Page 78 of His Property

“How was I supposed to tell you? I was twelve years old and terrified of what I was capable of. I knew how fucked up I was even then. How could I have possibly explained that to you?”

She shakes her head. “I mean, how could you not tell me what Mom was doing to you?” Her lip trembles, and her eyes shine with fresh tears. “How the fuck could I not have known?”

I look away. My shoulders tense, and I bite my tongue. I love my sister more than I would think someone like me was capable, and I would never, ever want to hurt her. But if I’m being honest with myself, I blame her too. I blame everyone. And I hate myself for it.

“I’m so sorry,” she cries. “Victor, I’m so fucking sorry.”

I move my eyes to her and frown. “You have nothing to be sorry for, Gabi. It isn’t your fault.”

“Yes, it is.” She clenches the edge of the wheelchair. “I was supposed to protect you.”

“You were just a kid.”

“So were you.”

She sobs, and I go to her and kneel before wrapping my arms around her. She buries her face in my shoulder and sobs, and I hold her tight.

“It’s okay,” I whisper, smoothing back her hair. “Everything’s okay now.”

I close my eyes and repeat the lie until Gabi’s sobs settle and her trembling ceases. I try not to think about the impact my childhood had on who I am, and I try not to play the what-if game. I like my life. I love my sister, I love my job, I love my best friend, and I may even have room for loving one more person.

I open my eyes and turn my head toward Mae, and she wipes a tear from her cheek. She walks to me and places a hand on my shoulder.

I slowly pull away from Gabi and stand.

“I’m sorry about Dad,” I say.

Gabi laughs dryly and wipes underneath her eyes. “Fuck him.”

She looks at me and takes a deep breath. “Thank you for telling me.”

I nod and tuck my hands back into my pockets, glancing toward the back door. “Should I go now?”

“No.” Gabi shakes her head. “I need you to help me undo that restraining order. I’m a fucking idiot.”

I sigh. “You’re smarter than you think… I’m not a good man, Gabi. I love you, and I would hate to lose you, but I understand if—”

“Victor?”

I close my mouth and wait for her to continue.

“Shut the fuck up.”

One side of my lips lifts, and she gives me a sad smile.

“I love you too,” she says, her chest heaving with a sigh. “Which is why I’m keeping my apartment and the nurse I hired.”

She holds up her hand to stop me when I try to protest.

“I know, I know, you can take care of me, but seriously, I’m in my thirties. It feels like shit to have my little brother help me into the shower anyway, and this new place has a walk-in shower and is handicap accessible and all that shit. I need some sort of semblance of taking care of myself while I still can. And you need privacy.” Gabi’s eyes move to Mae, and she raises her brows. “A lot of it.”

Mae blushes, and I suppress a laugh.

“Plus, I’m sick of this house. I’m ninety percent sure Cora is going to take it anyway, and as far as I’m concerned, she can have it.”

Over my dead body.

“She came by here again, by the way,” Gabi says. “A few days ago, with a boy who looks like he still wears diapers. I was too pissed to tell you about it.”

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