But then I heard the other man cry out, and I snapped my eyes over to see him holding his face, a deep red slash marring his face.
Juliet scampered backward as he stumbled away from her, and I watched her come to her feet, holding my knife out and looking at my father.
And her eyes went wide when she saw the gun to my head.
“You’re killing him,” my father threatened, pressing the nozzle to my temple.
I blinked long and hard, a dozen different scenarios of what to do running through my mind. The cuffs cut into my skin and held me too tight. I hated this. I fucking hated this!
“How can you do this?” Juliet shook her head. “He’s your son.”
“That’s right,” my father shot back. “He is. He’s my son.” And then he looked down to me, baring his smoke-stained teeth with every word. “Your mother didn’t want you, so who took care of you? Huh? Who cleaned up your mess in the basement? I built you. I’m all you’ve got, Jax.”
No. I had a family. Jared, Katherine, Madoc. Juliet. I had a family.
“Get away from him.” I heard Juliet’s voice as I held my father’s eyes.
“You know it’s true,” he pressed, looking at me calmer now. “She’ll leave. All bitches do. You won’t be good enough. You won’t make enough money. She’ll find something wrong with you or another guy.”
No. She loves me.
“And Jared resents you,” my father continued, “because you’re smarter. You’re stronger. He’ll always put himself first when you need him most.”
I dropped my eyes, feeling the vein pulse in my neck.
“Jax, look at me!” Juliet urged.
“And Katherine?” he jumped in, laughter coating his tone. “That cunt barely stayed sober enough for her own son. You don’t mean a thing to any of these people,” he said, sneering. “They have no connection to you. You’ll be the first thing they all dump when life gets too hard. You’re the only one that doesn’t belong!”
“Shut up!” Juliet screamed. “Jax! Look at me!”
I shook my head, wanting him gone. Wanting them all gone.
I was good enough. And no matter who left, who forgot about me, or who looked down on me, I wasn’t the little shit kid, lonely and crying in my room, anymore.
But then I blinked, coming out of my thoughts. We all straightened, hearing the screech of hot tires skidding to a halt outside.
A flood of headlights shone through the porch windows, washing over us, and I looked over at Juliet and jerked my head to the back door, telling her to get out of here.
But she squared her shoulders, defiant.
My father was fucking desperate, and everyone knew what was outside.
And what was coming. I looked at her, pleading.
I heard more tires, recognizing Tate’s and Madoc’s engines as if they were my own.
My father shifted, and I quickly glanced at the other man, hunched over next to the couch, still holding his face.
Footsteps pounded on the porch, and my father pressed the gun into my temple as Jared kicked through the door, taking in the sight of me on the floor.
“Get away from him!” he thundered at our father.
And he and Madoc charged in, rushing him and not giving anyone time to think or assess.
My father raised the gun. Shit!
“Stay back!” he yelled, but Jared reared back and threw a fist across his face, making him drop the gun.
Tate’s dad ran in—closely followed by Tate, who must’ve gone to get him next door—and he rushed over, guarding the other guy on the floor. My brother backed our father up to the wall, he and Madoc grappling for his arms.
Everyone poured in: Tate and Fallon ran for Juliet, Tate bringing her hand up to the gash on Juliet’s neck. Katherine and her husband, Jason, followed, Katherine rushing over to me, tears already streaming down her face.
And Fallon’s father, who’d come to the barbecue, stepped in, looking calm as he took in the scene as if it was nothing he hadn’t seen before.
“Oh, my God,” Katherine cried, looking to Jason. “Get these off him,” she pleaded, pulling frantically at the cuffs.
“Jared!” Tate yelled, and I jerked my head to see my brother slamming another fist into our father’s gut as Madoc held him.
“Are you okay?” Katherine asked, holding my chin to inspect my face.
I nodded, breathing hard. “Just get the key. Please.” I rolled my wrists, desperate to get out of the restraints.
Katherine shot her eyes up. “Jared!” she barked at her son, standing up. “Enough!” And she rushed over to my father, her ex-husband, and dug everything out of his pockets until she found the key.
She unlocked me, and Jason helped me up as Jared grabbed the gun off the floor and pointed it at our father, keeping him against the wall.
I threw the cuffs to the floor and immediately locked eyes with Juliet. Her bloodshot eyes and the worry written all over her face told me everything I needed to know.
She rushed over, letting out a cry as she threw her arms around my neck. I scooped her up, holding on to her as if I needed her to breathe.
Because she filled my heart, and this was it. All I needed or wanted.
My father laughed, breaking the silence. “You know it’s true, Jax,” he taunted as I closed my eyes, inhaling her scent. “No one wants you but me. I’m your family.” He raised his voice. “You’re my son!”
“He’s my son.” I heard Katherine’s deep, tear-filled voice, and I pulled my head back, staring at her.
She met my eyes, and I saw her tears for me. Her fear and her worry, and in that moment, for the first time in my life, I felt as though it was true. I had a mother.
“And he’s my son, too.”
I snapped my eyes over, seeing Jason step forward, next to her.
“Hell, mine, too.” Ciaran nodded.
I narrowed my eyes, stunned, as I looked at these people.
And then Tate’s father stepped forward, nodding once, and my chest swelled.
What the hell?
Jared dropped the gun on the table near the stairs and stepped back, looking at our father. “And he has me.”
“And me.” Madoc got in my father’s face.
“Me, too,” Tate called out, and I saw Fallon step forward as well, folding her arms across her chest and scowling at Thomas Trent.
I blinked away the stinging in my eyes, but I couldn’t swallow over the lump in my fucking throat.
I couldn’t believe it.
I’d never really thought that they didn’t love me, or at least like me, but I guess I didn’t really believe it until now.
This was my family.
“Jax.” Ciaran stepped forward. “Just say the word.”
I looked down at Juliet’s glittering green eyes, rubbing her chilled arms, and I knew exactly what I wanted. Exactly what I needed to do.
I dug out my phone, making a call as I walked over to stand right in front of my father and look him straight in the eye.
“Hi,” I answered when the call picked up. “This is Jaxon Trent. Twelve forty-two Fall Away Lane. We need the police. Two men have broken into my house. No ambulance needed.”
I hung up and handed the phone to Jared. “I’m going to bed,” I said, and then walked away. “Tell the cops I’ll be down in the morning to file my report.”
I circled Juliet’s waist, scooped her up under her knees, and carried her up the stairs, cradling her in front of me.
Stepping into the bathroom, I kicked the door shut behind us and set her on the counter. I skipped the lights and instead lit the candle sitting on the sink counter.
Her forehead immediately fell against my chest, and I felt her shoulders shaking. “I love you,” she whispered.
Clasping the back of her neck, I kissed her hair. “Are you okay?” I asked.
She nodded into my chest, and I pulled her back, tipping her chin up to look at the cut my father had made.
The thin crimson line had stopped bleeding, but guilt weighed me down. “We should go to the hospital,” I said, concerned.
She closed her eyes, shaking her head. “I’m fine,” she assured me. “I don’t want to leave. Just you and me. No one else.”
Yeah. I felt it, too.
“Come here.” I pulled her off the edge and lifted the shirt over her head, letting the thin, gray fabric pool on the floor.
Hurrying over, I turned on the shower and stripped out of my clothes and then came back to her. She slipped her underwear down her legs, and I hoisted her up, wrapping her legs around my waist.
I carried us into the tub, feeling both of our bodies erupt in chills with the soothing touch of the hot water pouring down over us. Sitting, I kept her straddling me as I lay back and brought her body down against mine, holding her tight. Her cheek rested against my shoulder, and I closed my eyes, indulging in this dark, warm, and cozy cave we’d created.
Yeah, we were escaping. Behind a locked door and under the guise of getting a shower, but we deserved it.
I rubbed her back in circles, remembering how she’d fought tonight. How she’d fought for me.
Other than Jared, no one had ever done that.
I had set out to turn Juliet’s world upside down—draw her out—but in the end, it was me who had his world flipped on its side. I’d fought for her, but she’d fought for me, too, and even though I’d been scared to let her in, it was all worth it.
Nothing mattered without her. She nuzzled her lips into my neck, and I tightened my arms around her waist.
“I want to stay here forever,” she said, sounding calmer. I smiled, liking the sound of that. I kissed her temple. "Forever.
Hasil (
Bahasa Indonesia) 1:
[Salinan]Disalin!
Tapi kemudian aku mendengar orang lain menangis, dan aku tersentak mata saya lebih untuk melihat dia memegang wajahnya, garis miring merah kawin wajahnya.Juliet berlarian mundur karena dia tersandung dari dia, dan aku melihat dia datang untuk kakinya, memegang pisau saya keluar dan mencari di ayah saya.Dan matanya pergi lebar ketika ia melihat senjata ke kepala saya."Anda membunuh dia," ayahku terancam, menekan nozzle Candi saya.Saya berkedip panjang dan keras, selusin skenario yang berbeda dari apa yang harus berjalan melalui pikiran saya. Borgol memotong ke dalam kulit dan memegang saya terlalu ketat. Aku benci ini. Aku fucking benci ini!"Bagaimana Anda bisa melakukan ini?" Juliet menggelengkan kepalanya. "Dia adalah anakmu.""Itu tepat," ayah saya menembak kembali. "Ia adalah. Dia adalah anakku." Dan kemudian ia menunduk kepadaku, memamerkan gigi bernoda asap dengan setiap kata. "Ibu Anda tidak ingin Anda, jadi yang merawat Anda? Ya? Yang membersihkan kekacauan Anda di basement? Saya membangun Anda. Aku adalah semua yang Anda punya, Jax."No aku punya keluarga. Jared, Katherine, Utica. Juliet. Aku punya keluarga."Dapatkan darinya." Aku mendengar suara Juliet seperti saya memegang mata Bapaku."Kau tahu benar," ia ditekan, memandang saya lebih tenang sekarang. "Dia akan meninggalkan. Melakukan semua pelacur. Anda tidak akan cukup baik. Anda tidak akan membuat uang yang cukup. Dia akan menemukan sesuatu yang salah dengan Anda atau orang lain."Tidak. Dia mencintaiku."Dan Jared membenci Anda," ayah saya melanjutkan, "karena Anda lebih pintar. Anda lebih kuat. Dia akan selalu meletakkan dirinya pertama ketika Anda membutuhkan paling."Aku menjatuhkan mata saya, merasa gelombang vena di leher saya."Jax, lihat aku!" Juliet mendesak."Dan Katherine?" Dia melompat dalam, tawa lapisan nada nya. "Vagina yang nyaris tidak tinggal cukup sadar untuk anaknya sendiri. Anda tidak berarti hal yang salah satu dari orang-orang ini,"katanya, mencibir. "Mereka tidak punya hubungan dengan Anda. Anda akan menjadi yang pertama mereka semua membuang ketika hidup menjadi terlalu sulit. Kau satu-satunya yang tidak termasuk!""Shut up!" Juliet menjerit. "Jax! Lihat aku!"Saya menganggukkan kepala, ingin dia pergi. Ingin mereka semua pergi.Aku tidak cukup baik. Dan tak peduli siapa kiri, yang lupa tentang saya, atau yang melihat ke bawah pada saya, saya tidak kecil sialan anak, kesepian dan menangis di kamar saya, lagi.Tapi kemudian saya berkedip, keluar dari pikiranku. Kita semua diluruskan, mendengar memekik panas Ban penyaradan berhenti di luar.Banjir lampu bersinar melalui jendela serambi, mencuci atas kita, dan aku melihat Juliet dan tersentak kepala saya ke pintu belakang, menyuruhnya pergi dari sini.Tapi dia squared bahunya, menantang.Ayahku sedang meniduri putus asa, dan semua orang tahu apa yang ada di luar.Dan apa yang akan terjadi. Aku memandang dia, memohon.Aku mendengar Ban lain, mengenali Tate's dan Utica 's mesin seolah-olah mereka adalah saya sendiri.Bergeser ayah saya, dan saya segera melirik orang lain, membungkuk di sofa, masih memegang wajahnya.Jejak ditumbuk di beranda, dan ayahku menekan pistol ke Candi saya seperti Jared menendang melalui pintu, mengambil dalam pandangan saya di lantai."Pergi darinya!" ia menggelegar di Bapa kita.Dan dia dan Utica dikenakan, bergegas dia dan tidak memberikan siapa pun waktu untuk berpikir atau menilai.Ayah saya mengangkat senjata. Omong kosong!"Tinggal kembali!" dia berteriak, tetapi Jared dibesarkan kembali dan melemparkan kepalan tangan di wajahnya, membuat dia menjatuhkan senjata.Tate's ayah berlari di — erat diikuti oleh Tate, yang harus pergi untuk mendapatkan dia sebelah — dan ia bergegas, menjaga orang lain di lantai. Adikku didukung Bapa tembok, ia dan Utica bergulat untuk lengannya.Semua orang dituangkan dalam: Tate dan Fallon berlari untuk Juliet, Tate membawanya tangan sampai luka di leher Juliet. Katherine dan suaminya, Jason, diikuti, Katherine yang mengalir di atas saya, air mata sudah streaming wajahnya.Dan Fallon's ayah yang akan datang untuk barbekyu, melangkah, tampak tenang ketika ia mengambil dalam adegan seolah-olah itu tak ia belum pernah terlihat sebelumnya."Oh, Tuhan," Katherine menangis, mencari untuk Jason. "Mendapatkan ini dari dia," Dia memohon, menarik panik di borgol."Jared!" Tate berteriak, dan aku tersentak kepala saya untuk melihat adikku membanting kepalan tangan lain ke dalam usus Bapa kita sebagaimana Utica menahannya."Apakah Anda baik-baik saja?" Katherine bertanya, memegang dagu saya untuk memeriksa wajahku.Aku mengangguk, bernapas keras. "Hanya mendapatkan kunci. Please." Aku memutar pergelangan tangan saya, putus asa untuk keluar dari kekangan.Katherine terangkat matanya. "Jared!" dia menyalak di anaknya, berdiri. "Cukup!" Dan ia bergegas untuk ayahku, mantan suaminya, dan menggali segalanya dari saku sampai dia menemukan kunci.Dia membuka saya, dan Jason menolongku Jared menyambar pistol dari lantai dan menunjuk pada Bapa kita, yang menjaga dia ke dinding.Aku melemparkan borgol ke lantai dan segera terkunci mata dengan Juliet. Matanya merah dan khawatir ditulis seluruh wajahnya mengatakan kepada saya semua saya perlu tahu.Dia bergegas, membiarkan keluar menangis karena dia melempar tangannya di leherku. Aku meraup tubuhnya, berpegangan pada dia seolah-olah saya perlu untuk bernapas.Karena dia memenuhi hati saya, dan ini adalah itu. Semua saya diperlukan atau dikehendakinya.Ayah saya tertawa, pemecah keheningan. "Kau tahu itu benar, Jax," ia ejek seperti aku memejamkan mata, menghirup aroma. "Tidak ada yang mau Anda tetapi saya. Aku adalah keluarga Anda." Ia mengangkat suaranya. "Kau anakku!""Ia adalah anakku." Aku mendengar suara Katherine mendalam, penuh dengan air mata, dan aku menarik kembali, kepala saya menatapnya.Dia bertemu mataku, dan aku melihat air matanya bagi saya. Rasa takut dan khawatir nya, dan pada saat itu, untuk pertama kalinya dalam hidup saya, saya merasa seolah-olah itu benar. Aku seorang ibu."Dan dia juga anakku."Aku tersentak mataku berakhir, melihat Jason langkah maju, sebelahnya."Neraka, saya juga." Youssouf mengangguk.Saya mempersempit mataku, terkejut, karena aku melihat orang-orang ini.Dan kemudian Tate's ayah melangkah maju, mengangguk-angguk sekali, dan dada saya membengkak.Apa ini?Jared menjatuhkan pistol di atas meja di dekat tangga dan melangkah kembali, melihat Bapa kita. "Dan ia telah saya.""Dan saya." Utica mendapat di wajah ayah saya."Saya, juga," Tate memanggil, dan aku melihat Fallon maju juga, lipat dia arms di dadanya dan cemberut di Thomas Trent.Saya berkedip pergi menyengat di mata saya, tetapi saya tidak bisa menelan lebih dari benjolan di tenggorokan sialan.Aku tidak percaya itu.Aku tidak pernah benar-benar berpikir bahwa mereka tidak mencintai saya, atau setidaknya seperti saya, tapi kurasa aku benar-benar tidak percaya sampai sekarang.Ini adalah keluarga saya."Jax." Youssouf melangkah maju. "Hanya mengatakan kata."Aku menatap mata hijau berkilauan Juliet, menggosok tangan dingin, dan aku tahu persis apa yang saya inginkan. Persis apa yang saya butuhkan untuk melakukan.Aku menggali telepon, membuat panggilan seperti aku berjalan ke berdiri tepat di depan ayah saya dan melihat dia langsung di mata."Hai," Aku menjawab ketika panggilan mengambil. "Ini adalah Jaxon Trent. Dua belas empat puluh dua jatuh Lane. Kita perlu polisi. Dua laki-laki telah rusak ke rumah saya. Tidak ada ambulans diperlukan."Aku menutup telepon dan menyerahkan telepon untuk Jared. "Aku akan tidur," kataku, dan kemudian berjalan pergi. "Katakan polisi aku akan turun di pagi hari untuk mengajukan laporan saya."Aku berputar Juliet pinggang, meraup tubuhnya di bawah lutut, dan membawanya naik tangga, menggendong dia di depan saya.Melangkah ke dalam kamar mandi, aku menendang pintu ditutup di belakang kami dan menetapkan dirinya di meja. Saya melewatkan lampu dan sebaliknya menyalakan lilin yang duduk di meja wastafel.Dahinya segera jatuh terhadap dada saya, dan saya merasa bahunya gemetar. "Aku mencintaimu," ia berbisik.Clasping the back of her neck, I kissed her hair. “Are you okay?” I asked.She nodded into my chest, and I pulled her back, tipping her chin up to look at the cut my father had made.The thin crimson line had stopped bleeding, but guilt weighed me down. “We should go to the hospital,” I said, concerned.She closed her eyes, shaking her head. “I’m fine,” she assured me. “I don’t want to leave. Just you and me. No one else.”Yeah. I felt it, too.“Come here.” I pulled her off the edge and lifted the shirt over her head, letting the thin, gray fabric pool on the floor.Hurrying over, I turned on the shower and stripped out of my clothes and then came back to her. She slipped her underwear down her legs, and I hoisted her up, wrapping her legs around my waist.I carried us into the tub, feeling both of our bodies erupt in chills with the soothing touch of the hot water pouring down over us. Sitting, I kept her straddling me as I lay back and brought her body down against mine, holding her tight. Her cheek rested against my shoulder, and I closed my eyes, indulging in this dark, warm, and cozy cave we’d created.Yeah, we were escaping. Behind a locked door and under the guise of getting a shower, but we deserved it.I rubbed her back in circles, remembering how she’d fought tonight. How she’d fought for me.Other than Jared, no one had ever done that.I had set out to turn Juliet’s world upside down—draw her out—but in the end, it was me who had his world flipped on its side. I’d fought for her, but she’d fought for me, too, and even though I’d been scared to let her in, it was all worth it.Nothing mattered without her. She nuzzled her lips into my neck, and I tightened my arms around her waist.“I want to stay here forever,” she said, sounding calmer. I smiled, liking the sound of that. I kissed her temple. "Forever.
Sedang diterjemahkan, harap tunggu..