Page 144 of Three Stepbrothers Save Christmas

“I don’t know,” I answer honestly. I look at all three of the guys as I voice what’s been going through my head. “There is a lot to consider, which we all need to decide.”

“We know, baby. We were just saying the same inside. It’s one of the reasons we were looking for you.”

“How about this? We go to the house, take an overnight bag in case we stay the night, and we talk about what we all want to happen. We take the next couple of days just to be together and try to avoid any drama whilst we come up with a plan we are all happy with,” Travis suggests. I look to the others to find them nodding in agreement.

“Sounds like the best idea to me,” I answer. Travis stands and holds out his hands for me.

“Come on then, let’s get a bag packed, and we can hit the road within the hour.”

This drive feels different from the one we made a few days ago. I know my dad won’t be there this time, and I have accepted that. The hatred I am feeling for him after everything he has done is overpowering my grief. Will it always be that way? Right now, I think it might be. Hearing what he has put my auntie through and that he is the reason I don’t know who my real father is just goes to show how evil he is.

“Do you think your mum has been to the house?” I ask Travis as I turn in my seat to look at him. Travis is driving us again, but I’ve noticed he has slowed down a lot.

“She may have. I have no idea where she is or what she is doing, and I don’t care to be honest,” he answers. I turn to look at the others behind us.

“Have either of you heard from her?” When they shake their heads, I realise I’m not fazed. I never really had any feelings for Linda, neither kind nor otherwise. But I know I don’t want her in my mum’s house. Would I kick her out if I found her there? Yes, I think I would. The way she spoke to the guys and me the other day just confirmed we don’t need her in our lives. I would have made sure she was okay, and had everything she needed, but not now.

As we pull up outside the house, I climb out of the car and look up at it, seeing it in a different light.

“Do you think he changed much of the house when he moved in?” I ask, looking over the car to Travis and Ethan as Ryan steps beside me.

“I don’t know. Trish would be the best person to ask, I guess,” Travis answers. I nod in agreement.

“I need to make a list of things to ask her about; there was too much to remember yesterday.”

“That’s a good idea. I’m sure she will happily answer anything you ask,” Ryan says, taking my hand in his. “Are you sure you want to be here?”

I turn to him and nod before looking back at the house.

“If you change your mind, just say the word, and I will drive us back to mine, no matter what time it is,” Travis calls as he walks to the trunk of the car and retrieves our bag. Ryan and Ethan both have a backpack with them.

“Thank you,” I whisper as he comes to a stop beside me.

“You never have to thank me for looking out for you, you know that, Sweetheart.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t show you how grateful I am,” I smile at him. He watches me for a moment before leaning in and pressing a kiss to my lips.

“Come on, let’s get inside before it starts to rain.”

We walk up to the house and stop at the front door. Even though I know each of the guys has a key, they step back to let me unlock the front door.

When we walk in, I look around and see how nothing looks any different but feels like a completely different house. I don’t know if it’s because no one lives here or if everything I now know has changed my views on the place. But one things for sure, this doesn’t feel like home anymore and I hate it.

“I used to love this place. No matter what, it was home and somewhere I was safe.”

“You are safe, Baby. No one will ever hurt you again,” Ethan says as he places an arm around my shoulder and kisses the top of my head. I lean against him as I turn to Travis.

“Are all the drugs gone?”

He nods, and I let out a sigh of relief.

“I checked in the loft and every other room I could think of for anything that looked suspicious. But other than a couple of ornaments in his office safe, there was nothing which shouldn’t have been here.”

I nod as I step away from Ethan, look at the lounge, and then towards the stairs. Letting my feet carry me, I slowly walk up the stairs and head to my father’s room. I remember the last time I was in here with him and how much he hurt me. Never again will that man make me feel worthless and pathetic. He made me feel like I was a burden to him, and now I know why.

I walk into his wardrobe and look around it.

“My mum and her men build this house for them, they designed it for their needs,” I say looking around the wardrobe. “They would have built this space for all three of them, yet now the only thing left in here is his and your mum's shit.”

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