Page 14 of Fueled Fury

8

Austin

Shit. Why did I say that? So much for any plan I have which has always been the case with Lainey. Ever since the blue-eyed girl walked into my life, she’s made me do things I never wanted to. She’s made me want to be a better person even as I continuously fail, never deserving to be with her but not being able to stay away. Impossible is the right word, but I won’t back down. I do, however, have a task that isn’t impractical—getting her dickhead stepbrother to stay away from her.

Shuffling down the deck’s stairs, I stop in front of him as he curses under his breath. “Stay away from her.”

“Bitch is psycho.” Matt moves to step around me.

Snatching the collar of his shirt, I pull him forward, bringing his eyes level with mine. We’re nearly the same height, but the coward only bows up to those smaller than him, like Lainey. “I don’t think you heard me. Stay the fuck away from her.”

He lets out a nervous laugh as he looks to the house. “Why do you care? She hates you too.” My fingers tighten against the material of his shirt as he whispers, “I heard everything.”

“I don’t give a fuck. That won’t stop me from snapping your neck if you go anywhere near her.”

“Yeah. Whatever. Chase her all you want. She’s all yours. You can have her. I’m sure the slut’s pussy is worn out from spreading those pretty legs anyway.”

I’m unable to stop my fist as it swings, connecting with his nose as I feel his bone crunch under my knuckles. I should stop. But I can’t. I can never stop when I should. My fist repeatedly smashes into Matt’s face until a strong hold wraps around my arms, hauling me backward.

“Austin,” David yells. Lainey’s stepdad keeps a solid grip on me as I heave out labored breaths, watching Matt spit blood that splatters against the concrete. “Austin, get the hell off my property.” David releases me, forcing me back as he stands between Matt and me. That fucker wipes his hand across his smiling mouth, eyes fixated on me. I go to move forward but David blocks my attempt.

“Now, Austin. Or I’ll call the law.” David throws his hand in the air as he points away from the house. The one Lainey is in. The one that Matt is welcome in.

There’s no way I’ll allow him near her. The psychotic expression on his face tells me he’s got something planned. But he’s a coward. He’ll go after the safer option. Lainey. Yeah, she puts up one hell of a fight, but he has at least fifty pounds on her and is a good foot taller. He doesn’t have the guts to enter a battle he might lose against me, so he’ll pick the one he can surely overpower—but only if he catches her off guard. I have news for him, though: he’ll be losing this matchup no matter which route he takes.

Looking Matt directly in the eye, meaning every single word I tell him, “If you go anywhere near her, I’ll kill you.”

“Go near who?” David asks me then turns to his son. “What did you do, Matt?”

“Nothing,” Matt responds mumbling something I don’t understand because I can’t hear anything except the warning that’s sounding in my head.

David does a once-over of his son before looking over his shoulder to me. “Get out of here and don’t come back.”

Without replying, I turn and walk around the side of the house following the pathway that leads to the driveway. I’ll leave now, but he won’t keep me away for long. No one will. I made the mistake of allowing barriers to come between us before, it won’t happen again.

Getting into my truck, I drive down the winding road, not looking forward to my next stop—my house. It’s a short five-minute drive to the property and takes another five to make it down the twisting driveway of the ranch. As I pull to a stop in front of the house, I spot my dad on the porch, his arms folded across his chest as he looks down at me.

He won’t be going anywhere until he says whatever is on his mind, so I might as well get it over with. As I step up on the porch, he shakes his head as he says, “Back in town for mere minutes and already tormenting the neighbors.”

I don’t say anything as I step past him. There’s no use. He doesn’t want my side of the story. It’s irrelevant whether I was in the wrong or not. Obviously, Jean wasted no time filling my mom in on her version of the story. It’s funny how they’ve never particularly been friends yet manage to unite in keeping me away from Lainey.

Dad follows me into the house, yelling incessantly, and I turn to look at him. His face is twisted in the same look of disgust he always directs my way regardless of what I’ve done or why I did it. “I’m not cleaning up any more messes. Keep your shit in line, Austin.”

“What’s going on?” Mom asks nonchalantly as she enters the foyer, finding my dad and I in a tense stare down.

“Your son is already stirring up trouble all over town.”

“He’s not my son, he’s yours,” my mother retorts.

“You hatched the bastard, Shirley, I just supplied the seed. How the hell was I supposed to know it was defective?” Dad throws his hands in the air.

My biological, birth-assigned parents continue to argue, not about what’s going on, but about who I belong to because neither has ever wanted to claim me as their own.

Why the hell had I come here? I could’ve easily avoided this place altogether, but there’s something here that I need.

“Yeah. That’s all you did, Clyde—the bare minimum, as usual.” My mother turns a pointed look to me. “Why are you here, Austin? We told you to stay at the Sunland house with Eli since you screwed up at FSU.”

“Damn, Shirley. Why do you want to punish Eli?” my dad jokes at my expense.

And my mom doesn’t disappoint, taking another jab. “Better than punishing ourselves.”

“True,” Dad laughs.

Staying here would be more of a punishment for me than them, but in their mind I’m the problem. Never mind that they are piece of shit parents who hate my existence.

Finally having enough of this go-round, I begin to leave the pointless discussion. “I just need to grab something, then I’ll leave.”

“Make it quick,” Dad says as he walks away.

My mom, on the other hand, reiterates, “That’s fine. Get what you need and go back to Sunland. If you get kicked out of this uni you’d better call Waylon because I’ve had enough.”

“Got it.” Trust me. I don’t want to be here and wouldn’t have bothered calling her. It was hard enough to get them to agree for me to live with precious Eli in Sunland. It was worth the effort since Lainey is there too. And thankfully, it’s more appealing to them than me moving back home. The only reason I’m even allowed on the property without being shot is because Uncle Waylon threatened to cut off his brother’s inheritance from Hale Ewing Oil & Gas. I guess the only thing worse than me is having their money cut off for neglecting their son, so I’m tolerated at the very least. Uncle Waylon isn’t warm and fuzzy, but he’s definitely my favorite out of the family. I’ve wondered many times where I’d be if it weren’t for his ultimatum to my father. My guess is I woulda been tossed out as a baby because there’s not a time I ever remember my parents actually wanting me around.

Hurrying up the stairs, I head straight to my closet, grab a duffel bag and fill it with clothes before heading over to my overflowing bookshelf. There’s one in particular that’s more worn and well-read than the rest. I left it here, not wanting the reminder of what’s between the pages, what I feel when I read it. Moving away was supposed to have been a fresh start, but my demons were right there with me.

Grabbing the book, I shove it in the duffel bag, zip it up, and head out of the house. I wish my demons were so easily hidden away. I gladly oblige my parents’ wishes and make my way out of my childhood home. Even more fortunate, I don’t run into either of them on my way out. Frankly, if I never saw them again, it would be too soon.