Page 2 of Bella's Dom (The Doms of Madison County)

He detected the anger in her tone. “You don’t like him?”

“No. He’s a lazy, abusive bastard.”

“They live together?” Caden asked.

“Yes. He won’t let her move out because she takes care of everything. To my knowledge, the man hasn’t had a job besides selling pot in his life.”

“Why is she putting up with it?” Macy asked. “Is the brother a minor?”

Connie snorted. “No, he turned nineteen not long ago. Their mother died over four years ago, and since Bella was eighteen, she was able to take in her brother so he didn’t have to go into foster care. He was fifteen at the time. She’s been working several jobs to support them.”

Bella. That was her name. It suited her. “That would make her about twenty-one?” Caden asked.

“She just turned twenty-two a week ago,” Connie said. “That girl will die from exhaustion if she doesn’t get rid of her brother.”

Caden hated the thought of never knowing Bella.

“Your check is at the cash register. I’ll help you.”

“Thank you.” Caden and Macy followed the woman, paid, and found themselves out on the sidewalk in front of the diner.

“What do you want to do?” Macy asked.

“Find out more about her.”

“How are you going to find out anything? The waitress shut up when you asked her about the other places Bella worked and lived. They won’t tell you anything. I doubt she’ll open up to you if you see her again.”

Caden nodded. She was definitely closed off. “I’ll think of something.”

Macy nodded and walked toward his truck.

Caden would find her. His curiosity was beyond reason, and he knew he’d just obsess about it until he had all his questions answered.

Chapter Two

Bella dragged herself into her apartment to see her brother and a few of his scuzzy friends sitting around the living room. There were cans, candy wrappers, and empty chip bags everywhere. There was garbage all over the floor, and she’d just vacuumed the night before, or rather at midnight because it was the only chance she had.

“Yo, sis, did you bring me a beer?” Randy asked without taking his gaze off the game they were watching.

It was times like this that made her want to scream to grow the hell up and find his own place. The damage he was doing to the apartment would come out of her pocket if they moved.

Her brother, Randy, was turning into a horrible human being, and she didn’t know what to do. Things were getting worse because she suspected he was doing drugs, more than just pot. She knew it wasn’t all her fault, but she still blamed herself. She’d taken over raising him when their mother died in an accident. He’d been a brat before but never abusive, and it just got worse every day.

“No. I didn’t have time,” she said.

His head swung her way, and his eyes narrowed. “You have time now.”

She sighed. “I’m tired, Randy. I’ve been up since five this morning and worked all day.”

“Yeah, so?”

Anger shot through her. “Maybe if you get a job and start growing up, you can get your own place and do whatever you want.”

He stood abruptly, and she knew she had made a mistake when she was able to see that his pupils were huge from some drug he had taken. He slammed her up against the wall and pressed a hand to her neck, pinning her to the sheetrock. He leaned in until his mouth was close to her ear.

Her hands came up to grip his and tried to push it away so she could breathe.

“Now, why in the fuck would I do that when I’ve got a cunt of a sister that’s willing to do it all?”

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