Page 124 of Aching for His Discretion

Pulling away, I sighed as I rubbed his damp cheeks with my thumbs. He seemed so defenseless, almost as if he was begging for my mercy or forgiveness.

“I don’t know if I forgive you, Dakota. But over time, I think I will. We both have a bit of healing to do, hmm? Let’s see if we can do it together,” I whispered, and he nodded as I wrapped my arms around him, soothing his worries for the moment.

I had told Levi over the course of the night what had happened, and he was supportive of my decision and pace of accepting Dakota and his apology. Now, it was getting quite late, and I unfortunately had to say goodbye to Abbie and Emma for the next few weeks as they went to visit their families.

The boys had occupied a guest room, and Levi was staying with me in my bedroom after promising my father he would keep his hands to himself. However, I was having a hard time believing him as he was trying to engage in behavior that was rathertouchy-feely.

Currently, it was around two AM, and while the house was quiet, my racing thoughts were anything but. I was feeling restless as I slept beside Levi, and wondering about my father’s involvement with a potential gang the entire evening was no help either.

Hearing a bit of ruckus downstairs, I knew it was because my kitty was still roaming freely throughout the night. Getting out of bed as I decided I would go fetch him, I told a sleepy Levi beside me that I’d be down for a minute as I also wanted to get a glass of water as well.

As I descended the steps, it was silent, and only a few dim lamps illuminated the space. Going toward the kitchen, I was practically tackled by Grayson, who was hiding behind a plant.

As he jumped into my arms, I furrowed my eyebrows as his little heart was racing. It was almost as if he was scared for his life. I shushed him softly as he tried to hide in my cardigan, and I heard a bit of noise from the dimly lit living room.

Turning toward it, I walked over slowly and stood in my tracks as I was met with the final member of our family, the one who almost gave my little baby a heart attack, the one who turned Dakota into a heartless monster, the one who made it his goal to make me feel less of a person any chance he got.

“Little sister… how was the party? A bit rude that I didn’t get an invitation, hmm?”heasked, and I gulped softly as his eyes remained on me. His disheveled hair and dark gaze only reminded me of how unbalanced and frightening he truly was.

Dakota had returned home. It was foolish of me to forget that Declan wouldn’t be too far behind.

Chapter fifty-three

Teegan

Still holding a worried and frightened Grayson in my arms, I stared blankly at Declan. It had been two years, and just like Dakota, my other older brother didn’t look much different. He still held the careless look in his eyes and the dangerous aura that seemed to haunt our family.

“I’d think I’d at least get a hug. Considering you haven’t seen me in so long.” He shrugged, and his dangerous eyes looked down at my little trembling kitty in my arms before they met mine again.

“What are you doing here?” I whispered, and he shrugged.

“I may be absent from your lives, but I still very much live here… more than you, it seems. At least I have the decency to visit home more than twice a year. And I surely don’t bring home the ex that I’ve been fucking again. No, that’s something only you have the guts to do,” he said rudely, and tears immediately sprung to my eyes as he tilted his head.

“Oh, that’s right. You probably thought I’d come home and apologize just like our older brother, huh? He’s been thinking about this for the last three months and only now finally madehis move to give you his shitty apology. I guess I shouldn’t have expected much. He’s always been a little bitch—”

“Don’t talk about him like that,” I seethed in defense while my tears fell, and he paused. The look in his eyes changed slightly as he watched me.

“Looks like someone finally decided to grow a backbone.”

“I didn’t decide to grow anything. If all you are going to do is belittle me and Dakota, then why don’t you just leave?”

“I can see why you’d want me to leave. It’s all you were ever capable of doing.”

I shook my head. “That is not true.”

“Not fucking true? Who the hell ran away to medical school because she thought she was too good for our family? Who ran away from her own brothers when she decided four fucked up and dangerous men should take our place—”

“I had my reasons for wanting to leave. I only left home because I felt suffocated by you and Dakota,” I practically yelled, and he sneered in response.

“Suffocated? That’s what you’d call it?”

“Would you prefer I call you emotionally and mentally abusive, misogynistic, controlling, or overbearing? Those seem to fit the way you’ve acted for my entire life.”

“I only acted that way because you could barely take care of yourself, yet Mom and Dad put you on a pedestal just because you had some damn dream of becoming a doctor.”

I could only let out a scoff, the adrenaline pumping through me at a thousand miles an hour. “Is that supposed to mean something? I just wanted to live out my dream—”

“Your dream?” he fumed, and I took a small step back as he abruptly stood up from the chair and slowly walked over to me. “What about me?” He pointed to himself, and I was a bit thankful he’d stopped walking by the coffee table. “I had fucking dreams of moving out of this shitty, superficial life ourparents tried to build. You’re the only one who was able to even benefit from it. I didn’t get to live my own life. While you were worrying about becoming a doctor, Dakota and I were stuck here doing our father’s dirty work that helped fund your career,” he accused.

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