Page 45 of Boundaries

“Play nice, with him living here? I’d rather eat my own eyeballs,” I spat. My fury had doubled in the space of seconds.

Nixon shoved off the sink and took a step forward, “That can be arranged,” he growled across at me. His shadow was magnified on the floor, like something from a horror movie. Those tattoos of his screamed rough fucker. What on earth did Jenna see in him, the guy was perfect serial killer material. Either that or Rambo.

I didn’t consider his words worthy of a response but I went with, “Up yours,” and retreated from the threat of his towering body to the refrigerator, taking out some juice. My appetite had left with my knowledge of his presence.

“I’d really like it if you guys got on you know, especially now Nix will be staying with us for a while,” Jenna whispered as I turned to face her and undid the fresh orange. I chugged it directly from the carton like a proper pig. Airs and graces could do one in the vicinity of the shit that was Nixon.

He rolled his eyes dismissively and turned back to his task. He was only washing up to score brownie points with Jenna, fucking kiss ass.

“We may go swimming at the pool later,” Jenna suddenly said. “You could come with us?”

I snorted, “You don’t swim,” I pointed out. My voice sounded crueller than I intended.

Jenna shuffled in her seat and shot a look at Nixon’s back, “Nixon is teaching me.”

I snorted, “That’s rich considering he almost drowned you once.” Last year we had been at the pool and Nixon had thrown Jenna into the water. He hadn’t known she couldn’t swim at the time, but it had still been a shitty thing to do.

“I can actually take my feet off the bottom for a bit now,” she informed me, looking adoringly toward her husband.

A point which annoyed me, “Well good for you both. I’d rather swim with a crocodile than a McKenna,” I bit out childishly.

I finished off the juice and then put it back into the fridge even though it was empty. Yes, I was in brat mode. If Jenna had somehow twisted our father around her little finger and Nixon was off his shit list, I’d make sure he would rue the day he decided to stay with us. I had all sorts of pranks up my sleeve and I could be a pain in the arse to live with. I wondered how much torment I could carry out in a week. Enough to get Nixon McKenna running, possibly not.

I reminded myself about my decision to not get involved.

My phone buzzed again which dragged my thoughts back to Mattie and Alex. What a shit show. I didn’t want to face either of them, but it would be more straightforward than locking horns with Nixon. And at least I’d found out about Alex before any real feelings had developed. I’d liked him, but there had been no love involved. I was a tough nut to crack and didn’t fall hard easily. There was, however, the embarrassment factor when everyone else found out. My boyfriend was gay and was banging my brother. Great.

“We’re having a party next Saturday with both families coming together, Amy. This silly rift was started by our grandparents and carried on by Mum and Dad, and it needs to stop.” Jenna explained with her face in concentration mode.

A get-together with the McKenna boys. I welcomed that bit of information like a fucking toothache.

“Fine, I’ll just make sure I have somewhere else to be that day,” I volleyed back.

Turning back toward us, Nixon snorted and Jenna cut in, “Please don’t be like that.”

“And what do your parents think about you being here and mixing with Taylor-Joy scum?” I said directly at Nixon. I knew they had gone to a retreat or something but it would be interesting to hear Nixon’s reply to that question.

He dashed a hand down his face but I read his expression like a book; and not a very good book either; Treat Them Mean, Keep Them Keep, a fucking First Edition.

“They’re out of town,” he replied in a bland voice.

I felt a bit bad at that point, bearing in mind Mitchell’s condition. I pushed the sympathy aside. Thinking about McKenna boys on our property, eating food and drinking our booze made me want to nip myself, so changing the subject, I said, “Have you seen Mattie this morning?”

“He tidied up after last night and then said he was going to the butchers in town.”

There was a beat of silence as I pondered Jenna’s words. “We missed you at the BBQ last night. Where were you?” and a jet of adrenalin steamed into me like a fucking freight train at her question.

“Yeah, that’s an interesting one. Where were you last night Amy?” Nixon delivered turning back and folding his huge arms over his obscenely wide chest. I could see the message in his eyes. Boyd would have said something about me being at their house last night I was sure of it. Damn it. He probably thought I was shagging one of his brothers. I remember he’d said I dressed like a tart once.

“Amy?” Jenna prompted gently, her bright eyes probing my face. I frowned at her subtle interrogation.

It suddenly felt like I was being cross-examined and I didn’t like that one jot.

Clearing my throat, I couldn’t breathe, it was like someone had stolen all the oxygen from the room.

Nixon’s mouth curled. You only think you know buddy! They’d probably all made shit up about my reasons for being there already and I daresay Mason wouldn’t have clarified anything. That fucker answered to no one, not even his brothers.

“You came in mighty late, Amy,” Nix announced, scratching the stubble on his jaw. I imagined it would feel rough against your face, I was surprised Jenna didn’t get beard burn.

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