Page 7 of Little Stranger

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Dad yells at him. “You’re lucky he doesn’t want any more trouble, or you’d make our family look like a goddamn disgrace!”

Mom sits up. “Adam’s family did say they’d drop the charges under certain conditions.”

“What conditions?” I ask, and she gives me a warm smile.

“One condition. We promise Olivia to Adam.”

Malachi’s hands fist, and Dad’s eyes widen.

“I thought she had an arrangement with Parker?”

Mom shrugs. “It’s always good to have more than one option, Jamieson.”

“And how many options do you plan on giving our daughter, Jennifer?”

When they use their names in those tones, things usually explode. Swallowing, I drop my gaze to my lap, embarrassment coursing through me as they argue.

There’s a kick against my shin, and I lift my watery gaze to see Malachi staring at me. His brows are knitted together, and while our parents argue, he signs,I will kill anyone who touches you.

I believe him.

But this is his fault.

The yelling continues, but he doesn’t care. He doesn’t even flinch when Dad knocks over the table in frustration. Mom starts shouting at him then, and as things escalate into a competition over who can raise their voices the loudest, Malachi gestures to the door, and we both slip out.

“Thanks,” I snap, moving away from his hand low on my back, leading me up the grand staircase. “Because of you, Mom is going to force me to date him too. I hope you’re proud of yourself,big brother.” And I turn away from him, storming left to my room.

“Are you awake, sweetheart?”

I pause the TV and sit up. “Yeah. Come in.”

My mom opens the door and closes it quietly behind her, her eyes puffy. She and dad really went to war with each other earlier, and it’s obvious she’s only just stopped crying.

“Are you okay?” I ask. “You were arguing for hours.”

“Your father wasn’t pleased about my suggestion that you go on a date with that boy, but it was Adam’s parents’ condition for not having Malachi charged.”

I press my lips together. “So to stop my him from getting charged, I need to go on a date. That’s blackmail, and quite honestly, it sickens me that you even agreed to it.”

“If you don’t go, Malachi will get into a lot of trouble.”

When I blankly stare at her, she adds, “Do you know why your brother did that today?”

Shaking my head, I reply, “No. I was just talking to Adam. He won’t tell me why he did it.”

She sighs and sits on the edge of my bed, running her hands through her hair—golden blonde and thick and not a hint of grey, despite Dad’s hair being whiter than white.

“He won’t talk to us. He hasn’t for quite a while—even when I cried for him to communicate with me, he stared right through me. But he’ll have a conversation with you.”

My shoulder raises. “Yeah. We’re close like that.”

“Forgive me for asking this, but you can tell me the truth, sweetheart. Has he ever… hurt you?”

My eyes widen, and I sit up straighter. “What? No! Why would he?”

“Malachi isn’t like us, Olivia. I’m not sure why we thought we could handle someone like him. So troubled and so… I don’t know. His controlling and possessive tendencies over you are dangerous. Even when your father kisses your forehead, Malachi glares at him like he wants to slit his throat. He won’t speak to a therapist and won’t touch medication, and I fear he really needs both.”

“Why would he need them?”

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