Page 39 of Sweet Misery

“We won tonight,” Ren said. “You know the rules. Whoever wins, gets to do what they want to the girl. That’s fucking us.” Ren shoved past me and went to Roe and took Arianna from him. I saw red as she melted against his chest. He shot me a smirk over her head that only made me shake with another wave of building fury.

Whatever the fuck they had with her was going to end real fucking quick.

I surged forward to take her away from him, but he jerked her away. Watching her cling to him and bury her face deeper into his chest had me seeing red.

“Take her to your room,” Mass snapped to the twins. They didn’t argue. They simply whisked her back inside and closed the door, leaving me in the hall with Mass, his hands on my chest as I made to go forward. I’d break down the door if I had to.

“Get your shit together.” Mass’s hand shot out and slapped me in the face before he gave me a shake. “Get it together!”

I blinked as I stared at him, the red fury fading away to a dull bubbling roar.

“Come with me.” Mass released me and gestured for me to follow him. I stared at the Roe’s bedroom door, grinding my teeth.

“Sever. Now.”

I forced myself away from the door and followed Mass down to the office. He closed the door and went to the bar before pouring us both a drink.

I slammed mine back, earning a grunt of disapproval from him. He refilled my glass while I glowered at the wall.

“Talk to me. What’s going on with you?” he asked.

I said nothing, opting to continue to stare at the wall, replaying the scene in my head with my girl in my brothers’ arms.

“Sever.” Mass snapped his fingers. “Answer me.”

“Nothing is wrong.” I took a small drink from glass of scotch, relishing in the burn as it snaked its way down my throat.

“Cut the shit. I know you. What’s your deal with the toy?”

I sighed, chewing my bottom lip for a moment before I spoke. I knew Mass well enough to know he wouldn’t relent until I told him. He’d fucking waterboard me to get me to speak. Deciding to skip all the niceties, I divulged.

“She’s mine,” I answered simply.

Mass sat back in his seat, his gray eyes on me. “Yours? I don’t believe she came with a tag that saidFor Severo.”

“She was all I had in high school. I was her first kiss. Her first friend. We were everything to one another,” I mumbled, hating the swell of feelings pushing into my chest.

Mass raised a dark brow at me. “So what happened?”

I swallowed hard and took another sip of my drink. “She left me.”

Mass studied me for a moment before speaking. “So where in all of this mess of emotion do you think she belongs to you? She left, so I’d think that would make her available to anyone.”

I sighed and scrubbed my hand down my face. “It’s just different. She was my first…” The words faltered on my lips, realization striking me.

Mass let out a soft huff of air. “Love,” he finished.

My hands shook at his words. I locked eyes with him. Where I expected to see the cold, harshness of our father, I only saw sadness.

“Sever, she’s a toy. Even if she survives?—”

“I’d die to protect her.” The words came easily. It’s how I knew they were true.

Mass closed his eyes for a moment before drawing in a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, that same sadness lingered.

“Even if she survives us, she won’t survive our old man. She has an expiration date with you. You know if he sees her survival, he will want her as his own. He values strength. He’d fill her with babies and keep her until he finished her off or she killed herself. You’ve seen his brutality. We’re just the opening performance.”

His words gutted me, and I looked away, my throat tight. He was right. I knew he was. While I wanted to think our father would relent and let one of us keep her for good, I knew he wouldn’t. He did value strength. Beauty. He’d rip her away from me and keep her as his own.

---