Sinful Pleasure | 18+

Chapter 38 - Axel

He shrugs on his leather jacket and then stares at himself in the mirror to his left, slicking his hair back with his hands. "I'm going to the carnival with Adelina, she's-"

"She's using you," I cut him off, smiling. "Well, for your dick, anyway."

"So am I, for her tight slick pussy. It's a win-win, Hermano," he says, taking the cigarette with his thumb and index finger to talk better. "Oh, before I go. Did you wanna get tattoos tomorrow?"

Furrowing my brows, I shake my head and continue upstairs. Get more tattoos but I can't smoke. "You have enough as it is and Julio will kill you for getting more." Waiting for a response, I hear the door slam instead but I don't bother turning back, and I huff, reaching the top.

Swallowing, I hear a crash coming from my parents' room; like a bunch of shit was thrown across the floor. I curse under my breath and race to my left, rounding the corner as fast as possible. Mumbles come from behind the closed door but I can't make out what they are saying, and before I can walk closer the door swings open-revealing my mom.

A lump grows thick in my throat and I can't even force myself to swallow again because I know how much it will hurt. I see Roman behind her, sitting on the edge of the bed, head bowed.

She walks toward me, a gentle smile on her young face, and I clench my jaw. I don't want to look at her for too long because if I do then I'll see the monster my brother does, but I have to. For some reason, I can't force myself not to.

"Mamá, what happened-"

"Nada mi chico guapo." She cuts me off with a whisper and puts her arms out to reach me. Pulling me forward, I stand an inch away from her, and she brushes away the strands of hair sticking to my forehead. "Ve a tu habitación, Killian te está esperando," she tells me, cupping my cheek with one hand before walking past me.
(Nothing my handsome boy. Go to your room, Killian is waiting for you.)

I watch over my shoulder and wait until she makes her way around the corner and then I turn back to my brother, seeing him glare behind me. Licking my lips, I shift my eyes down and see a pocket knife hanging from his hand, blood on the blade.

I stand still, not sure if I should open my mouth and see if everything is alright. I don't want to pry and make him feel worse than he already is, but then I want to know if he's okay because I can't see him hurt.

"Ro, did she-" I stop and shake my head. No, you can't ask that. You can't trigger your brother. "You're bleeding," I say instead.

Beats pass and I still stand where I am, waiting patiently for my brother to tell me everything is fine even when I know it isn't. But he doesn't move nor glance at me and I'm too afraid to speak up again because I don't want him to get angry. Eventually, his eyes move to mine but they no longer hold emotion; they aren't mad, they aren't mean-they are blank.

He sniffles and brushes a finger beneath his nose, slowly rising off the bed. "I'll survive." He merely whispers, taking slow strides toward me. He then stops, flipping the knife into place and stuffing it into his shorts. "I've done it before."

Shoving past me, he groans, and I whirl around and follow him. He can't keep letting her hurt him. I won't let him. "We should do something about her, Roman." Reaching the hallway leading to my room, I stop, and he continues his march down to his room. "You can't keep living like this." I almost shout, and he doesn't waste time turning back-scurrying toward me.