Chapter 34: Grace's Venom

“That’s not true.” A sudden masculine voice took me by surprise. As soon as I left the kitchen. It was as if Julian was waiting for me.

A gasp escaped me when I was startled. My shock was instantly drowned by embarrassment and I snapped at my stepbrother. “Goddamn it, Julian, you can’t take a fuckin’ hint when I tell you to stop sneaking up on me, can ya??”

“I mean it.” Julian basically ignored my complaint as he stepped closer to me. “I can tell that she loves you more than anything else. Even more than my father.” I could hear the genuineness within Julian’s voice again. I could feel the blush fueled by embarrassment threatening to creep up on my cheeks. I already knew all of that without him having to say it but being reassured out loud was cringe-worthy.

“Fuck off, Julian, will ya? Stop butting in my business!” I snapped at him as usual. It felt like I would bark at him at least twenty times a day and it was getting old.

What did I see in this guy again?

Julian stepped forward and placed his big hand on my arm. I confirmed that he has completely become immune to my aggressive lashes. “How about we go do something while we wait for dinner to be done?”

“What?” Came my immediate response. Part of me wanted to ask what part of his brain had the audacity to ask me to do something with him after everything that’s happened between us. But, curiosity still kills the cat inside me every day. I should still have one out of nine lives left, right? After a second of thought, I spoke up again. “...What did you have in mind?”

That familiar, charming grin returned to his lips. “How about we go see a movie? I have yet to take you there.”

Shamefully, his invitation intrigued me. I had never been to the movies before and I had always wondered what it was like. I tried to avoid eye contact in an attempt to hide the fact that I was interested in his offer. “...Maybe. Did you have a movie in mind?”

His grin widened. It doesn’t matter how much I tried to hide it, my words told him that he had caught fish on his tempting bait. “There’s a new horror movie that just came out. Something tells me you’re into the genre. How about we go see it, sound good?”

Ahh the good ole scary movie trick, eh? You expect me to squeal like a schoolgirl and hop in your lap?

“I don’t scare easily. And I’m not gonna hold you if you turn into a squeaky mouse looking for a shitty hole.” I spoke my thoughts out loud.

“I know. That’s why I suggested it. Here, let me go grab my car keys. I’ll be right back.” Julian’s steps were rushed as if he was trying to restrain himself from jogging. It was pretty obvious that this made him excited, he had the same goddamn twinkle in his eyes that Gabriel would get when he becomes really, really, really happy over the stupidest reasons.

I heaved a sigh. I couldn’t think of anything else to pass the time anyway. I could always call up my boys but after my shenanigans and face were posted in the newspapers I can’t help but feel reluctant since it pissed off my mother. Not to mention that they and Amy would want to see Julian. Yet again, Jack is always excited to see me more than anything else.

Fucking Julian…

“Hey, sis.” Comes in an annoying, far too feminine voice that instantly snapped my thoughts off of my stepbrother. Of all things, his twin sister, or I should say my stepsister, reached me before Julian got back.

I crossed my arms while glaring at her. “Well if it ain’t Captain Barbie. Where are your glass dolls at? Did I break them already?”

Grace gave me one of those fake, pretty girl smiles with a little flip of her hair. She reminded me of those high school, popular bullies who picked on nerds in cheesy movies. “They’re doing just fine, actually. Thanks for asking about their wellbeing. In fact, we were all hoping to go for another swim together without my nosey brother.”

I gave her a mean smirk as she continued to act like a genuine sister wanting to hang out but in reality, they were threats.

I can play the game.

“Sure. I can show y'all how to go scuba diving.” I say with a mocking tone.

Grace frowned at this. That was a deadly threat. “No thanks. They already know how anyway.”

“Bummer.”

Grace ignored my sarcasm and walked over to me with slow strides, her hips swung with each step. “Speaking of my, oops— I mean OUR brother, I heard that you’re both going to the movies?”

A bitter frown crossed my lips as my glare darkened. I didn’t find this humorous anymore. And I knew that Julian was smart enough to not blab to his snotty-nose sister about what we were planning to do. “You fuckin’ eavesdropping on us?”

Grace gave a shrug with an innocent look on her face. “I just happened to be passing by and overheard by accident.” Her innocence showed her true colors when she smiled again. She reminded me of a snake with words that leaked venom. “You’re both going out on a date in broad daylight? Typical for a couple of idiots.”

“A couple of idiots?! And how the fuck are we idiots??” I snapped at her with my temper starting to tick like a cloak on a bomb.

Grace’s smile widened. “Because you’re a mutt who knows you’re in the wrong house and won’t just get lost! And Julian? That psycho was stupid when he was a kid and he’ll die stupid too. Hah! I wouldn’t doubt it if his stupidity is the death of him!”

“You fucking piece of SHIT!” I roared as my temper turned into rage. I gripped the woman by the collar of her shirt and shoved her up against the wall with a loud slam hard enough to hit the back of her head and knock the breath out of her.

How could someone say fucked up things like that about their own sibling?!

I may be an only child but the closest person I have that feels like a sibling would be Amy. We weren’t even blood and I treasured her. I couldn’t understand why Grace would trash-talk her own twin behind his back even though someday all they’ll have is each other. And despite what she said about me, for some reason when she talked bad about Julian, it lit a fire inside me that I’ve been trying to hold back since the day I got here.

Grace flinched and closed her eyes tightly when I raised my fist, aiming it right at her nose but before I could swing, a strong hand grabbed me by the wrist and yanked me away from Grace.

“What’re you doing?!” Julian yelled at me. Of all people, I was happier having him stop me instead of my mom or Gabriel.

“Your shit-sister was talking bullshit behind your back!” I barked then shot another fierce glare at Grace. “This isn’t the first time this bitch trash-talked you either!”

Julian looked at Grace with a look in his eyes that wasn’t a glare but it was still negative. “Grace, we’ve talked about this.”

“She was about to knock my teeth out, Julian!” Grace yelled at her twin while pointing at me. “You’re seriously still going to take her side?!”

Julian’s blue eyes that matched hers had just narrowed with a warning. “You’re doing it again. I already told you once to leave her alone.”

I looked back and forth between the arguing twins as Julian began to grow serious and Grace began to show how relentless her ire was. Eventually, Grace gave Julian that venomous smile. “Unbelievable. Fine. Have fun with her then.” Her smile flipped into a scowl as soon as her blue eyes met my green gaze. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She growled and then shoved past me.

My fists shake in rage. “That fucking skank…!”

Julian then turned to me. “Grace is a very manipulative person. She was trying to bait you into hitting her just so that you’d get in trouble and embarrass your mother.”

I flinched as that realization hit me. It was so obvious, I should’ve seen it a mile away but I was blinded by my anger. My shameful embarrassment was comforted when Julian wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his chest again.

“It’s alright, Beautiful. I’m not mad at you.” He said warmly.

There he goes again…

After what had just happened, I decided to let it slide just this once. My laxness was expelled by his kiss.