Trembling With the Strings

“I think she’s mad at me,” I told Darius as I wrapped a towel around me. I grimaced as I saw how short it was.

“Why’s that?” he asked, not sounding the least bit interested as he wrapped his towel dangerously low around his waist.

“She glared at me when we went upstairs... And she didn’t seem too happy about the engagement. I think she likes you.”

He smirked. “Is someone a little jealous?”

“What? No. I don’t have a reason to be jealous. I just think—”

He cut me off. “Oh, calm down. I think it’s cute that you’re jealous.” He walked into the bedroom, pulling on a pair of boxers and jeans.

“Is everything a joke to you?” I asked him, placing my hands on my hips as I glared up at him. He laughed, throwing on a shirt at random.

“It’s not that serious. I think I can protect myself from a hormonal teenager,” he told me, rolling his eyes. “Honestly, you give me too little credit.”

“She’s older than me, Darius,” I reminded him, walking into the closet and pulling on a tank top and some shorts. I came back out, drying off my hair. “I think Yvette is out to get me, too.” He looked over at me as if he was tired of this game I was playing. I sighed. “Just forget it.”

I was done basking in his glory, so I placed my towel in the bathroom and opened the door.

“Don’t walk away from me,” he told me. I turned around to see him glaring at me. “We were talking.”

“No, I was talking. You were being a child!” He scowled. “Just go bother someone else.”

I probably got to the stairs before he grabbed my arm, jerking me around. And I slapped him.

I hadn’t been thinking. My hand just kind of acted on its own! I stared at him through wide eyes as he let go of my arm to touch his cheek. I could clearly see a perfect handprint. I would have loved to say that he deserved it, but I don’t think that mattered to him.

“Darius, I’m sorry,” I told him quickly, backing away.

“Gracie.” That was all he said.

I took off running and screaming like a lunatic as I darted down the steps. I heard him calling my name—in the angriest tone I’d ever heard!—but I was not turning around! I ran into the kitchen, ignoring the questioning glances from Kate and Yvette. Darius was there suddenly, right on the other side of the counter.

“I’m giving you five seconds to get over here,” he told me, his cheek still red. His fists were slammed onto the countertop, the veins showing in his arms.

I shook my head furiously. “I didn’t mean to do that!”

“What happened?” Yvette asked. I thanked her when Darius turned to glare at her.

“Mind your own business!”

While he was screaming at her, I ran away again. I heard him cursing, loudly, but I just ran up the steps, darting into Dante’s room. He looked confused as I ducked under his bed.

“Where is she?” Darius demanded, throwing the door to the wall. I bit back a gasp when his feet were right in front of the bed.

“What’s going on?” Dante asked, sounding a little confused. I saw his feet go to the floor as he stood up.

“She smacked me!” he hissed, stepping closer to the bed. I prayed silently.

Sometimes the universe just has it out for you. I screamed when the bed was tossed off of me, slamming into the wall. I probably looked like an idiot as I was lying on the floor, but all I cared about was figuring out how to not die! He grabbed my wrist, jerking me up.

“Darius, what’s going on?” Dante asked, putting a hand gently on his shoulder. He shrugged him off, grabbing my shoulders and pushing me out the door. “Darius!”

Darius turned around to look at him, his face twisted up. “What, little brother?”

“I don’t want you hurting the kid,” he told him, glaring back at Darius.

“Just because she got knocked up doesn’t mean she gets to waltz around like she owns the place.”

“You’re the one who knocked me up!” I told him, jerking myself out of his grasp. Wow, I have a death wish!

“Maybe you should go calm down. I’m sure she didn’t mean to piss you off.” Dante grabbed my hand, pulling me back into his room. “Just think clearly for once.”

Darius opened his mouth to argue, but closed it. He sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Give her back.”

“Are you going to freak out?” Dante asked, stepping in front of me.

“No, I’m not,” he told him through clenched teeth, holding out a hand. “Just give Gracie back. She’s mine. I had plans for today, and they can’t be canceled even if I want to put her in a graveyard.”

I winced, wanting to cry when Dante pushed me over to him.

“Don’t be a baby,” he told me, pushing me into the hall and down the steps. “Look, we have some shopping to do.”

“I smack you, so I get presents?” I asked, not believing this. That creepy smile was on his face.

“Oh, no. Trust me, after you have that kid I’m going to repay you in full. But we need to go get your dress before you get too horribly fat.”

“Oh boy,” I muttered, letting him push me outside. I waited in the car, and I was a little more than surprised when Demetrius walked outside with him.

“What?” he asked, obviously seeing me staring at him.

“Why is my little brother coming?”

“So I don’t get tempted to murder you,” he grumbled, shoving the keys into the ignition.