Fight for Love (Forever and Always #5)

by Todd, E. L.

  I turned around, recognizing the voice. “Mike?”

  “Hey,” he said with a smile. He approached me with his hands in his pockets. “How are you holding up?”

  “I—I wasn’t expecting you to be here.”

  “My parents wanted me here. Believe me, I don’t care about the shit Sean got himself into.”

  I stared at him, unsure what to say. He didn’t touch me or pressure me in any way.

  Mike extended his hand to Ryan. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  Ryan didn’t shake it. “Touch my sister and I’ll kill you.”

  Mike smiled. “I can agree to that.” He dropped his hand and looked at Janice. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “The same goes for her,” Ryan threatened.

  Mike sighed. “So this is going to be fun.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest. “I’m sick of your mother.”

  “Don’t let it bother you. She’s been weird lately. I don’t know what her issue is.”

  “I’m not Penelope—that’s the issue.”

  He laughed. “Sean should stop being a pussy and just tell them the truth.”

  “Don’t talk about my fiancé like that,” I snapped.

  “He’s my brother. It’s my job to call him a pussy.”

  “I thought you said he wasn’t a brother to you?”

  He stared at me but ignored my comment. “Are you guys staying here?”

  “Hell no,” I said. “I can’t stand being around your mom for even a second.”

  He laughed. “That makes two of us. You guys are more than welcome to stay in my apartment. It has two bedrooms and a nice couch.”

  “No,” I said quickly, knowing Sean would never allow it.

  Diane came back into the room with Andrew following behind her. “I’m sorry that my son gave you permission to use something that doesn’t even belong to him, but I need that key back.” Her words hit me like a pale of ice water. I never felt so insulted in my life. I was nothing but a pain in the ass to her.

  “Mom, stop acting like a fucking bitch,” Mike said.

  Diane’s eyes widened. “What did you just say to me?”

  “I’m serious. Scarlet is an amazing girl, way out of Sean’s league. It’s like you are trying to chase her away.” He moved beside me, clearly crossing the line, aligning himself with me and Ryan. “Scarlet’s marrying Sean so she’s family. Start treating her like it.”

  Andrew came beside Diane and watched the scene, unsure what was happening.

  Diane glared at Mike. “That was completely disrespectful.”

  “Now you know how it feels.” He stepped away. “They are staying with me so I’ll save you the time of kicking them out.” He grabbed my bag then opened the door. “Come on.”

  I turned around followed him, unsure what was happening. Ryan moved behind me, a huge smile on his face. Janice was grinning just as broadly. Mike slammed the door behind him then we moved toward the elevator. Sean’s parents didn’t pursue us but I heard Andrew’s elevated voice down the hallway.

  Once we were inside, the doors shut and Mike pressed the lobby button.

  “Where should we go?” I asked Ryan.

  “You are staying with me,” Mike said in a stern voice. Sometimes he reminded me of Sean. They had similar features, and Mike’s angry voice sounded almost identical to Sean’s. They had the same blue eyes, the ones that I adored.

  I could imagine the argument I would be having with Sean if I agreed. “No thank you.”

  “I didn’t ask you. I’m telling you.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Sean keeps saying someone is after you and he’s worried about it. The feds won’t look into it because Carl is behind bars and they think my brother is crazy, which he is. You need someone to look after you.”

  I wasn’t buying it. “I know what game you’re playing and it’s not going to work.” I stepped away from him. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  He stared at me, the light in his eyes fading. “Scar, I’m not playing any game. I really am just trying to protect you. There’s no sinister motive on my part.”

  “I’m sure,” I said sarcastically.

  “I know Sean would want me around.”

  “No, he really wouldn’t.”

  “Scar, in light of everything that’s going on, I’m not trying to hurt my brother. I’m not trying to get with you. Please stay with me.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest. “Why would you even want to help me?”

  “Just because I hate my brother doesn’t mean I don’t love you. You are family, Scar. I’m not going to leave you unprotected. And even though I’m still pissed at my brother, I still have his back. I promise I’m not trying to trick you. Please come back to my apartment.”

  I wasn’t sure what to think. I never expected Mike to help me since he despised Sean so much. But he did stand up for me in front of his parents, calling his mom a bitch.

  “Come on,” Mike said. “Ryan is here. You really think I’m going to try something?”

  I turned around and looked at Janice and Ryan. “What do you think?”

  “I think he’s telling the truth,” Ryan said.

  “So we should stay with him?”

  He nodded. “It’ll be nice having a second person since Cortland isn’t here.” He glared at me for a moment before the look passed.

  “I’m glad one of you has some sense,” Mike said.

  The doors opened and we left the building, heading to the street. We took a cab across town until we reached his apartment building. It wasn’t as nice as Diane and Andrew’s but it was still elegant. Mike led us up to the apartment then held the door open.

  “This where all the magic happens,” he said with a wink.

  I rolled my eyes then walked inside.

  It was a big apartment, big for the city. There was a separate kitchen, a living room, a dining alcove, and a hallway that led to the bedrooms.

  Mike looked at Ryan. “You guys can have my bedroom. Scar, you can take the spare. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

  Ryan looked at me, silently asking me if that was okay.

  “Can I sleep with you?” I asked Ryan.

  “Why?” Mike asked. “The sheets are clean. I promise.”

  I shifted my weight, uncomfortable. “I just feel more comfortable having Ryan in the room.”

  He sighed. “You really don’t trust me?”

  “I made a promise to Sean.”

  “And what was that?”

  “Not to be alone with you.”

  His eyes widened then relaxed again. The insult obviously hurt him, made him angry. He had the same look that Sean had when he was wounded. It was easy for me to catch because I had known Sean for so long. “Let’s get something straight,” he snapped. “I only came onto you to piss off Sean. There’s no other reason. That feud is over due to all the shit that’s going on. I love you like a sister and I would never hurt you or make you uncomfortable. I’m sorry about my behavior beforehand. Please stop treating me like a criminal.”

  I sighed. “I still made that promise.”

  “Well, you’ll never be alone with me since Ryan and Janice are here, so you can sleep in the bedroom. If someone does come to the apartment, I’ll be the first line of defense.”

  I said nothing, unsure what to say. I wanted to trust Mike but Sean was in the back of my mind. He was so angry when it came to his brother. They had been through so much together, done so many evil things to one another. Ryan and I were exactly the opposite. I would die for him and he would die for me.

  Mike grew frustrated. “Do whatever you want,” he snapped. He walked into the kitchen and disappeared.

  Ryan looked at me. “They are the weirdest siblings I’ve ever met.”

  Janice burst out laughing. “Yeah okay.”

  “What?” he asked.

  “If anything, they are normal. Siblings aren’t nearly as close as the two of you.”

  Ryan rolled his
eyes. “It’s still really fucked up to sleep with your brother’s girlfriend.”

  I dropped my bag on the floor then moved to the couch. Janice and Ryan followed me. It was hard for me to relax because we were in Mike’s apartment and I replayed the scene with Sean’s parents in my head. If they didn’t hate me then, they definitely hated me now.

  “You guys hungry?” Mike asked.

  “I’m starving,” Janice said as she touched her stomach.

  “I ordered some pizzas. They should be here soon.”

  “Thank you,” Ryan said.

  Mike returned to the kitchen.

  I wasn’t sure what he was doing in there. I decided to investigate. I walked through the door then saw him standing at the island, drinking a beer. When the door shut, it clicked. He looked up at the sound. After he saw me, he returned to drinking his beer.

  “Why are you in here?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “Quiet time.” I could see the tension in his shoulders. He had the same brooding expression that Sean got. They were so similar in their anger.

  I stood across the kitchen and looked at him, but he didn’t meet my gaze. “I’m sorry if I offended you.”

  “It’s fine,” he said quickly. “I know I’m an ass.”

  I opened the refrigerator and grabbed a beer. After I twisted off the cap I took a long drink.

  He smiled at me, his anger diminishing. “I like a woman that can open her own beer and drink it like a man.”

  When I pulled the glass away from my lips it was half empty. “I was just thirsty.”

  He grinned then took another drink. “So why are you in here?”

  “Thank you for standing up for me. That meant a lot to me.”

  “Your fiancé should have done it a long time ago.”

  I sighed. “I’m not sure why he doesn’t.”

  “He’s a pussy, like I already said.”

  “No he isn’t.”

  “He should have told them about Penelope. It’s ridiculous that he continues to protect her while you are pegged as the womanizer. It’s totally selfish and unacceptable.” He stared at me, giving me a hard expression. “You are too hot to put up with that shit.”

  “He just doesn’t want Penelope’s life to be ruined because of it.”

  “That’s her problem. Does he want his parents to dislike you forever?”

  “Andrew likes me,” I said quietly.

  “Well, my dad isn’t an asshole. My mom on the other hand…”

  “She’s a fucking bitch.” I took another drink.

  He laughed. “You should say it to her face.”

  “Maybe I will. She’s been driving me crazy. I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”

  “Sean doesn’t deserve you.”

  “That isn’t true.”

  He snorted. “Yeah it is, honey. We all know it. I’m not sure what he did to get you, but he needs to teach me a few things. Apparently I’m missing something.”

  “He’s the greatest guy I know, besides my brother. I love him with my whole heart. I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else for the rest of my life.”

  “What a lucky bastard. I wish I had someone who loved me like that.”

  “You will.”

  He shrugged. “Everyone knows I’m not the sweetest guy. I’ll die alone.”

  “No you won’t.”

  “Is Ryan pretty serious about Janice?”

  I glared at him.

  He smiled. “I’m just messing with you.”

  “I’m not going to tell my brother you said that. If I did, he would unleash an unstoppable blood rage.”

  “Well, thanks for that.”

  I finished my beer then placed it on the counter. We looked at each other for a long time, neither one of us saying anything.

  Finally, Mike cleared his throat. “I’m really sorry about what happened at the house. It won’t happen again. I love you like my own family and I’m sorry if I scared you or made you uncomfortable. I don’t want to keep fighting with my brother.”

  “Thank you for the apology.”

  “I really want to be close to you again—as your brother.”

  “Why are so different?”

  He shrugged. “My relationship with Sean will never be the same. We’ve both cut each other so deep. But I want to keep you in my life. You are going to be my sister soon.”

  I knew there was something more to this from the look in his eyes. Maybe he was just emotional because he was buzzed, but I knew there was something more to his words. “You can get back what you lost. I know Sean would be willing to try.”

  “No he won’t,” he said quickly.

  “He’s going to ask you to be his best man.”

  “Because of our parents.”

  “No. He said he wanted to honor the relationship that you once had. After all of this is over, you two can work it out. I know you can.”

  He set his empty bottle on the counter then leaned against the refrigerator, his arms crossed over his chest. His wide shoulders were thicker than Sean’s and he was more burly but somewhat shorter. “No.”

  “No?”

  “No.”

  “How will you know unless you try?”

  “Believe me. Sean won’t want anything to do with me when he finds out what I did.”

  My heart pumped in my chest, sending the adrenaline through my body. It was difficult for Mike to hide anything from me because he shared so many features with Sean. I knew when either one of them was truly troubled. “What did you do?” I asked with a shaky voice.

  He didn’t meet my gaze.

  “Mike?”

  “Now isn’t the best time.”

  I felt the protective side of me emerge, rampant. “Tell me.”

  “I can’t. Not right now.”

  I marched over to him and grabbed him by the front of his chest, pushing him into the refrigerator. It was a feeble attempt of intimidation since he was over a hundred pounds heavier than me. He didn’t look frightened at all. His eyes shown with indifference. “You will tell me.”

  He grabbed my hand and gently pulled it down. “Yes. But I can’t right now.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s just not the right time.”

  “When will it ever be the right time?”

  “I’ll know.”

  9

  “What do you think he did?” Janice asked.

  I lay on the floor, curled up in a sleeping bag. I wanted to sleep on a bed tonight because my back hurt from sleeping on Ryan’s floor, but I just felt uncomfortable being away from Ryan with Mike in the house. Ryan didn’t seem to feel threatened by him, but I still felt like I should do this because of Sean. It would give him peace of mind. I really didn’t think Mike had any intention of trying to seduce me to get back at Sean, but knowing he did something unforgivable to Sean made me feel uneasy again. “I don’t know.”

  Ryan turned over in bed and the coils squeaked. “Do you think he’s the one that rated him out to Carl?”

  I felt my heart drop and I sat up. “You think?”

  “It’s just a guess,” he whispered.

  “That would be so low. Mike can be an asshole but even that is going too far for him.”

  Janice spoke again. “Then what could it be?”

  “I—I don’t know,” I said in a frightened voice. “I hate how much his family has fallen apart.”

  “Why wouldn’t he tell you?” Ryan asked. “That’s more of a cause for alarm.”

  “I don’t know. But he said he would eventually.”

  “Like on his death bed?” Ryan asked.

  I lay down again. “I hope not.”

  “Maybe he’s trying to make up for being such an asshole. He did stand up for you to his parents, let you stay here, and he apologized to you,” Ryan said.

  “Or he feels guilty,” Janice said.

  “I think that’s more likely,” I said.

  We fell silent, all of us thinking about the same thing. When
I heard steady breathing coming from Ryan, I knew he fell asleep. Janice tossed and turned for a little bit before she finally lied still. He fell asleep shortly afterward.

  I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t even close my eyes. There were so many things running through my mind. I missed Sean and hoped he was doing well. I wanted him to call me again but I didn’t know how often he had access to a phone. I missed seeing him so much that I considered just going to the police station, but I knew Sean wouldn’t want that. It was better if I stayed off anyone’s radar. Then, I thought about Diane, that annoying bitch. All I wanted was to be accepted. She didn’t have to love me, but I wish that my relationship to Sean was respected. I felt like a complete pain in the ass to her. She didn’t even acknowledge my brother when she saw us. I felt like we were bums bugging her for change. When I thought about Mike I felt confused. He seemed to be emotionally wrecked, like guilt, pain, and anger were all mixed inside him. When I finally stopped thinking about all these things, I would hear a noise in the apartment and I felt my heart race again. I really hoped that Carl hadn’t sent someone after me and Janice. That fear was constantly hanging over my head.

  Unable to sleep, I left the bedroom and walked into the kitchen, looking for some hard alcohol to help me sleep. Even some weed would be appreciated it. It would help me relax and allow me to fall unconscious.

  Mike was sitting on the couch, his laptop on the table before him. It was late so I was surprised he was still awake. He didn’t look at me when I walked in. “Hungry?”

  I crossed my arms over my chest and kept going. “Thirsty.”

  He grabbed a bottle of vodka and held it up. “Me too.”

  I walked over to him and grabbed it. “You drink it straight?”

  “When I can’t sleep.”

  “Well, you are still awake so it must not work.”

  “I haven’t drunk it yet, smartass.”

  I sat on the couch, at the edge opposite of him, and took a drink. It was smooth but it still made me grimace as it burned my tongue and throat. I set it back down and continued to swallow my saliva so I could clear the taste.

  “Tastes good, huh?”

  I shook my head then coughed. “That was strong.”

  “You need a higher tolerance for it.” He was still on his computer, scrolling through a webpage.