Page 27 of Tyson (Ariel Kimber 4.50)

Ariel hadn't told me she loved him, she didn't need to. But, I wasn't going to tell him the details of the conversations Ariel and I shared, that wasn't a trust I'd betray, even to my Uncle.

"We should stop talking about this," I suggested. "What Ariel tells me or doesn't tell me isn't any of your business."

The light in his dark eyes faded. "So, she didn't tell you she loved me," he surmised.

"No," I sighed, knowing full well if I didn't tell him the truth then he'd never let up and drive me nuts. "But it's obvious. She feels deep for you and I really don't want to talk about it with you."

"That's bullshit, Ty." he shot back at me immediately after I stopped speaking. "We can't bottle things up and refuse to talk about them with each other when it comes to shit with her. It involves all of us and if we keep things secret then there's a chance it will all blow up in our faces. We've gotta be open and honest with each other. That's the only way a relationship like this is going to be successful."

I wanted to snap at him that he wouldn't know how a relationship like this worked successfully because he'd never been in one and it's not like he'd grown up in one, either. His dad had refused to settle down with just one woman and traded them up like most people trade up socks when they've gotten worn and holey. He didn't know anything about a healthy relationship.

"Listen," I started.

"No," Quint snapped at me. "You fucking listen to me, Nephew. You climbing in your own head and shutting yourself off from the rest of us isn't the way we do this. I know you were hurt your first go around with a female but Ariel isn't fucking Annabell and the guys are different this time around. It's not just three of you, it's all of us and we are all fucking in, all the way. You don't get to pull yourself away from the rest of us, not this fucking time. If you do then you run the risk of ruining this for the rest of us and I can't allow you to do that."

I studied him for a moment and took in his rigid posture and clenched fists. He looked ready to take a swing at me if I made one wrong move and I couldn't even blame him. I was acting like an asshole and I was doing everything he'd accused me of doing. Shutting them out was a defense mechanism I had every intention of using so I didn't get my heart ripped out of my chest again and shoved through a wood chipper. I wasn't sure if I'd have any of it left if I went through that again. The stupid organ had already been super glued back together once and I'd done a shoddy job at it. One wrong move too many and the whole thing might splinter apart and I'd be left bitter and broken.

"You got a problem with her loving more people than just you?" Quinton asked incredulously.

I shook my head. I really didn't have a problem with her loving more than one person. In fact, I wanted her to love them. It meant she'd have a harder time ever leaving us if she loved all of us. I just didn't want to have to talk about it with the rest of them.

I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him. "I'm not talking about this," I told him harshly.

Quinton took a step towards me and raised a fist. He jammed his fist in my direction and gritted out, "The fuck we aren't talking about this. What the hell's the matter with you? You're going to fuck this up for the rest of us and I'll not allow it. First, you take her to the motel with you to see that fucking bitch. Then, if that's not bad enough, you're keeping secrets from me and now you've bought an entire fucking building. You're out-"

I leaned forward at the waist and clenched my own fists. Enough was enough.

"First of all, I bought this building with my own fucking money," I snarled at him. "I do not have to ask you for permission before spending my own goddamn money. How dare you imply that I need to ask you for permission. How dare you act like my fucking father when you are anything but,Uncle."

He flinched and I knew I'd struck a painful blow.

I didn't care and kept going anyway.

"You and I are family and I will love you like a brother until the day I fucking die and I love you even more because you've been my guardian since the day my parents died, and you and I both know I'm not just talking about legally. I appreciate everything you've done for me, but I'm an adult now, Uncle Quint, you're going to have to let me make my own mistakes and you're going to have to let me be man enough to fix them. I know I made a mistake getting involved with Annabell the first time around. I know it's my fault the others got sucked into her dark web of bullshit and lies. I fuckingknowit's all my fault." He opened his mouth to speak but I unclenched my fist and raised my hand, shoving my palm towards his face in a silent gesture that screamed shut the fuck up.

"It is my fault and nothing you say is gonna make me change my mind on that. She came at me when I was weak and vulnerable and I opened the door for her to waltz right in and do her worst with our family. I was trying to make it right by handling her on my own so that none of the rest of you had to deal with her and my shit again. And, I was trying to save you. She's doing the Council, Uncle Quint. All of them. They want to breed her and are working really hard at knocking her up. If I had allowed you and Jules to get involved you would have probably hurt her. If you hurt the Council's new piece of ass there was no telling how they'd retaliate. And you damn well know that. If-"

He interjected, "If she'd threatened my family then, yeah, I would have hurt her. No questions asked, I would have gotten rid of her permanently this time."

I sighed in relief, glad to hear him admit what I'd known all along.

"I took care of her permanently without physically harming her... much." I told him something he already knew.

"I know, Ty," he said tiredly. "But you still took Ariel with you and you put her at risk. Now, you're pulling away and acting out. I don't know what to make of it. My first instinct is always to fight with you and force you to tell me what I want to know."

He ran his hands over the top of his head in a show of nervous aggression and I knew his urge to hit me had finally left him and it'd left him frustrated instead of angry.

"I didn't take her with me because I wanted to," I admitted. "She forced herself on me and I knew if I'd have turned her down then it would have killed whatever affection she's got growing for me. I have to be careful with her because it's like every time we take a step forwards in our relationship something happens and she takes two giant steps back. And, besides, I wanted her to know that I don't feel anything more than hatred and disgust for Annabell, so she came with me. I made sure she was never in any real danger and I would have protected her with my fucking life if it had come down to it."

"I believe you," Quinton said instantly, shocking the shit out of me. "And I trust you with her."

My lips parted in surprise and I stared at him.

"What you need to figure out how to do, Nephew, is learn how to trust the rest of us with, not only her, but you as well. If you'd shared what was going on with me, I would have trusted you to take care of it on your own and if you couldn't and things got away from you, I would have been there to have your back when you were ready for me to have it. All of us would have given that to you. What I don't understand is why you'd want to take the whole burden of it on your own shoulders and keep it from the rest of us."

"I told you," I grumbled. "It's my fault she was in our lives in the first place. I was trying to protect the rest of you from any more bullshit she might cause and I was trying to make sure none of the rest of you got hurt by her again."

"But, Ty," Quinton said quietly. "Who was making sure you didn't get hurt by her again? Who was looking out for you?"

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