Page 13 of Room Twenty-Seven: Theirs to Punish

“She’s coming, but only if you are not there—”

He slams his fist into the steering wheel. “Fuck no! I’m going to be there. How dare—”

“Christ. Will you calm down and let me finish? She just asks that you not be in the room at first. This is the only way I got her to agree to come at all. Luke and I will meet her first, and once she is comfortable, we’ll call you in.”

“I hate it.”

“It’s this or nothing at all.” I can feel the frustration coming off him in waves. Unfortunately, I can’t do anything about it. Not now at least.

“Fine,” he finally agrees. “But you won’t fuck her until I get there.”

“We all know you have first dibs, but you need to get your head out of your ass until tonight. You let your emotions control you. Be better than that.”

“Maybe I’m not. I can’t control myself when it comes to her,” he admits, turning his face away from me so I can't see his expression. I don’t have to see it of course. I know he feels guilty because no matter how much he thinks he wants to hurt her, he really doesn’t. Hurting her only hurts himself.

“There is a lot about her you haven't told me. More specifically, there must have been more going on between you two.”

“Let’s not talk about that.”

“I don’t give a fuck if you want to. We're in this together now; obviously, she means more to you than you’ve led on in the past.” He always made it seem like he hated her and nothing more. Every time he’s talked about her has been negative.

“Yes, there was something between us. She made me think she loved me, but it was all a ruse.”

“You loved her.” It’s not a question because I already know it’s true.

Nik simply shakes his head, but I know him well enough to know he’s lying.

“I think you should go to the gym. Blow off some steam, then sit in the hot tub. Maybe get a massage and meditate or some shit. You can’t be like this tonight.”

“Don’t tell me how to feel or act. You don’t understand.”

“I don’t understand what you went through, but I do understand where you are now. You’re in pain, and you think hurting her will stop your suffering, but it won’t.”

“Then what's the point? Why are you even helping me to get her to come?”

“Because you need closure. You’re just going about it the wrong way.”

“Since you think you know everything, why don’t you tell me what’s the right way?” His sarcastic tone tells me he doesn’t expect an answer, yet I’m giving him one anyway.

“You’re not mad at her because she stole money. You’re angry because she broke your heart.”

That shuts my brother up. At least long enough for him to start the engine and pull out of the parking spot like a racecar driver out of a pit stop. The truth is a tough pill to swallow.

“What’s the difference? She fucked me over, and now I want to hurt her for it.”

“The difference is that you loved her, and no matter how much you keep telling yourself that you hate her, part of you will always love her.”

“Have you been watching rom-coms or something?” He steps on the gas, speeding past a car twenty miles over the speed limit.

“Don’t deflect, and grow the fuck up. She means something to you, and in the end, hurting her will only hurt yourself.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Nik shake his head. “We’ll see.”

“We won’t let you hurt her.” I love my brother, and I know Lillian caused him a lot of pain, but there are lines I won’t cross, no matter what she has done in the past. I won’t let him cross that line, either.

“Just promise me you won’t do anything you’ll regret later.”

Nik doesn’t answer right away, but when he does, he at least sounds genuine. “I promise, I’ll try.”

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