Page 92 of When Sinners Hate

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he snarls. Dante moves in between us, both his arms outstretched to try breaking this up. “In fact, what the fuck is wrong with this family?” I move sideways, glaring around Dante so I can keep focused on Knox.He blows out a breath and tries pulling back his sense. Mine’s long gone. “Abel, did you even see what you just did?” He drops his hand to help Mother up from the floor she’s still on, then turns back at me again. “This is the sort of shit that gets us in trouble. We’re supposed to be united, and I come down to find this? Get out of your fucked-up head.”

Silence. Dante stares me down, no emotion on his face. I glance behind him at Lexi, still full of rage about those goddamned scratch marks, and watch Shaw walk over to the scene. She just stares back, knowing all too well that this isn’t about her in totality. This is about people doing exactly what I want them to do, when I want them to do it, without fucking questioning me.

I’m around Dante without any other thought, grabbing Knox and sending him straight down the steps towards the lawn. His ribs shunt into the rails on the way, body tumbling to the ground and arms flailing for support.

“ABEL!” Lexi shouts.

Hard hands land on my shoulders from somewhere, the arm attached going around my neck. I twist, lever my body weight against him, and slam my fist straight into Dante’s jaw. He grunts, but barely moves, so I do it again and again and again until he finally gets the fucking hint and backs the fuck off me.

Lexi’s in front of me before I get a step further towards a still reeling Knox, her hands splayed and her body trying to block me. “Stop!” she spits. I don’t. “ABEL. STOP! Melena’s sorry!” She looks behind me, practically begging Mother to comply. “Aren't you?” No fucking answer. I look back at Knox. “Abel, please. Listen to me,” Lexi continues. “This is what she wants. Everyone fighting. She’s got control then.” My head swings back to look at her up there on the deck with Shaw, some sense coming back into my thoughts. “You’re fighting the wrong person here. Please. Knox isn’t the problem. Think.”

Think.

I turn fully away from him and Lexi and head back past Dante, watching him step out of my goddamn way, as I pass. Mother’s chin tips up at me the second I get to her. “Pathetic,” she snaps. “You’re being led with your dick. I taught you better than that, Abel.” Shaw moves away from her, damn sure he’s not going to cause me any problems in this mood. “She’s a bought product. A slut for you to use. A barter that we now own. Don’t you dare let her manipulate this and–” I grab the top of her hair and start pulling, towing her through the house, because I am not being led by my dick at all. I’m being led by the same feelings that guide me all the damn time. Love and respect.

She bitches the entire way to the car, deciding that cursing me like she does Dante is useful to her cause this time. It isn’t. I don’t feel a damn word of it. Cortez or not, I’m my father’s son. He was a cruel son of a bitch, too, and he didn't give one fuck about sentiment – good or bad. He revelled in his barbaric nature. He coerced and filled the world around him with menace and hatred. She’s damn lucky there’s even a scrap of decency in me, considering the dark life she built for these genes to exist in and rule.

I look back at the house, as I slam the car door behind her, and listen to more of Mother’s bitching. Dante and Shaw are half holding Knox up, who’s still intent on glaring at me despite the pain I’ve delivered to him. Wren’s quietly waiting, watching and analysing everything. And then there’s my wife. Mariana shadows her as she folds her arms in front of her and smiles. It's the only smile there is on show for me, but it’s as true as it can be, given our combined savagery. She might as well be ordering a murder with that look because there’s no doubting her intentions now she’s part of something bigger than her alone. She needs this family strong as much as I do. She needs itwrapped around her and protecting the one thing we should all aim for in our fucked-up existence.

Harmony.

I’m about to make damn sure that happens.

The End