Page 46 of Vicious Titan

“‘His true self’ would lock me in the darkest, smallest space he could find for hours until he’d let me out when he was ready to beat me to a pulp. Is that what you wanted to know? Are those the details you wanted me to tell you? That he only kicked harder when I fought back? That I was too scared not to fight back because I thought he was going to kill me?”

Bile rises in my throat as I think of the trauma Asher has endured, and that’s just the few seconds he’s told me about. It had gone on for years. “I’m so sorry.”

“If he gets out, it will be on you,” Asher says.

“He’s not getting out,” Mom says, but her strangled voice is unconvincing. “Now just don’t go back there, Victoria. The lawyer has a hard enough job without you intervening like you always do.”

“Why didn’t you? You knew what was happening to my brother. Why didn’t you intervene?”

Asher goes rigid, and my guess is it’s because he has the same question. How can he forgive her since she allowed it to happen?

My mother’s hand presses against her chest. “I should have, but I was scared. I thought he was going to kill me.”

“So, you sacrificed your son to save yourself?”

“No, no. There was no stopping him. Nothing is ever going to stop him. Even in prison, he’ll find a way to make us suffer.”

“No. He won’t.” Asher looks to our mom before looking to me. “I took the hits; I took the beatings, so I get to decide who should feel guilty for it, and the only person responsible is Victor Hastings. Remember that next time you want to go have a heart-to-heart with him.”

Asher leaves the room and my mom follows behind him.

“Why did you go?” Elliot asks as I turn to him.

I have no answers other than what I’d told Asher. “I just wanted to know why.”

“You shouldn’t have gone.”

“I know.”

“It was stupid.”

“I know! I don’t need to be told over and over again. I know! I’m stupid. I’m clueless. I’m naïve. I’m a fucking idiot. I. Get. It.”

Hurrying away, I escape into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. I don’t cry. I don’t have anything left inside. Numbness has replaced the sadness, the anger, all of it. I know I made a mistake. It’s bad enough without being reminded every five seconds. I remain in the bathroom until I’m sure Elliot is gone, or at least I hope he is because I don’t want to talk to him. I need to talk to Asher though.

Fortunately, my room is empty when I hurry out. Walking down the hall, I stop in front of my brother’s door, knocking before pushing it open.

He sitting on the edge of his bed, his elbows on his knees.

“I’m sorry,” I say, perching next to him. “I don’t know what else to say, but I know that if Dad drives a wedge between us now, it’ll never go away. And I don’t want that to happen. You’re my brother. You protected me. Please don’t shut me out now.”

“I’m scared,” he whispers. It’s something I’ve never heard him admit. “I’m scared if he gets out, I’ll put a bullet through his head because I can’t let him hurt anyone else. I won’t let him ever put his hands on Mom again. Yes, it bothers me that she didn’t stop him. But Nathan did, at least for a while. And I’m ashamed that Elliot had to stop me from reaching you tonight. I would like to think that I wouldn’t have laid a hand on you, but I was so angry, I couldn’t think straight. Just like him.”

“You’re not him.”

“No, and I don’t want to be. I’m sorry.” He looks towards the door then back to me. “Please tell Elliot I’m grateful he would defend you, keep someone from hurting you, even me.”

There’s still a tension between the two of them, one I hope fades soon. “You tell him yourself.”

“He listens to you. He doesn’t listen to me.”

“He doesn’t listen to anyone.”

“True.”

“Olivia showed up at the house this morning.”

“I didn’t realize she’d been released.”

“Neither did he until she showed up. Maybe he could use a best friend to chat with.”

“Maybe we all could. Let’s go.”

“No. I really think you should go without me.”

Asher nods, standing from his bed. Then he pulls me to standing and into a hug. “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

He releases me, making his way out of his bedroom and I head to my room. Hopefully the two of them can work out their bromance because I don’t want the tension between them anymore. Both need their best friend, even if they are too stubborn to admit it.