DECEIT (B723) by Hazel Grace (ebook reader for surface pro .TXT) 📕

Bish can’t stand me as it is, so going through his privacy would cause him to plan for me to have an “accident”.

However, he did this to me.

“Pizza should be here soon,” Marty mutters a few minutes later, finishing off his beer. I don’t reply, already done talking for the day. “Ems.” I feel Marty’s green eyes on me, and I purposely ignore them.

I’m not doing this.

I’m not going there.

Bishop fucking killed me the last time I believed he cared. I’m not going to be stupid again. I can’t be.

“Did you track him down yet?”

I shake my head, not surprised that he read my mind. I’m trying to be respectful of Bishop’s solitude, but—not going to lie—I almost have. I had the laptop in the car earlier and everything.

“Why not?”

“Marty…” I warn, mainly because I don’t want to talk about him. Not when things between Bishop and I have always been rocky.

“Just surprised is all,” he replies next to me. “I know you wouldn’t last this long with anyone else.”

Anyone else being him, Mills, and Kyson.

Blue can go fuck herself for all I care.

“It’s because I like you,” I quip. “If he wants to keep his crap to himself, then let him. I’m not going to waste my time and hunt him down.”

My words sound fraudulent even to my own ears. Once upon a time, I would’ve burnt the world down looking for Bishop. I’d be just how Marty is acting now.

A lunatic.

A love-crazed, besotted ball of hysteria.

But he fucked that up.

I fucked it up.

Our time came and went, he gave up, and I’ve been trying to get my life in order ever since.

Marty’s gaze weighs heavily on my body, and the need to squirm underneath it starts to prick at my body. He wants me to look up Bishop. Needs to know that he’s alright but wants me to be the crazy one to do it.

“He’s a big boy,” I continue, my mouth suddenly going dry. “With a bigger temper, he’ll be fine.”

“If you say so.” He returns his attention back to the screen of the TV.

Yeah, I say so.

Because if he’s not, I’ll never forgive myself.

“Yo, seriously?” I watch my brother stride purposely in my direction, a smile as big as the moon, just like he always had when we were kids. His unclouded blue eyes briskly scan the bedroom that Scarlett and I did up for Madelyn.

Light pink walls with dangly star lights hang above the windows. A full-sized bed with some Disney princesses that I don’t know the names of covers the pillowcases, and comforter. A bunch of dolls, Barbies, a small desk for coloring, a purple castle tent, and this little girl is officially hooked up.

Scarlett took care of picking it all out. I just bought and put it all together. It’s about time this house is utilized for something other than me brooding aimlessly around with a cold beer and warm blunt in my hands. Having my family reside here gives it a welcoming and fuzzy feeling while actually being used for something good.

I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop out of habit.

But it’s been nice learning about my sister during the week and what things she likes to do. She still lives in Chicago and works at a blog that covers numerous things ranging from how to give your life balance to quick recipes for dinner, money-saving tips, and spreading your time while doing the things you like to do. She was actually visiting when Madelyn and her mother had the accident.

“Kace, this is fucking amazing.” Hardy stands next to me, still gawking inside the room. “She’s going to love this.”

“Scarlett picked out—“ My brother quickly turns and hugs me, catching me completely off guard again. I’m gonna have to watch him a little more closely or get used to this whole hugging thing because I stiffen as my brain computes that he’s not a threat.

“Sorry—” Hardy breaks from me, immediately allowing me back my personal space. “—this is just…Maddy is going to be in heaven over this.”

I nod. “Good, she’s still scheduled to come home tomorrow?”

“Yeah. Her grandparents have all her things packed up, and…with Abigail’s funeral, I wanted to give her some time to spend with them. I didn’t want her whole world to be flipped upside down even though it will be anyway.”

“How about you sell your place or break the lease and come live with me,” I transmit, trying to alleviate some of his burdens. Hardy has been all over the place for the last three weeks. He’s been running around with Madelyn so much and letting her spend time with his ex-girlfriend’s family that I barely see him.

Now that he’s going to be a single parent full-time, he’s gonna need every break and piece of help he can get his hands on.

And I can be those extra set of hands.

I think.

Hardy gapes at me with furrowed everything. “Huh?”

I motion for him to step out of his daughter’s newly decorated room and pat myself down in a quest for my cigarettes. Hardy needs to have a nice place to raise Madelyn, and I’m not here much like I said. It’ll also give me some time to get to know them. Living in an actual house with four walls and not having to worry about what your neighbors are doing sounds like a nice way to go to me.

We walk outside, filling the unfinished conversation with a simpler one. Apparently, Hardy has my pride. “What does she like to eat? I gotta go into town.”

“Macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly. Normal kid shit. Not the radiation-filled shit they fed you in the military.” I cut a glance over my shoulder at him, and he shrugs. “You’re fucking huge, man.”

“Mhm.” Finding my box, I pull out a fag and tip the book to offer him one. My brother holds up his hand.

“Nah, I’m good. I like to go more green.”

“Weed?”