Mom taps her ruby red nails on the countertop. “I know you don’t want to go into details, but just answer this. Am I housing a criminal?”
Bray’s mouth quirks to the side. “No, I can promise you that.”
Mom nods with her own smirk.
“I’m going to take a shower to warm up,” Bray says then heads upstairs.
“Thanks for not losing it, Mom,” I say, cleaning our mugs of hot chocolate.
“I’m not going to tell your dad about her already staying here. Just that she needs a place for a while. She can sleep in Potter’s room, and Potter can sleep with you.”
“Ugh. But Potter kicks. Bray doesn’t.”
She gives me her infamous death stare, dropping her head and narrowing her eyes. “And how would you know Bray doesn’t kick?”
I lay my head on the countertop and mumble, “She may have been too cold last night and snuck into my room.”
“I can tell you like her. Just be safe. Is she the reason you and Farren broke up?”
“Not in the way you think.”
“So, there was no cheating?”
“Not on my part.”
“I may not have really cared for Farren, but I would’ve been disappointed if I found out you cheated on her.” She puts a chip clip on the bag of tiny marshmallows. “Do you know what’s going on with Brayleigh?”
I bite my lip. “Yes.”
”How bad is it?”
“It’s pretty bad. Just be prepared when I tell you we need you for something.”
She places her hand on mine, setting them on the counter. “Is it worth getting involved?”
“Without a doubt.” I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life. Now that Sebastian knows there’s something going on, I’m allowing myself to fall. But there’s something that might catch me: Bray’s response to me telling Sebastian about her foster father.
I’m sprawled across my bed when Bray walks out of the bathroom. Her wet hair leaves streaks of water on her green Resting Grinch Face tee.
“I have to tell you something, and you’re not going to like it,” I say, tossing a basketball in the air.
“The story of my life.” She plops on the bed and takes my hand in hers. The basketball thumps on the ground. “Give it to me.”
I drag out a deep breath. “Sebastian and I had a talk this morning after practice.”
“And?”
I shiver, remembering the way it felt when my fist connected with his face. It was satisfyingly disgusting. “I broke his nose.”
“So, you had a fight instead of a talk?”
“I tried to have a talk. He said something not nice, so I punched him in the face.”
She raises her shoulders. “Yep, that’s not good.”
“That’s not it. The punch got him to listen, if you can believe that.”
“Okay?”
I gently lower her onto the bed and rest my head on her chest. “I had to tell him who the father is.”
She shoots up, knocking me over. “What?”
“I’m sorry, but it was the only way to get his attention. He wants to see you, but I told him it wasn’t a good idea. He said he was sorry, so I told him to come by Christmas afternoon.”
“That explains it. I reached out to him on your profile, and he apologized. Gave us his blessing even. Not that that matters because I can’t believe you told him. How dare you? I was working up to it.”
I reach for her, but she steps backward, bumping into my dresser. “You’ve gotta forgive me.”
“No.” She grabs her dirty clothes and walks to the door.
“Bray, wait. Please. I’m sorry. He’s my best friend. I don’t like this situation either, but you were with him for a year. He needed to know the truth.”
“It wasn’t your truth to tell.”
I grab a pillow and cover my head. “I know, and I’m sorry.”
She walks away.
Footsteps head downstairs then silence.
Luckily, the front door doesn’t open, so I know she doesn’t leave.
Chapter 36
I’m sitting on a bar stool eating cookies in the kitchen when I feel Zain’s eyes on me. I’ve ignored him since yesterday because he shouldn’t have told Sebastian about Percy.
“Bray, are you going to talk to me?”
“I don’t know. It’s just something you shouldn’t have done.”
“I’m sorry. You trusted me, and I let you down. But Sebastian was my best friend before this, and he’s hurting.”
“I don’t need another person telling me what to do.”
Zain sighs. “You don’t have to be strong all the time.”
“Yes, I do.”
I eat a gingerbread cookie and swallow some milk without looking at him. He kept his mouth shut to his parents, letting them think I’d just been kicked out because I turned eighteen, but I just can’t get over that Sebastian knows the truth and I wasn’t the one to tell him.
“I need to figure out some place to go tomorrow because I can’t stay here.”
“Bray, I—”
I glare at him.
He sighs. “You’re right. I should’ve kept my mouth shut. I’m sorry.”
He gets up from the bar stool, kisses the back of my head, and lingers for a second.
My eyes close, remembering the feel of him sleeping next to me, how safe I felt.
I turn around and face him. “Why are you trying so hard to make this work? You know everything now, and it’s complicated.”
“I can’t control how I feel about you,” Zain says, “and I think you want me just as much.”
Zain plays with my silver necklace. It’s a snowflake with a round topaz in the middle that he said reminded him of my eyes, so he had to get it.
Despite being mad, I bought him a watch that says Oh, Fudge! It was so us, I had to buy myself a matching one.
Last night, the Abners took us to the mall to buy last minute gifts as a sort of family tradition. Then we rode the carousel and went home with milkshakes and shopping bags.
They’ve done nothing but make me feel welcome. They even bought me an embossed Bible like the one I found in the attic, with an easier translation. And there were matching white sweaters under the tree for Zain and me this morning, like they were hinting they approve of us being together. If only they knew the truth.
“What do you get out of this?”
His hands move to my cheeks. “I get you,” he says with bright, sad eyes. “Since the day I met you, I’ve been drawn to you. It’s like magic, these feelings.”
Zain lowers his head to my neck and blows warm air, making my insides bunch. My hands instinctively go to his waist as his nose trails my neck to my ear.
“Magic isn’t real,” I say with a shallow breath.
“But chemical reactions are. And we have great chemistry. You can’t deny it.”
I shiver as he nibbles my ear, and I bring him between my legs. “Kiss me.”
His lips press against my jaw line, making me wait. I clutch his sweater and pull, tilting my head back. His lips meet mine in a swirl of emotion.
I gasp, making room for him to deepen the kiss. One hand moves to my breast and the other my hair. My back presses against the counter, and I wrap my legs around the back of his thighs. I can’t get enough. My hands slide under his sweater to his firm chest.
Being touched has never felt so right.
“Mom,” Addie yells, coming in from the living room, “Zain is eating Brayleigh’s face off.”
Instead of stopping, Zain scoops me off the stool and dips me, kissing me again to spite his sister.
“Knock it off,” Mr. Abner yells over the TV volume.
Right now, the only thing I want off is my clothes, right here in this kitchen.
The doorbell rings, disenchanting us.
Zain lifts me to a standing position and tugs his sister’s hair. “I’ll remember this when you get a boyfriend.”
My body is on fire, tingling from head to toe. I want him so much, and not just to erase bad memories. He’s sexy and sweet and mine.
Snow drifts in as Zain opens the door. Sebastian. Zain tilts his head, signaling him in. I had time to prepare for his visit, but on the heels of a makeout session, I’m not ready.
“Can we go someplace private?” Sebastian says, noticing Addie crossing her arms, waiting for gossip.
Zain closes the door. “You can use my room.”
Zain puts his arm around me and kisses my temple. “I’ll be in the playroom if you need me.”
I elbow him for participating in a pissing contest and marking his territory. He doesn’t need to flaunt me like a grand prize.
Sebastian looks away, jaw clenched.
His nose is black and purple from where Zain punched him, and his eyes are bloodshot. It’s hard to imagine Zain being violent, but Sebastian attacked him before, so Zain must’ve had some pent-up anger.
I’m disappointed in both of them. Fighting isn’t an ideal form of communication.
We go upstairs with Zain and Addie. I sit on Zain’s bed and listen to him chastise Addie for being nosey.
Sebastian closes the door. “I just want to say I’m sorry. If I had any idea that creep was touching you, I would’ve killed him that night. And I never would’ve talked bad about you.”
He gets on his knees and takes my hands. “I knew you and Zain were close, and I thought you were leaving me for him.” He sighs. “Maybe you did because I was a jerk, but it’s okay. If you slept with him or whatever, I get it. I just want you back.”
I shake my head. The other day he unknowingly gave me his blessing to be with Zain, now he wants me back? “Seb, when I broke up with you, I meant it, and that was before you tarnished my reputation.”
He squeezes his eyes shut. “I don’t know what to do here.”
“There’s nothing to do.” I play with his dark hair. I still find him attractive, but the urge to kiss him is gone. “We should’ve just been friends. I’m sorry I used you.”
“Used me?”
I squeeze his shoulders. “I think I always knew you liked me more than I liked you, but I dismissed it because I needed you to take my mind off what was happening to me.”
“Is that why you always wanted sex?”
I nod.
He stands up and paces the room, talking with his hands. “Maybe I was in denial, too. I mean, we don’t have much in common. Not like you and Zain.” He looks at me with uncomfortable eyes. “You never cheated on me?”
“Not physically, unless you count…”
I shiver at the thought.
“No, I’d never count that.”
“Good.” If he did it’d be twisted.
He sits on Zain’s desk chair. “It’s really over.”
“I’m sorry, Sebastian.”
“Me too.” He looks at me, eyes pleading. “You think we could have one last kiss?”
I shake my head rapidly. Out of the question. No way. Why would he want that? I take a deep breath. I had closure weeks ago. He’s just now getting his. “No. I’m—”
“With Zain.”
“Not officially, but yeah. My heart’s with Zain.”
He buries his head in his hands. “I guess that’s good, since he gets you or whatever.”
“He does.”
Sebastian breathes through his nose and gets up. “I should go.”
I meet him by the door and grab his wrist. “We were all friends once. There are cookies downstairs if you want to stay a while.”
“Thanks, but I’m gonna need some time to process.”
“Okay.”
I let go, and Sebastian pulls something from his pocket. “This is why I didn’t buy you a birthday gift. I was saving up for these.”
He holds up two tickets to The Grinch On Ice. “You should go with Zain.”
I smile and hug him. “You know me better than I thought.”
“Better late than never.”
I kiss his cheek and show him out.
Chapter 37
Bray pulls me upstairs and into my room when I get home from an early morning practice the day after Christmas.
“I need your help,” she says, gnawing on her lower lip.
“What is it?”
“I need to get Milo and Izzy away from Percy. I need to talk to Beth. I’ve got to get her to listen and believe me. If I can’t, I don’t have a choice but to go to the police. Please, help me do this.”
I take her hands in mine. “I’m here. What do you need me to do?”
“Your mom seems to like me. Do you get that feeling?”
Smirking, I wrap my arms around her. “Yep.”
“Is she a good listener?”
“The best.”
She pushes away but takes my face in her hands. “How open is she?”
“She’s pretty open.”
She lets go and looks down at my carpeted floor. “I’m ready to tell her my story then.”
I cup her chin and lift her face. “Are you sure?”
She nods and lets out a deep breath that I smother with my lips.
“Mom?”
“In the sunroom,” she says.
We left the twins and Potter upstairs playing Minecraft so we can have adults only in implementing part one of Bray’s plan: get my mother on board.
Mom is curled up on the chaise, reading a book. I pull Bray down next to me on the loveseat.
Bray clears her throat. “Mrs. Abner, you got a sec?”
She puts her book in her lap. “Sure, sweetheart. What can I do for you?”
Bray sucks in her cheeks and looks at me. I squeeze her hand.
“I’m pregnant,” she blurts.
Mom starts coughing and takes a drink to help her recover. “Oh, Zain. I thought you said—”
“It’s not his,” Bray says.
“Does Sebastian know?”
“Yes, but it’s not his either.”
Mom sits up, crosses her arms, and narrows her eyes.
“It’s my foster father’s.”
Bray tells my mom everything, including details she didn’t even tell me. By the end, my mom booted me off the loveseat and has Bray wrapped in her arms.
“You deserve so much more than the life you’ve been dealt. I want to immediately call the cops, but I get it. You’re afraid you won’t see Milo ever again, and you want to get Beth on your side. You think she’s willing to listen?”
“I do. There have been times I’ve seen the unsureness in her eyes. She’s really a great person and was what I’ve always imagined a mother to be.”
Mom nods. “Go talk to her. But if you can’t make any headway, we’ve got to call the police. I’m sorry.”
Bray closes her eyes and nods.
Chapter 38
After this morning’s conversation on what to do, we hop to it and drive to the Schneiders. Out of respect for Beth, I’ll give her one more chance to do the right thing before calling the cops. One way or another, Percy is getting locked up. And depending on what she does next, she might be going with him.
“You ready?” I ask, dialing their number.
Zain takes the phone and presses talk. “Hi, is Percy home?”
He hands it to me, and I listen to Beth call for him.
“Hello.”
The hairs on my arms raise when he answers the phone. I try to keep my voice level and calm. “Meet me at the clinic. They don’t do the abortions here, so you’ll need to drive me to the city.”
“You’ve wised up.”
“I’d rather not carry your evil spawn, and I miss Milo.”
“I’m on my way.”
He hangs up, and we wait a minute for him to leave.
“Let’s go,” Zain says.
I put my arm out, blocking him. “I need you to stay in the car.”
“What?”
“That one piece of information I couldn’t tell you has to do with someone inside, and they’re not going to come clean if you’re there.”
“Did he touch Izzy?”
“Zain, it’s not my truth.”
He nods, and I get out of the car.
“Double check the booster seat,” I tell him. “We don’t have a lot of time.”
I shut the door and make my way to the house. A blind is bent, so I put my finger to my mouth and point to the door.
I run, knowing a five year old might not announce me, but he’ll make noise getting to the door. He opens it. I walk in, and Beth and Izzy start shouting.
I pick Milo up and rip the phone cord from the wall and stuff it into my pocket before sitting on the couch. They both look terrified, but Milo is smiling.
“I asked Santa to bring you,” he says.
“I’m here, bubba.”
I look at Beth and Izzy. “We’re going to talk, then I’m going to leave.”
“The hell you are,” Izzy argues.
Beth shushes her.
“Percy is a creep. I know you don’t want to hear it, but it’s true. He’s been messing with me since I got here. And he’s been touching Izzy, too.”
Beth looks at Izzy.
“She’s a liar,” Izzy says.
“He has manipulated her, and she thinks he’s going to leave you for her.”
“Stop it,” Izzy says. “You’re going to ruin everything.”
“Percy got me pregnant.”
I hand Beth the crumpled image, and she takes it with a trembling hand.
“He thinks he’s on his way to pay for my abortion. He agreed to take me back if I’d have one and let him continue abusing Izzy. He never took me to a psych ward.”
“I got a remote-control truck for Christmas,” Milo says, hoping down from my lap and running to his room.
Unwrap My Heart Page 14