Page 138 of Playing For Keeps
A minute goes by as we’re in a good ole fashion stare down. I’m not going to break the silence, so I wait.
He releases a heavy, growl-like sigh. “I only did what I thought was…good for her. I wasn’t trying to treat her poorly. For fuck’s sake, she’s my baby sister.”
“She’s not a baby anymore.”
“I know that, but I’m never going to feel like she doesn’t need my protection. I’m all she’s ever had.”
“Not anymore. She has me to protect her. That releases you from any responsibility. And on the same note, Dori is a strong woman. She can handle more than any woman I know.She’s a force to be reckoned with. It might do you good to recognize that fact.”
“I do. It’s just hard to see her not…” He stands and paces in front of the camera so I can only see him from the waist down.
I know he can hear me, so I push. “See her not what?”
He sits with his head hung low. “Need me.”
Oh, I didn’t see that one coming.
I thought I’d have to go hard against him to get him to come around. Maybe it’s time I change my approach.
I purposely relax my stance. “You took on a lot of abuse protecting her. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
His head snaps up. “I’mnot. It kept her safe.”
“Why didn’t I see the marks?”
He shakes his head and looks off to the side. “They’re hard to see when someone uses measures that are undetectable.”
Fuck.
Maybe he wasn’t exaggerating about being physically abused. I wasn’t sure I believed him because Dori never saw it happen, and I never saw marks, but I didn’t consider there are other techniques. It doesn’t have to be fists or external bruising to be considered abuse.
“What did he do to you, Aiden?”
There’s a long stretch of silence as he shifts around on his couch. He’s anxious about this, and it’s now I realize he’s telling the truth.
“Aiden, help me understand so I can see it from your point of view.”
He gazes up, stone-faced. “It started when my dad heard Dori tell Cara she was going to get you to kiss her. I didn’t even know what my dad was talking about. All I knew was my shoulder was dislocated, and it was all because of you. I vowed then to keep you two apart as long as he wouldn’t hurt me anymore.”
Guilt seeps into my veins. “Fuck, Aiden. You should’ve told me.”
“And get my ass kicked for that?” He snarls as he shakes his head. “No. I wasn’t going to let you run off and tell your parents. They would’ve gotten involved and made everything worse.”
“I’m sorry. You didn’t have to go through that.”
“But I did.” His muscles flex. “And I’d do it again because he never laid a hand on her. That’s good enough for me.”
Jesus Christ, he must have gone through hell all those years. No wonder he acted the way he did.
My chest aches. “I’m… I don’t know what to say other than I’m sorry.”
“Like I said.I’mnot. She was never hurt, and that’s all that counts.”
“But she was hurt. Maybe not physically, but emotionally and mentally, she was.”
He nods and lowers his head. “Yeah, I know. I should’ve taken her and run away. We probably would’ve turned out better if I had.”
“Neither one of you turned out bad. In fact, I’d say you did damn well because you’re both?—”
