Page 69 of Unspoken Rules

I look from him to Cole, back to Chris. “No. Why?”

“Don’t, Chris—”

“Because I’m missing something,” Chris shouts.

My eyes widen, and I sneak another look at Cole, who’s shaking his head. When I bring my gaze back to Chris, I say, “And you think I took it?” I ask, pointing to myself.

He holds his arms out wide. “No one else here.”

Well, that pisses me off. Pisses me right the fuck off for so many reasons. He’s so fucked up that he thinks I would steal something from him? Me?

“You think I took whatever the fuck is missing?” I bark back, stepping into the kitchen further. He nods. Cole watches us carefully. Probably about to jump in to break up the fight that may break out.

Growing up, Chris and I argued often. Never over serious stuff, but the same way brothers would. Cole always let us work it out and only stepped in when he had to. Like when it got physical, which happened a handful of times.

“Yep,” Chris snaps, dropping his arms to his sides.

I huff out a disbelieving laugh, running a hand through my hair.

“Maybe you should check with all the girls you fuck around with, Chris. Pretty sure I heard one of them in here the other night.”

It was the first time I’d heard someone bring a girl back here. Not that I heard them having sex, but I heard giggling. I’m sure Cole doesn’t care if Chris brings people here, as long as he isn’t throwing parties, and they aren’t being disrespectful.

“There wasn’t anyone here last night but you!”

“Why the fuck would I take anything from you?” I shout. “What even is it? What do you think I took?”

“Money,” Chris growls.

That knocks the fucking air out of me, and I take a stumbling step back.

“You’re fucking joking. You think I took money from you? After everything, you think I stole money from you?” I try to hold back the fact I’m hurt by this, because what the fuck? Instead, I focus on the anger, because there’s definitely a lot of anger here. All of which I’ve kept locked away. For years and years. And no, not all of it is because of Chris. But lately, he’s been a big part of it. I have enough shit going on, and coming to stay here was supposed to help. Was supposed to make things better. But all he’s doing is stressing me the fuck out with his drinking, never being home for me to talk to or hang out with, and just being a fucking dick all around.

“Christopher, I already told you it wasn’t him,” Cole says impatiently.

Chris whirls back to face his father. “How the fuck would you know? You don’t know him.”

Ah, so that’s what I walked into.

“Because I know,” Cole says. “It wasn’t Bryson.”

Chris shakes his head, huffing out a laugh. “If it wasn’t him, it was you.”

“Neither of us took your fucking money, Christopher!” Cole barks.

I roll my lips between my teeth, taking another step back. I’ve never heard Cole yell at Chris like that before.

“Why the fuck are you sticking up for him anyway, Dad? You didn’t even want him here!”

And it’s those words that have my head spinning. I dart my gaze to Cole, who’s looking at me wide-eyed. It makes sense he wouldn’t want me here. I mean, not after what happened between us. I can’t be offended by this. I am offended by it. Hurt actually. More than I’d like to admit, even though I have no right to be.

I didn’t want to come here either. I even told him that.

So, stop being a bitch, Bryson. It’s not that big of a deal.

“That’s not what I said,” Cole says carefully.

“Actually, I remember the conversation clearly. You told me you didn’t want him here.”

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