King of Harts

52

Emory

That was worse than I could have imagined...

I feel everything and nothing all at once and I don't understand it.

Grayson has been the only consistent man in my life. He has always taken pride in being my brother, he's always shown me love and care and everything one could ever want in a sibling. He's the closest to a real father figure I've ever had and I hate that it took this for me to really see that.

The look he just gave me before walking off was one of the worst things I've ever experienced.

My whole life I craved that kind of love from my actual father and where he lacked, Grayson excelled and I'd have taken a hundred more beatings over what just happened.

"Baby" Adrian's soft voice is now in front of me and I slowly lift my head to find him staring down at me, blood dripping from his lips and his eye already swelling.

"Come here" he murmurs and engulfs me in his arms.

I want nothing more than to revel in his touch. I want everything that he is. But I can't.

The guilt and shame and heartbreak drowns me the second I'm embraced by him and it's because this could have been prevented if I had a bit more control. If I hadn't fallen for Adrian the way I did. If I'd just made the sacrifice for my siblings the way they've always done for me. My fathers voice begins to echo in my head again and it makes my mouth dry.

Selfish little shit. Don't you know how much is done for you and you still whine and ask for more?

"Adrian" I whisper and he tilts my head up to meet his gaze. It's determined and unfazed by everything that's just happened.

"Don't" he shakes his head.

"We can't" I tell him and even as it rips my heart to shreds, I mean it.

"Don't start, Emory"

"We can't, Adrian!" I snap and shove him away, my heart in his pocket.

"Mo" Xander suddenly says, his hand touching my arm and I remembered that he was here.

"You have to go" I tell Adrian and he just stares at me, not moving.

"Not until you understand that this changes nothing between us" he says.

"It does. It changes everything. I've just ruined my relationship with my brother, Adrian. I've ruined your relationship! That's 10 years of a friendship down the fucking drain and we can only wonder how long it's going to take before Addie finds out. This is only going to get worse!" I explode and every word guts me.

Adrian storms towards me, his hands gently cupping my cheeks and as hard as I'm trying to push him away, I don't. My heart is very confused with my decisions right now.

His beaten face contrasts his soft eyes and furrowed brows as he forces me to look into those green jewels.

"This changes nothing. Do not let my relationship with your brother dictate what we have, Emory. That has nothing to do with you. What does involve you is us. Just us, baby" there he goes sounding so sure and confident.