Read Online Night Fury: Second Act by Belle Aurora - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Belle Aurora
Ads: Link
up.”
She helps him stand and walks him over to the mirror. She gently strokes her dainty hands through his newly cut hair and asks, “What do you think? Better?”
Tomas stares at himself for a long while. Just as my heart begins to sink at hi s reaction (or lack of) he turns and places an arm around Ari’s neck. She hides her surprise well, hugging him back in turn. When they pull apart, she leans down into his face, gently taps his nose and whispers, “You’re so welcome.”
A small knock at the door has us all turning.
Xavier watches Tomas with a blank expression on his face. Tomas lowers his face and walks out of the room. Xavier’s brow furrows as he watches his brother walk back to his room without a word spoken.
The tension in the air in tangible. You could cut it with a knife. Ari and I watch Xavier bite the inside of his cheek and drift off far into his mind. He grips the doorframe with both hands and puffs out a breath. “What am I doing wrong?”
He sounds miserable. My heart clenches. I’m not sure what to say so I keep quiet.
Ari, on the other hand, clears her throat. “You know, Xavier, when I was growing up, my father was absent. He had brought trouble to himself. My mother loved him regardless. But he was trouble.” Her accent thickens as she speaks. “He was a good man, but he did some bad things. He eventually was arrested and he died in prison.”
I blink over at Ari.
She’s never spoken about her family before. She never speaks of her past.
Xavier shrugs as if he doesn’t understand why she’s telling him this.
She smiles at him. “No matter how much I loved my father, I always felt he abandoned me. Years of his life wasted away in prison. He could have done better. He should have made sure he did better. He owed it to us to be the best person he could be. But he did not.” Her face turns sympathetic as she delivers a hard blow. “I hated him for that. Perhaps Tomas feels abandoned, non ? How long were you apart?”
Xavier stares down at the floor. “Years. A really long time.”
Ari nods. I do nothing.
It’s as though I’m intruding on a private conversation.
Ari speaks softly, “You can change this, beau . There is still time to fix what has been broken.”
Xavier doesn’t respond. His eyes void. It barely looks as though he’s breathing. Ari walks over to him and places her hands on his shoulders, slowly. Gently. As if trying not to spook a frightened animal. “I would have done anything for my father to have made an effort. That’s all it would’ve taken for me to love him again. To know he was trying.”
Xavier mutters, “I am trying.”
“Good. Then don’t take no for an answer. Show him you won’t be going away again. Never again. That he can rely on you. That you will take care of him.”
When he doesn’t speak again, Ari pulls him over to the chair in the middle of the room. “Sit. You need a haircut.”
He allows her to lead him. As he sits, he looks over at me. I shoot him a small smile. He returns the smile, but his is a tired smile.
It’s then that I ask myself who will take care of Xavier.
Chapter Twelve
One week later…
Arms elbow deep in bread dough, I hear footsteps rush into the kitchen. I lift my head in time to see Tomas coming my way, a smile on his face.
From way behind, I hear someone running. “Tom, stop!”
I chuckle to myself and watch as Tomas tries to hide himself somewhere in the kitchen.
“I’m serious, dude! When I get my hands on you, you’re finished!”
There isn’t much time. I reach behind me and open the door to the pantry. I whisper hiss, “Over here!”
Tomas doesn’t need to be asked twice. He moves into the pantry and I shut the door behind him.
Xavier comes into the kitchen, puffing. “Hey. Have you seen Tomas?”
I shrug but don’t dare look at him. I bite the insides of my cheeks to stop myself from smiling. Xavier doesn’t miss this.
Eyes narrowing on me, he takes a small step forward.
She helps him stand and walks him over to the mirror. She gently strokes her dainty hands through his newly cut hair and asks, “What do you think? Better?”
Tomas stares at himself for a long while. Just as my heart begins to sink at hi s reaction (or lack of) he turns and places an arm around Ari’s neck. She hides her surprise well, hugging him back in turn. When they pull apart, she leans down into his face, gently taps his nose and whispers, “You’re so welcome.”
A small knock at the door has us all turning.
Xavier watches Tomas with a blank expression on his face. Tomas lowers his face and walks out of the room. Xavier’s brow furrows as he watches his brother walk back to his room without a word spoken.
The tension in the air in tangible. You could cut it with a knife. Ari and I watch Xavier bite the inside of his cheek and drift off far into his mind. He grips the doorframe with both hands and puffs out a breath. “What am I doing wrong?”
He sounds miserable. My heart clenches. I’m not sure what to say so I keep quiet.
Ari, on the other hand, clears her throat. “You know, Xavier, when I was growing up, my father was absent. He had brought trouble to himself. My mother loved him regardless. But he was trouble.” Her accent thickens as she speaks. “He was a good man, but he did some bad things. He eventually was arrested and he died in prison.”
I blink over at Ari.
She’s never spoken about her family before. She never speaks of her past.
Xavier shrugs as if he doesn’t understand why she’s telling him this.
She smiles at him. “No matter how much I loved my father, I always felt he abandoned me. Years of his life wasted away in prison. He could have done better. He should have made sure he did better. He owed it to us to be the best person he could be. But he did not.” Her face turns sympathetic as she delivers a hard blow. “I hated him for that. Perhaps Tomas feels abandoned, non ? How long were you apart?”
Xavier stares down at the floor. “Years. A really long time.”
Ari nods. I do nothing.
It’s as though I’m intruding on a private conversation.
Ari speaks softly, “You can change this, beau . There is still time to fix what has been broken.”
Xavier doesn’t respond. His eyes void. It barely looks as though he’s breathing. Ari walks over to him and places her hands on his shoulders, slowly. Gently. As if trying not to spook a frightened animal. “I would have done anything for my father to have made an effort. That’s all it would’ve taken for me to love him again. To know he was trying.”
Xavier mutters, “I am trying.”
“Good. Then don’t take no for an answer. Show him you won’t be going away again. Never again. That he can rely on you. That you will take care of him.”
When he doesn’t speak again, Ari pulls him over to the chair in the middle of the room. “Sit. You need a haircut.”
He allows her to lead him. As he sits, he looks over at me. I shoot him a small smile. He returns the smile, but his is a tired smile.
It’s then that I ask myself who will take care of Xavier.
Chapter Twelve
One week later…
Arms elbow deep in bread dough, I hear footsteps rush into the kitchen. I lift my head in time to see Tomas coming my way, a smile on his face.
From way behind, I hear someone running. “Tom, stop!”
I chuckle to myself and watch as Tomas tries to hide himself somewhere in the kitchen.
“I’m serious, dude! When I get my hands on you, you’re finished!”
There isn’t much time. I reach behind me and open the door to the pantry. I whisper hiss, “Over here!”
Tomas doesn’t need to be asked twice. He moves into the pantry and I shut the door behind him.
Xavier comes into the kitchen, puffing. “Hey. Have you seen Tomas?”
I shrug but don’t dare look at him. I bite the insides of my cheeks to stop myself from smiling. Xavier doesn’t miss this.
Eyes narrowing on me, he takes a small step forward.
Similar Books
