Page 10 of Queen Rose

Nate

“Thanks for bringing food. You may have found the way to Becca and Brandon’s hearts. My brother and sister’s love language is definitely food… and I haven’t even given them the candy yet.”

Aria snickers. “Watch it or pretty soon I’ll take over your spot as their favorite.”

“I’m not their favorite.” I shake my head. “I’m just the big brother acting as stand-in dad.”

“Are you kidding? Sure you are.” She cocks her head to the side, her shiny blonde hair looking soft and silky in the sunlight. “It’s so obvious that they look up to you and know you’ll be there for them. They love you.”

“Yeah, I guess.” I peek at her from the corner of my eye and shrug. “Their dad didn’t give them a better option.” I stretch my legs out in front of me as I lean back on my hands.

“So, you’re technically half siblings, then?”

“Yep. Mom had me, and a few years after my parents split, she had two more kids with another guy.” I sit forward and draw my legs back up. “Two relationships, two assholes.”

“Sorry,” she murmurs. “That sucks. It didn’t work out either time?”

“Nope. My dad was a real piece of work, a bona fide deadbeat. She never should have married him in the first place. He’s a loser drug addict, and she’s better off without him. And Becca and Brandon’s dad”—I look quickly over my shoulder to make sure little ears aren’t listening—“is a real douchebag. He had another family.”

Aria bites out a dismayed, “No.”

I nod my head. “Yep. Mom had Becca, then Alan proposed to her, but it never seemed to be the right time to plan the wedding. Come to find out, he never intended to marry her. The reality was, he was with them—his wife and three teenage kids. It was a really, really dark time for her. She was pregnant with Brandon when she found out what he was doing and dumped his ass.”

“That’s awful. Does he provide for them at least? And what about your dad?”

“Alan pays child support. I think he’s terrified if he doesn’t pay up, Mom will be more vocal about what he’s done to her.” I almost chuckle at the incredulous look on her face. “He’s a slimy, disgusting excuse for a human. The entire relationship with my mother was built on a lie.”

“But how was he able to pull it off?” She huffs out a sharp laugh that tells me she’s anything but amused.

“He’d tell her he had to go out of town for work for weeks at a time. He was very convincing in how he’d excuse his absences. She never questioned him that I know of. She thought he loved her, that she’d finally found her Prince Charming after the rough go she’d had of it with my dad.” I shrug. “I try my best to stay out of it. My job is to take the money he sends and use it to keep the roof over Becca and Brandon’s heads, the utilities paid, and food in their stomachs.” I stop, shaking my head.

Between us, the air hums with the question she’s about to ask. I feel it coming before the words leave her lips because I’d purposely avoided going there.

“Your dad? What about him?”

I stiffen and jerk my head. “Nothing. My dad was a piece of shit then, and he’s shit now. He’s never paid a dime or helped my mom in any way. And now that I’m eighteen…” I release a pent-up sigh. “You can’t squeeze blood from a stone, you know? He never had the money anyway,” I mumble.

“But couldn’t you—”

I shake my head at the determined look on her face. “It’s not worth the hassle of bringing him back into our lives to chase him down for it. For a long time, I wondered what was wrong with me that he didn’t want to come back, that he wanted no part in my life. But now I see him for what he is. Alan Grant was a shitty dad and partner, but Cliff King is downright dangerous. I don’t want him near Becca and Brandon. Or Mom, for that matter.”

Aria’s face goes a little pale, and she purses her lips for a few seconds, like she wants to say something but decides better of it. Instead, she changes the topic of conversation slightly. “Did you know you and Xander—and Scarlett, actually—have something in common?”

My brow furrows. “No, what?” I can’t imagine what it could be.

“Xander and his mom escaped her first husband. He was—and still is—an abusive prick, no matter how big his technology empire is. And I’m sure it’ll still be thriving when he gets out of prison.” She stops to roll her eyes for a second. “His mom, Isabella, is much happier now. The freaky thing is that Xander fell for Scarlett before they knew they were both half siblings to the same little girl. Xander’s mom married Scarlett’s dad. But that was before we knew he was Scarlett’s dad. It’s a whole story for another day. But yeah. They share a half sister, who is about Brandon’s age.”

“That’s pretty wild.”

She shrugs her shoulders. “Maybe we could get the three kids together sometime.”

My brow raises. “Um. Yeah. Maybe.” Without knowing Xander’s family, I have no clue if that’d be such a hot idea or not. The little girl I’d seen Xander with had seemed pretty normal, though.

“I just thought it would give Brandon and Becca something new to focus on, a new friend, maybe. You know. To take their minds off things.”

I clear my throat, shifting my gaze to meet Aria’s. She’s looking at me with the gentlest expression I’ve ever seen from her. “You mean Mom?”

“Yeah. Sorry.” She holds out her hands, palms up. “I guess I’m pretty transparent. She’s really sick.”

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