Page 52 of Caged Bliss

“Why? You got some fucking boyfriend over? Gonna put out for him tonight, girl? That’s you and your sister’s fucking problem. Always thinking with your goddamn twat.”

I open my mouth but Angelo’s already walking past me. Rodney has enough time to make a squealing, terrified noise before Angelo smashes a fist into my uncle’s face. The old man drops to the floor, groaning in pain and clutching a bloody, likely broken nose, and rolling from side to side.

“Talk to her again like that and I’ll kill you,” Angelo says and he sounds much calmer than I would’ve thought.

“Get in my apartment,” I say, grabbing onto Angelo’s arm. “Just get inside, okay?”

“Who is that guy?”

“It’s my uncle, okay? I lived with him after my parents died and he’s an alcoholic asshole, but he’s still my uncle. Please, just go into my apartment.”

Angelo stares down at Rodney, who’s pushing himself up into a sitting position. His mouth and the front of his shirt are drenched in blood, and he spits more blood onto the carpet.

“I can drag him outside,” Angelo offers.

“Please. Inside.” I squeeze his arm. “I’ll tell you about him later, okay? Just go inside.”

“You’re inviting me over now?” Angelo looks at me. “All I had to do was punch an asshole?”

“Apparently,” I say, frustrated. “Just go, okay?”

Angelo doesn’t look like he wants to move, but he shrugs and walks past me to the open door. It doesn’t shut, and I can practically feel him lurking nearby.

I crouch down in front of Rodney, but I don’t touch him. “I’d be lying if I didn’t enjoy watching you get your face punched,” I say very quietly.

Rodney spits again. “Who the fuck is that? What the fuck is wrong with you, girl? After all I did for you? I took you fucking in, you and your piece-of-shit sister?—”

“She told me,” I say, very quietly, but he must hear the rage in my voice. I say it again. “Serena told me what you’ve been doing to her.”

He looks so surprised he doesn’t have an answer. His mouth opens and closes, and more blood spills from his nose.

My hands turn to fists. I want to beat Rodney to death. I want to kick him in the face, again and again, until his skull caves in. The bastard, the sick fucking bastard. “Get up and leave,” I say, whispering, afraid that if I don’t I’ll start screaming in his face. “Don’t ever come back here.”

“I don’t know what your bitch sister told you?—”

“Say something bad about Serena again and I’ll call Angelo back out here.”

Rodney’s face pales. “Fuck you. Fuck you both.”

“We trusted you.” My voice trembles and tears fill my eyes. “You were supposed to take care of us, and you did that to her. You did that to my sister.”

“I don’t—” Rodney shoves himself away from me and uses the wall to get to his feet. “I don’t know—” He’s shaking his head and blood flecks splatter all over. “Fuck, I mean, I don’t even?—”

He can’t deny it. The sick piece of shit can’t even say he didn’t do it. I stand and face him. “If you come back, Angelo will kill you. Do you understand? I’m going to tell him what you did. Do you know who he is?”

“You’re a liar. Serena’s a liar. I don’t?—”

“He’s Angelo Bianco. You know that last name, right?” I feel sick, using Angelo’s family like this, but I hate Rodney so much I can’t help myself. “If you come back, he’ll kill you.”

Rodney takes two steps away and nearly trips over the carpet. He catches himself, his mouth hanging open, his eyes wide with terror, and this should feel good. I should feel better.

All I feel is empty and sad.

“You’re all fucked up,” he whispers.

What I think he means is, I’m sick and broken.

He turns and walks away, stumbling as he goes. Once he’s gone, I feel deflated and exhausted. I barely make it back to the door, then Angelo’s there, and he’s pulling me into his arms. He hugs me tight, breathes my smell deep, and his arms feel so good that I forget all about our fight and let myself sink into him.

---