The Brothers' Desire [Complete First Draft-Unedited]

Chapter One (First draft-Unedited)

Amaris

Tonight was it.

I finally completed my bachelors. Four long years of hard work and now it has paid off! Two years in, and I got my RN license. Two final years, and now I can add BSN behind my RN title with my signature.

To say I have never felt as accomplished as I did tonight, would be an understatement; despite the fact that I have absolutely no family in the crowd to support me.

But I do have the support of my friends and some coworkers.

And by friends, I'm talking about the friends I've made over the last four years. Not the ones I miss terribly back home.

I actually haven't seen my parents, older brother, or my childhood friends since the day I left for college; which was only two months following high school graduation.

My family seemed overly eager for me to leave and go live on the other side of the country. I honestly thought they would get angry at my choice of college because of its location, but they were ecstatic.

My friends weren't happy, but they supported my choice and promised to keep in touch.

But something was always interfering and all this time, it's just been fleeting conversations via text mostly.

My parents didn't allow me to return home during breaks or holiday closings. I was never offered a valid reason for it, just told 'now isn't a good time' or 'we are sorry but we can't explain' and the list of excuses could go on and on.

I stopped trying after a while. I no longer bother calling them anymore either. I haven't in at least two years. Once in a while, a text message exchange occurs. But even then, I feel like I'm communicating with strangers.

Sometimes I'm not sure if I consider it luck if I get a response, or just feel it is a reassurance that they are at least alive and healthy.

My parents didn't acknowledge it when I text them last year, informing them that I was getting married, and I guarantee they didn't tell my brother. So I didn't bother to tell them that I separated from my husband less than a month ago... well, more like escaped...

A little bit of advice for everyone- make sure you truly know your partner before you settle in with them. I know that is basically a 'duh' type of thing, but sometimes people are really good at hiding all of their evilness.

Devin was a completely different person once he had me legally bound to him and under his roof. The charming man that swept me off my feet disappeared quickly and the abuse began.

I tried to deny it all. Made up excuses for his anger and rage. Stocked up on full coverage make and even tried to alter my own behavior hoping I wouldn't trigger him.

But it didn't matter. He ditched the façade as soon as I said 'I Do' and there wasn't a damn thing I could do to avoid the man he finally showed me.

Except leave.

Which reminds me. I need to look for a divorce lawyer.

And back to the point about my estranged family....

My pending departure for college wasn't when things at home had started getting weird. It began about a month before I graduated from high school. Right after my senior spring break.

Suddenly, my parents and brother became distant and so secretive. Family photos were all taken down along with any photo that was of me only. Luca's remained up. When I asked about it, I was dismissed. When I threw a fit, I was screamed at, told to mind my own business, then dismissed. How was it not my business?