up and realized it was Joey before staring at him, open-mouthed. Holy shit, where did Joey come from? When did Joey come home?

“Erin?”

“Joey.” She brushed away her tears to hide them and smiled at him in a fake, bright smile. “Wh-when did you get here?”

“About five minutes ago,” he said as his eyes beheld her gnarled hair, before dropping down over her outfit and the pajamas he’d seen before often enough.

“Who now? Shane?”

Who as in who was she screwing now? She knew by his tone and the unashamed curiosity in his eyes. He didn’t even have to fully ask.

“Not Shane. Me.”

They both turned when Jack’s voice filled the silence between them. Joey stared at Jack, then down at Erin again before his face contorted into rage. “You’ve got to be shitting me, Jack. You said she was nothing but a parasite. Now what? I leave town and you start doing her? All that crap you gave me? And this is what you do the minute my back is turned?”

Erin wanted to sink into the ground. She’d often felt ill at ease in her life, but never like this.

“It’s not like that, Joe. Come inside, we’ll talk.”

He glared at Jack. “Of all the crap I’ve ever put up with from you, Jack. You always thought you were so much better than me. But look at you. Takin’ my sloppy seconds. Nice, Jack. Class act. I’m off, getting my ass kicked; and you’re getting your rocks off with my leftovers.”

Jack moved so fast, no one could have anticipated him. He had Joey instantly in his grasp. Briskly hauling Joey off his feet, he pulled back a fist before slamming it into Joey’s face. Joey grunted in surprise, as well as pain. Jack threw Joey back and Joey stumbled, but soon caught his balance. He turned on Jack, launching himself in an effort to tackle Jack off his feet. Erin screamed as Jack sidestepped his brother, then grabbed Joey and threw him to the ground before falling on top of him. They rolled over, their fists pummeling each other as the sickening “thuds!” of fist to flesh filled the pauses between grunts. Jack was much bigger, but Joey had newly toned, larger muscles, owing to his recent training. Erin screamed and yelled for them to stop when she saw blood.

The front door opened at her screams and out came Shane, followed by both of Jack’s sons. They stopped dead, in shock, staring at their father as he swung a fist into their uncle’s face.

Ian came running from the barn and Shane ran towards them too. They managed to both grasp a brother and tried to pull them apart. Jack and Joey were at each other, using everything they had, with almost superhuman strength as they tried to shake off Ian and Shane.

Finally, Shane and Ian won the struggle and managed to pull them apart. Instantly, as loud and violent as the front yard just became, everything turned deathly silent. All four brothers stared at each other, while Joey and Jack doubled over and were breathing hard. Blood was smeared over both of their faces and knuckles.

Erin had never seen a fight like that before. Any violence always scared her senseless. It made her think of her mother’s bad boyfriends, and hiding in the closet to avoid them. She wanted to hide now and couldn’t believe what was happening all because of her. She ripped two brothers apart. Two brothers, who were more like a father and son, were torn to shreds. Tears of shock and terror rolled over her face. As well as Charlie’s. With a loud hiccup, he ran off the porch, down the steps, and headed towards the beach as fast as his eight-year-old legs could carry him.