Page 46 of Dirty Love

Refusing to look directly at me, she sits down beside Nicky and places her good hand on his shoulder, jumping like a mouse caught in a trap when Dad’s voice comes from the doorway behind her.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he asks, staring at her pale face, then moving his eyes to mine.

“Taking the trash out,” I answer, silently praying he just nods and carries on walking.

Of course he doesn’t do that, though.

“You’re making our son do your job for you?” he draws out, raising a dark, amused brow at her. “While you what, help the nerdy one with his fucking fractions?”

“I wasn’t helping h—”

“Do not interrupt me, Sara!” he shouts, stepping closer to wave a hand in my direction. “I work my ass off to pay the bills around here and you do nothing, you lazy bitch. Get off your bony ass and do it yourself.”

“Her finger’s broken, Dad,” I spit out, bravely lifting my chin as I step between the two of them, looking up at his angry face and feeling nothing but anger myself. “Because, you know, she tripped.”

He glares and swings for my face, but then I hear a shriek followed by the sound of wood scraping on wood, my shoulder hitting the freezer just as his fist catches my mother on the mouth.

“Mom!”

She falls down on her side and I crouch down beside her, swinging my head around to Nicky when he shoots up from his seat like he’s about to rush over to us.

“Get upstairs.”

“But—”

“Now, Nicky.”

He flinches and stares at me with glassy eyes, hesitating for five seconds too long before he snatches his notebook and makes a beeline for the hallway. Dad laughs to himself and mutters something I don’t catch, too busy worrying about my mom and brother to pay attention to whatever he’s saying. He steps closer again and Mom uses the chair to pull herself up, lifting her hands in defeat as she blocks his path to me.

“I’ll do it,” she rasps, paying no mind to the blood dripping over her chin. “I’ll do it, okay?”

He cocks his head and crosses his arms over his chest, watching her closely while she ties the trash bag with shaky fingers, cursing herself when she doesn’t get it right the first time, or the second. My nostrils flare and I grind my teeth, unable to do shit but stand here and watch her struggle. It takes her a minute, but she finally gets it done and carries the bag outside, rushing now to ensure I’m not left alone with him for too long. As soon as she comes back, he squeezes her left hand and kisses the wound on her mouth, making her wince.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, my love.”

“Okay, darling,” she manages, smiling through the pain like she always does. “Be careful out there.”

He smirks and backs away from her, licking the blood from his lip while he grabs his keys and leaves for the night shift. The front door closes behind him and she lets out a sob, quickly snapping a hand over her mouth to hide it from me. I already heard it, but I don’t say anything while I run my hand over her back, doing my best to make her feel safe and loved as I guide her toward the stairs. We walk to the top and find Nicky standing there with his back to the wall, his shoulders dropping with relief when he sees us. Knowing what to do by now, he helps me guide her to her bedroom and sets her down on the edge of the bed, stumbling over the corner of the rug as he walks to our parents’ bathroom.

“Damn it.”

I shake my head at him and push the hair back from my mother’s face, carefully sitting down next to her to take her good hand in mine. “Why do you stay with him, Mom?” I ask quietly, looking down to stare at the older bruises on her arms and wrists.

I don’t want her to leave us, but I have to know.

“My sweet boy,” she says softly, taking my cheek to pull my eyes back to hers. “Do you think he’d let me take you with me?”

I shake my head and she smiles sadly, her silent tears falling over her cheeks and neck. “That’s why.”

I swallow and clear the lump in my throat, looking over when Nicky falls over the rug again, almost dropping the glass of water he’s holding.

“Fucking thing,” he hisses, huffing to himself as he walks back over to us, blushing a little bit when Mom raises a brow at him. “Sorry.”

She manages a light laugh and accepts the pills he gives her, tossing them into her mouth before taking the water from his hand. “Thank you, sweetheart.”

He nods and we take care of her the best we can, wiping the blood away with a warm washcloth, then cleaning her up with the hydrogen peroxide Nicky grabbed from the bathroom. By the time the three of us are curled up in bed together, Nicky’s eyelids give up on him and he falls asleep on my lap, lying on his front between my legs with his arms wrapped around my waist.

“Does he always lie on you like that?” Mom whispers, rolling her head to the side to look at me. “When you’re alone, I mean. Does he touch you like that a lot?”

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