Chapter 10

Charlotte

“Dalton!” I called after him, as I got out of the car. “Dalton, will you wait a dang minute!”

        He wasn't listening to me. He just took quick, angry strides towards his house, his nostrils fuming from anger. I don't know what went down here when I was away, but now, with the stunt these brothers pulled in front of me, I had to know why they were acting like barbarians.

         “Dalton Tyler Parkerson!” I used his used full name, knowing he doesn't like it when I call him that.

         I guess I got a reaction from him in less than four seconds.

         He spun on his feet, strode towards me with eyes raging like wildfire, and growled. “What?!

        Unfazed by his anger, I let my own stand up to his, matching his level. “What's the matter with you?” I asked, my voice coming out like a growl. I pushed his chest as hard as I could, though my strength didn't do a thing to his strong build. “Why did you punch your brother like that?”

        This got him even madder. “You want to know why?” he asked menacingly. I know I should tread lightly. Dalton rarely gets mad, and when he does, it's not good, but I didn't care. I was blinded by my rage with the recent situation.

           I nodded. “Yeah, why did you do it? You're brothers for crying out loud!”

         He laughed cynically. “Brothers? Terry and I? “ he asked incredulously. “You have no idea what you are talking about, Charlie. You weren't here for the last four years. You weren't here when he said hurtful things to mom and dad. You weren't here when he gave me a lot of grief. You weren't here when he became a criminal!” At the last part, he said it with so much distaste, I could punch him for it.

        “Don't,” I said through gritted teeth, “say it like you're brother is the most disgusting person in the world.”

        He smirked, crossing his arms over his chest, his muscles bunching up.

        “Because he is.”

        I was appalled beyond belief. How could this person be my best friend, to say something so callously like that to his brother? Just because Terry had done something bad, that didn't mean he wasn't worth saving. Family is family, no matter what happens. If the situation were reversed, I would have done anything for my baby sister, even though she's a selfish brat.

       In fact, I already did.

       By letting Dalton go.

       But that was not the case right now.

       This is not the Dalton that I know.

       All my anger had dissipated, and I felt utmost disappointment with the person in front of me. Time has changed people. I did, and who's to say he didn't as well.

        I sighed. “You know what, never mind I said anything.” With that, I spun on my heel, and headed towards my house.

*  *  *

Dalton

I couldn't get Charlie's look of disappointment out of my mind. It stayed stuck in my head, eating away my insides like a corpse being ravaged by worms. She could have looked at me angrily, sadly, or whatever. Anything! Just not disappointed...

          Because of my big mouth, I just had to say something that I didn't mean. I sighed. I really screwed up even more this time.

          Can you really blame me? I was so angry that I couldn't hold it in. Terry has been giving our family trouble, and I was this close to hating him.

          Hate.

          It's such a strong word, that one could feel such emotion, you'd end up bitter, vindictive and worst...

          Vengeful.

          But, I couldn't feel like that towards my brother. I could never hate him, no matter how many times he hurt our family.

          I just wanted to understand him. That's all I wanted.

          But he wouldn't let us in.

          At this point, I don't know which one failed who... us, the family, or him.

         When I thought about the words he said to me at the parking lot, I couldn't help but be bothered. What did he mean about giving up too soon? For not fighting for her, when what I want, or even need all along was right in front of me...?

          God, my brother was speaking in riddles.'Way too confused me, Terry' I thought dryly.

          I heard my bedroom door open, and then closed. I was lying in my bed, with my eyes closed as I heard light footsteps padded on my carpet floor.

            “Dalton?” a soft, familiar voice asked. “Are you okay? I heard what happened.”

         Hearing her voice always takes the tension and stress away. She has that effect on me, and right now, I need all I could get to take it all away.

         I needed Caroline to take it all away.

         I smiled, and then opened my eyes to see Caroline standing at the side of my bed. Concern encompassed her beautiful face. “I'm all better now that you're here. Now come here,” I said, while opening my arms wide for her.

        She smiled, and fell into my arms without hesitation. I felt her body flushed against me, as she snuggled into my chest. Just like that, all that tension melted away with just her touch.

        Just like magic.

       We stayed like that for half an hour, me stroking her hair, while she caressed my chest. I knew Caroline wanted to say something with the way she sighs every ten minutes. I guess I should put her out of her misery.

         “I know you're dying to say something,” I told her. “Now spit it out.”

       She giggled. “How did you know?” she asked, looking up at me.

       I chuckled, staring at her blue orbs. “Because you've been sighing for the last ten minutes, and it's bugging the hell out of me.”

       She sighed. There she goes again. “I think I should go to Terry and talk to him... try to knock some sense into him.”

       Say what? She wants to talk to Terry? Oh, no, no, no. There is no way I would let her near that hot tempered brute!

       Caroline could see that I was going to disagree with her so, she sat right up, held up her hand, palms facing forward. “Just hear me out, okay?”

        I sat right up too, ready to argue about this stupid idea of hers. “It's hopeless, okay? We tried so many times, and look where it got us.”

        She glared. “We are getting married, and I want everybody to be there, even your brother. He's family too, you know.”

           “Why are you so adamant about this, huh?” I asked, suspicious all of a sudden. She's been like this ever since we got engaged, and had been persistent in fixing our family issues. “Why are you so keen in talking to Terry out of this, and what? Be a happy family again?”

         She hesitated, and that is not a good thing. She opened her mouth, and then closed, like a fish out of water trying to say something, anything at all. In a matter of a minute flat, she gave up with a sigh. “Maybe you're right,” she mumbled.

         That's it? She gave up just like that?

         “What happened to knocking some sense into my brother?” I asked, my eyebrows quirking up.

         All of sudden, that kind of smirk showed its way onto her lips. Uh-oh. “You want to know what I really want to do right now?”

            “What?” I asked wearily.

          In a flash, she straddled me, catching me off guard. She purred into my ears with the words that sent shivers all throughout my body. Hot damn. “I want to ravage you all over 'till you can't walk properly when you wake up tomorrow.”

          She wasn't kidding when she said that. She knew how to work that body of hers. She knew how to please a man, their every desire, and fantasies.

            Her body was built for it.

        She raked her fingernails on my bare chest, and I hissed, loving the feel of it. “Oh, yeah?” I asked, challenging her. “Are you sure you can deliver?”

          She smirked. “Never question me again, boy.”

          I never again question her skills.

          It's going to be a long night for the both of us.