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. Tex had remained scary calm the entire time, and I nowunderstood why.His calculating calm had formulated a plan whileDallas and Austin were letting their anger and betrayal drive them. This is my fight, I said, gripping the bat tightly. This one isn t.Emma s been our sister for twenty years, she sbeen your girl for twenty seconds, Tex argued in his scary calmvoice. Patrick, Emma called out, her hand slipping from Dallas s inmy direction, stay with me.Don t do this.Don t repay blood withblood. I stared at her outstretched hand for a solid ten seconds, and then I looked at the cold metal my hands were wound around.What were they still doing there when her warm hand was waitingfor me? Fine, I said, relinquishing the bat to Tex. Take a swing at hisballs compliments of me. My hand found Emma s and, somehow,everything felt right in the midst of everything being wrong. I ll take two, Tex said, shouldering the bat. One for you andone for Emma. Opening the door, he paused, looking behind him. Anytime you girls are ready.We ve got some ass to kick. Dallas pressed a kiss into Emma s forehead, leaving an imprintof lips in the drying blood. Don t go, Emma said, wincing as she tried to prop herself upon an elbow. It s not worth it. Yes, you Tex looked her hard in the eye are worth it.Ididn t watch a sorry excuse for a dad beat our mom to stand byand do nothing when the same thing happened to my little sister. Don t, Emma whispered. Sorry, Em, Tex said, shuffling the other two out the door. I m not the forgive and forget kind of guy.I m the eye for an eyekind of guy, he said, his eyes narrowing. And it s time Ty Steelfelt my wrath. The door slammed closed, locking an overwhelmed Julia, ananxious Emma, and me and my bloody array of emotions thatwere so extreme they had yet to be named away. They regoing to ruin everything, Emma said, looking at the door. Theirscholarships, their spots on the football team, their whole futures. No, they re not, I replied, trying to help her as she rolledback down onto the mattress. They re going to ruin Ty.Theirfutures and everything else will be waiting for them tomorrowmorning. Her split open brows moved into a familiar arch. Trustme, I added.Her head bobbed once.I took that as an affirmation she Her head bobbed once.I took that as an affirmation shebelieved me. Okay, Em, we need to get you checked out to see if you needany stitches or see if anything s broken. In my opinion, heraldingfrom a multitude of doctors, a couple gashes above her eyebrowsneeded at least a few stitches, and I d still been too scared to lookbelow the neck. Can you move or should I call an ambulance? No, she said, trying to sit up again.I held her down until I realized the significance of the gesture.Removing my hands braced over her shoulders, I realized howdelicate I d have to be about these kinds of situations.How muchmore sensitive a woman who d seen the backside of a man s handwould be to any shows of dominance, physical or emotional.Delicacy was something I wasn t trained in, but I was certain it wassomething I could learn.She stayed down though, managing to form a smile ofacknowledgment with her swollen lips.The lips I d kissed like acknowledgment with her swollen lips.The lips I d kissed likethere was no tomorrow were now doubled in size on the top andtripled on the bottom, where a gaping wound split it down thecenter.I had to curl my fingers deep into her mattress to keep frompunching a hole in the wall. I don t want to go to a hospital.I don t want to go anywhere, she said, closing her eyes. My night s been eventful enoughwithout adding a trip to the emergency room to it. I shook my head, not able to cave to her when it was her lifewe were talking about. Please, she said, her voice a whimper. I can t go there.Ican t roll in that place looking the same way my mom did the lasttime I visited the ER. I silently cursed
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