“Don’t start?” I ask incredulously. “You get a fucking phone call from some woman whispering in your ear, and you’re asking me tonot start?”
“She’s my fucking secretary!” He rages, his voice rising. “When work calls, I answer. It’s that simple.”
I scoff, nodding. “Yeah, sounds really simple. You’re choosing your job over us.”
He runs a hand through his hair, his jaw tightening. “Listen, if you want to keep living the way we do, running your fucking flower shop and surrounded by everything we’ve worked so hard for, then yes. I will choose this damnjobover us because it’s the only reason we have everything in the first place, Melody.”
The pain stabs me, twisting unpleasantly in my gut as my lips wobble. The bridge of my nose stings as I take the hem of my nightie between my fingers and rub. “What aboutus? This week is supposed to be—”
“Oh, give me a fucking break!” Dylan shouts, his tone echoing back and making me flinch. “I’m sorry I don’t fit into your perfect little mold, Melody, but some of us have the weight of the world on our shoulders. Not just a fucking flower shop that barely makes ends meet. I should have tanked that damn store long ago when I still had the chance—”
A fist connects with his face mid-argument, sending Dylan’s head whipping to the side as he stumbles, and an audible crack pierces the air. I’m gawking as my fiancé‘s side hits the island and Kaden covers him.
My brother fists Dylan’s shirt, pointing a finger in his bloodied face as his cheek begins to swell with a deep purple bruise. “You don’tfuckingspeak to her like that! Do you understand?”
Fear flickers in Dylan’s eyes as he cowers away. “Y-yes.” He whispers.
Kaden manhandles him, forcing him down to his knees in front of me with rough tugs and pushes. “Fucking apologize! Before I kick your god damned teeth in!”
Dylan’s eyes are wide, trained on the floor that his face rests inches from as his jaw pops unnaturally. “S-sorry…”
“Say it like you mean it.” Kaden grabs his cheeks harshly, forcing Dylan’s eyes up. “Look at her!”
They’re welling with tears, and for the first time ever, I see just how weak my fiancé is. He doesn’t fight against the man at his back, and he raised his voice at me without a second thought.
“I-I’m sorry, Melody,” he says brokenly, his voice cracking.
Kaden sucks his teeth before pushing him away. “Get your shit and getthe fuckout of my house.”
Dylan scrambles up, swiping at his cheeks as he picks up his scattered belongings. He turns, something pensive and scared in his eyes, before Kaden steps in front of me.
“She’ll talk to you when she’s ready,” my brother barks like he’s my sworn protector.
Dylan nods numbly, shuffling towards the front door. The echo of the click ricochets around the space, bouncing back at me as I stand completely still, unable to move or process what just happened.
Kaden runs a strong hand over his mouth before turning to me and pointing a finger at me. “You don’t let a fucking man speak to you that way, do you understand?”
My spine straightens, eyes wide as I swallow and nod.
He breathes deeply. “Good. Go back to bed. And I don’t want to hear you crying over him. He’s a piece of shit.”
“O-okay…” I stammer, my heart leaping in my chest as I turn on my heel. I hesitate at the stairs, frowning down at my bare feet as I shake my head and pad over to the couch.
Kaden is already sitting down, his knuckle resting on his knee. It isn’t bruised, but there is a small cut there that’s beginning to swell with blood. He isn’t concerned with it as he slaps his pillow loudly.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
He sighs, closing his eyes tightly. “Of course, Sunny.”
I don’t know what I’m doing. This whole trip has been one big disaster after another, but I can’t stop myself as I rest my hand on his shoulder. I press forward, kissing his cheek chastely as his face softens.
“Why do you care so much about whether he’s here or not?” Kaden asks, his voice laced with heaviness.
I ease down onto the sofa with him, curling my hands in my lap. “Because…because this was supposed to help us reconnect.“ I wipe my tears before they can fall, feeling vulnerable and small. I give a watery, empty chuckle as the storm outside whips against the terrace doors. “I had it all planned out. We were going to drink hot chocolate and watch movies, build snowmen together like we used to do every year before work became his life, and just try to…” I tense up before releasing my breath. “Try to make it work.”
Kaden tucks my hair behind my ear gingerly, his eyes soaking in my features as if he can’t get enough. “You can still do all of those things.”
I give a watery snort. “Yeah, I guess I can.”