Page 105 of Truck Up
“This isn’t a fair fight.” I call out, but I don’t think anyone here’s me. It’s two to seven. The Mutters will obliterate my brothers. Granted, they’re acting like assholes and deserve a bit of a beat down, but not like this. This is just cruel.
I strain my neck to see what’s happening, but the Mutters are too tall and broad. I can’t see anything around them. All I hear are grunts and curses.
A few seconds later, Christian goes flying backwards and lands on his back. Tanner lungs forward, but Mac and Ash wrap their arms around him and hold him back. I’m relieved to see they’re not actually fighting him. They’re simply intervening, so he can’t hit Christian again.
Liam charges Linden and hits him head on in the chest. Linden tries to hold on to his balance, but he fails. Once he’s on the ground, he takes a fist to the face before Liam releases him and steps back.
I wait for the other brothers to step in and join the fight, but they don’t. They’re letting Liam and Christian take care of my brothers.Maybe this is a fair fight after all.
Christian jumps to his feet and glances in my direction. He visibly relaxes when he sees I’m out of harm’s way. He looks at Aaron, and they both nod.
That single nod says it all. Christian is acknowledging that he’s grateful Aaron is protecting me, and Aaron is letting himknow nothing will happen to me. It’s kind of cute and warms my heart on a level I’ve never quite experienced before.
Aaron’s recent interactions with Christian gives me hope that one day they could all get along. If Aaron can accept Christian, then maybe he can help bring the rest of the family around.
A girl can dream.
“Why did you come here?” Christian growls. He’s pacing back and forth in quick steps like a lion assessing its prey. One wrong move or word from Tanner and he’d pounce.
“We want our sister back,” Linden calls out. “You had no right to take her.”
Christian grumbles. “I didn’t take her. She’s here on her own free will.”
“Bullshit!” Tanner yells as he struggles against Mac and Ash’s hold. But he can’t break free. The two of them are stronger than him. “I don’t trust a word you say.”
Christian stalks toward him and gets in his face. I can’t hear what he says, but whatever it is, it makes Mac and Ash laugh and Tanner furious. Knowing Christian, he said something obscene and then bragged about how much I like it.
“That’s enough!” I yell so loudly my throat hurts after the words are out. Christian whips his head around to face me and Liam freezes mid swing. Aaron doesn’t let go of me, but his grip loosens. “You’re all acting like immature children.”
“Amen to that,” Grams calls out from the porch. All the women are spread out on the porch watching the fight with various levels of amusement.
“Lia, please,” Linden says. There’s a sadness to his tone I haven’t heard before. When I look at him, he looks more distraught than angry. “Dad is a mess. Just talk to him.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh. “I’ve messaged him several times, and he’s never responded once. What am I supposed to do?”
“Try again,” Linden begs. “He’s a proud man. He just needed more time.”
“Then he can reach out to me now.” I don’t bother hiding my anger. It’s not my job to fix everything. I may have slept with the enemy, but I didn’t walk away from my family. They pushed me away.
“You know he won’t.” Linden shifts his eyes to Christian and the sadness that was in his eyes vanishes and is replaced with disgust. “Not as long as you’re living with him.”
“For crying out loud!” I toss my head back and growl. “Just go home! If Dad wants to talk to me, he knows where to find me.”
I push Aaron’s arms off me and march toward the front door. Before I go back inside, I spin around and glare at everyone. “You’re all ridiculous. Find a more civilized way to deal with your aggression and hatred for each other. And then get over it. I’d really love for my baby to have all its uncles in its life.”
Before anyone can respond, I march inside and slam the door behind me. I fall against it and groan.
What I wouldn’t do for a drink right about now.
I rub my belly and push off the door.
“If you’re a boy, you’re not allowed to act like any of your uncles,” I say to my unborn baby. “I won’t stand for it.”
Coveringmy mouth with my hand, I yawn for the hundredth time. The flower shop is swamped with customers, yet I’m too tired to function properly.
I hardly slept last night. After my brothers showed up at the Mutter homestead, my nerves were shot. It took me hours to fall asleep. As soon as I dozed off, my alarm went off.
Christian passed right out, though. I swear nothing robs that man of sleep.