Page 74 of Hate It with You

“I insisted,” Sienna says before Theo answers. “It’s Beth. I need to be here.” She turns toward me. “Where is she?” The look in her eyes tells me if I give her anything but the truth, I’ll be the next man lying on the ground. I’m glad she’s here because Beth needs her.

“Upstairs,” I say, pointing through the back door so Sienna can make her way up there. I let out a sigh of relief when she begins to head that way, relaxing when I know Beth won’t be sitting upstairs alone.

On her way, Sienna stops in front of Beth’s stepfather, still passed out on the floor. Adding to his already brutally beaten face, she spits on him, all three of us flinching at the sight.

“Piece of shit,” Sienna whispers under her breath.

“Whose car is that?” Roman asks, looking through the window. “Leo would never get a Porsche.” He’s looking outside, voicing the same question I had when I saw the cars pull into the parking lot.

Sienna’s made her way behind me, stopping just short of the backroom door.

“It’s Graham’s.” My brothers and I exchange a series of confused looks. “I thought you guys called him since he and Roman are friends. I’m gonna head upstairs, though, not sure I want to see my boss outside of work hours.”

I catch Theo out of the corner of my eye, give a soft smile and head nod toward Sienna before the light patter of her feet trails off behind me. Theo and I look at Roman with the same question written on our faces, only for him to respond, “I didn’t call him.”

As if on cue, Graham strolls through the door, holding it open for Leo to make his way inside. None of us say a word, staring at the two of them, together, and in tuxes no less. Graham has always been around, but he’s been Roman’s friend more than anything. None of us have ever spent time with the man unless Roman was there too. It’s interesting to see this pairing, to say the least.

Especially given the fact that Graham isn’t exactly a people person.

Leo clears his throat, glancing at Roman before looking back toward Graham. Graham looks at each of us before finally dropping his eyes to the man at Roman’s feet. It brings all of our attention back to the situation at hand.

Roman sighs. “We need to get this cleaned up. The girls don’t need to see any more of this than they already have.”

Graham slips off his suit jacket, walking ever so gracefully to the front counter to fold it and place it down next to me. Rolling up his sleeves, he turns toward Roman. “I’ll grab his legs, you grab his shoulders.”

Roman nods, unnervingly calm with Graham’s words, like the two of them have done this before. I guess there’s bound to be some skeletons in their closet after twenty years of friendship.

“We’ll get the books,” Leo says, pointing at Theo to help him as Roman and Graham begin to grab the man's body. I stand useless and without answers, the shake in my hands amplifying as everyone around me gets to work.

“Okay, everyone stop,” I say, holding firm in my tone. “I need some fucking answers before we just clean this up and act as if nothing happened.”

My brothers and Graham stop in their actions, turning toward me, a mix of understanding and pity washing over their faces. The looks only make my anger worse. I don’t need pity. I need answers.

“Theo, what’s his name? Has he hurt Beth? Sienna had to have told you something,” I start with the biggest question of all.

“His name is Frank.” He turns to the rest of the group. “Her shitty stepfather. Recently out of jail.” He turns back to me. “Yes, he’s hurt her, but Beth is going to have to tell you the rest of the story.” It’s not much, but it’s a start for now. At least I have a name.

I turn my attention toward Leo now, the events of tonight becoming all too overwhelming the longer I’m away from Beth. “Why is Graham here? Why are you two dressed like that? And why were you in the same car?”

Leo opens his mouth to respond, looking at Graham for answers he can’t seem to find with his own words. Graham, as smooth as ever, responds, “We were at a charity gala for my non-profit. Leo attended as a family friend so I could appear more appealing to donors.” He’s hiding something, but I accept his answer anyway, unable to take any more surprises tonight.

Roman stares at Graham, his eyes squinting, indicating he doesn’t believe Graham’s excuse either, but he says nothing. I turn to him last, as I ask him, “What the fuck are we going to do about him, Roman?” My voice cracks when I catch sight of my hands, pointing at Frank still lying on the ground.

An unbearable ache spreads through my knuckles, radiating up my wrists, and fear begins to force its way through my body. The same fear I experienced so strongly as a child. When I look down at my hands, my brain catches up to how bloody my knuckles are, unable to discern what’s mine and what’s Frank's.

Roman’s voice is calm when he takes a small step in my direction. “Graham and I will take care of him. I’ve already sent all the video footage to my phone before I cut the cameras. We’ll make sure he doesn’t see Beth again, alright?”

“She said we can’t kill him,” I say, still unsure of what he has planned.

He lets out a small chuckle at the same time as Graham, the two of them exchanging a glance before Roman turns his gaze back toward me. “No one is going to kill him. Trust us.”

The only person I’m sure hates bullies more than me is Roman, my brother coming to my rescue once again.

Graham and Roman pick Frank up off the floor, Frank letting out a groan as they do. My sigh of relief comes at the confirmation that he’s still alive. Their voices trail off as they carry him outside. My thoughts focus on the sounds of their voices as I stare down at my hands.

“That’s your truck outside, right?” Graham asks.

“Yeah, we’ll put him in the back of the cab,” Roman says. “Since when did you get a Porsche?”