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“I don’t trust you any sonna talk about that”

I sed hard against the lump in my throat

“When you’re ready,” he reiterated “Coet you home so you can eat this while it’s still hot”

We walked the rest of the way hoave enuine

He tra to look around I’d forgotten he’d been here last night when he got my whereabouts from Lauren I unlocked the door and took a peek inside, still scarred fro Lauren and oing to work long ter their own space

The last iven us a chance to talk We were closer than we’d ever been He loved his job at the ht, he’d changed My brother had figured out what he wanted and where he belonged Now if I could just get ether and do the same

Rock music played softly and Nate and Lauren danced in the iven reasy work clothes Lauren didn’t see into his eyes

I cleared my throat to announce our arrival and stepped into the roo smile But then he saw David Blood suffused his face and his eyes changed The temperature in the roorab for hied David

“Shit” Lauren ran after him “No!”

Nate’s fist connected with David’s face The pizza went flying David stu assle,”to wrestle hi He covered his bloody face but oing to fking kill you for hurting her,” Nate roared

David just looked at hied at the floor, my arms wrapped around my brother’s windpipe

“You want hi serious?” Then he looked at Lauren tugging at his ar?”

“This is between them, Nate”

“What? No! You sahat he did to her What she’s been like for the last month”

“You need to calm down She doesn’t want this” Lauren hands patted over his face “Please, babe This isn’t you”

Slowly, Nate pulled back His shoulders dropped back to norave up ood My brother did the raging bull thing scarily well Blood leaked out froers, dripped onto the floor “Crap Corabbed his arm and led hi quietly but profusely I bundled up some toilet paper and handed it to him He stuffed it beneath his bloody nostrils

“Is it broken?”