Page 54 of The Friend Zone
Dorothy clutched her hand to her chest. “Cole, how could you?”
He jabbed a finger at her. “You should have nothing to say to me. You always put him first.Always. Everything I wanted was set aside because Omar needed to go to camp. Omar needed a new uniform. Omar had an away game. What about me, huh? None of you ever thought about me.” He slapped his chest. “From the day he was born, you treated me different, but once you realized he could run and throw a football, it was over. You only had one son from then on.”
“Don’t talk to your mother that way,” Senior said.
Dorothy shook her head. “You’re wrong. We loved you equally, but—”
“A damn lie and you know it. I’m not Senior’s son, so I never expected him to love me the way he loved Omar, but you—you acted as if I barely existed. I’m your firstborn! But you know what, I’m good. I got my revenge, and I’ve been laughing my ass off for the past four years.”
Omar’s shoulders stiffened as the words jolted him. “Four years?”
“Yeah. Four years,” Cole said meaningfully.
Their mother gasped and covered her mouth. Quiet descended on the dining room. From the corner of his eyes, Omar saw Dana’s hands cover her mouth.
“Oh, god,” Athena muttered, burying her face in her hands. Her shoulders hunched over as if she wanted to curl into a ball and disappear.
“What the hell are you saying, Cole?” Omar snarled, his right hand tightening into a harder fist.
“You know exactly what I’m saying.”
Omar looked at Athena again, and the answer was in her eyes. Tears ran like streams down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered brokenly.
Omar’s mouth fell open and blood rushed in his ears, blocking out all sound.
The one good thing he thought came out of the relationship was a lie.
Prince wasn’t his son.
Prince was Cole’s son.
24
Omar slammed his fist into his brother’s face.
Dorothy hollered, and Athena screamed.
“Ohmigod!” Dana yelled.
Omar hit Cole so hard he fell backward over one of the long tables, knocking a tub of plates and glasses to the floor. The dishes smashed and broke apart with the sound of crashing cymbals.
Omar hopped over the table and jumped on top of his brother, holding him down and punching him over and over again with his right fist.
“Stop it! Stop!” Athena screamed.
Dana rushed around the table, and as Omar lifted his fist to land another blow, she grabbed his forearm. His fist swung forward with so much power, she stumbled as he almost tossed her to the floor, but she held on and kept him from landing another blow.
“Stop. You don’t want to do this.”
Breathing hard, fiery rage filled Omar’s eyes, and he kept his brother pinned to the floor with a hand around his throat. She’d never seen him like this, and for the first few moments he clearly didn’tseeher. He’d snapped, and as she continued to hold his arm, his heavy breathing receded. He blinked rapidly to clear his vision and bring back reality.
She released his arm, and he looked down at his brother’s bloodied face.
“Everything is fine. Give us a few minutes,” Dana heard Omar Senior say behind her. He spoke in a calm voice as several of the staff tried to enter the dining room after they heard the commotion.
Omar came slowly to his feet as if coming out of a trance, and Cole rolled onto his side, groaning in agony. He gingerly touched his beaten face. His nose was definitely broken and his eye started to swell.
