Page 170 of The Young & the Sinner

He knew.

I knew he did.

My shoulders sagged, and when he turned around to look at me, there was a storm of emotions displayed in his—eyes similar to my own.

Without another word, he made his way into the kitchen. I silently followed him and watched as he took in all the ingredients of a spaghetti dinner for two.

Olivia’s favorite.

“Is she upstairs?” he asked calmly.

“Yes.”

He made a move to go upstairs when I blocked his way. His eyes darkened with anger as he took me in. “Move. I am taking her home with me.”

“You’re not going up there until I make sure she’s decent.”

That was the wrong thing to say because, with a roar, he came at me, his fists raised.

Even as I braced myself for the hit, I still moved back from the impact. Pain instantly burst through and I cuffed my jaw, taking in my brother.

“You stupid fucker. Does she know?”

My jaw clenched, and I looked away, knowing what he was talking about. I shook my head.

“Of course not. Because if she did, she would hate you.” Pain pinched my chest, because I knew that was true. “What the hell were you thinking? I told you to stay the fuck away from her. I told you she was mine and you go and do this? You seduced her?”

“Max?”

We both turned at the sound of her voice. Her hair was a mess, her eyes swollen and red, and she was wearing my shirt and her jeans. I wanted nothing more than to close the distance between us and gather her in my arms, promising her that everything would be alright.

I couldn’t do that, though, so I stayed where I was, my fist closed around the banister, while I watched her take hesitant steps down the stairs.

“Olivia, let’s go home, okay?”

Despite his anger, his voice was gentle with her. I was glad. I didn’t know what I would do if he transferred his anger toward me to her.

She nodded, a look of resignation in her eyes.

When she got to the last step, next to me, she looked up at me expectantly. I knew she wanted me to say something, anything. But I couldn’t. Not when the next time we saw each other, she might not welcome my touch anymore.

Her shoulders sagged in disappointment, and my fist tightened even further around the wooden banister, surprised it hadn’t yet broken with the force of my grip.

Max gathered her in his arms and led her out to the front door, shooting one last scowl my way.

I watched them disappear from my sight until the front door closed quietly behind them, and then my knees gave out.

I sucked in a pained breath, wondering what the hell I was supposed to do now.

I should have told her before it got to this. Before Max found out. And now it was too late. Max would surely tell her the sordid history between Grace, Michael, and me.

And it was as Max said. She would hate me.

As she should.

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