Taking It Slow - Reese Knightley Page 0,20
Wes?”
She swallowed. “No.”
“You better not be lying,” he said through his teeth.
“What the hell are you going to do about it if I am?”
“I’ll fucking quit the military if I have to,” he fired back.
She scowled. He could see her calculate how much that would cost her financially if he took Wesley and didn’t pick up her slack.
“I haven’t done anything to the little piss ant. He stays in his room all day unless he’s at school.”
“And food?”
“He gets enough.”
“You better make sure he gets more than enough. I fucking swear to god, if you don’t take care of him, I’ll make your life hell on earth. You think you have it bad now? Just wait.”
She cringed visibly. “Yeah, yeah. Go on with your nasty self. Good for nothin’. Ain’t got no money,” she sneered.
“Clean the pills off the kitchen table or I will,” he warned her.
She said nothing and marched into the house, slamming the door.
Fuck. He closed his eyes, then shook himself and turned. Mustering a smile, he headed back to the truck and slipped inside. The door groaned and creaked as he pulled it closed.
“Are you okay?” He glanced at his brother.
“Y-y-yeah, bro, I-I’m good,” Wesley stuttered, hands squeezing into fists.
The stutter didn’t surprise him under the circumstances. While his brother had grown out of stuttering at the age of eight, it sometimes appeared when Wesley was under extreme stress. Spencer turned in his seat and kept his voice calm.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he said softly and gripped his brother’s shoulder.
“How are you going to stop it?”
“I’ve stopped it so far, Wes. I won’t ever let anything happen to you again.”
He loved the military so fucking much, but he loved his little brother more. If quitting for family reasons was what it took to keep Wesley safe, then he’d do it. Paying off Mayer when the guy suggested it had been a big fucking mistake.
“Okay,” his brother gulped.
Spencer grew more concerned when tears started in Wesley’s eyes.
“What’s the matter?”
“I-I-I have a favor.”
“What’s that?” His eyebrows rose. This was new.
“Adam and Jessica want me to come over to Liam’s and swim. If that’s okay with you. Please don’t say no.”
Say no? Seeing Adam and Jessica was important to Wesley, so Spencer was going to make damned sure he got his visit. He cupped the back of Wesley’s neck and gave a reassuring squeeze.
“I’m okay with that, but did you do all your assignments?”
Wesley nodded and dug through his backpack to hand him the make-up assignment sheet. This caught his little brother up for the week he’d missed school.
“Good job.”
His brother flushed beneath his praise.
“I don’t think Liam is home yet, though,” he said, turning the key in the ignition.
“Oh.” Wesley’s face was crestfallen as he tucked the paper away.
“Hang on, I’ll call the base.”
“Wait! I have his cell number, we can call him from my phone,” Wesley said excitedly.
Spencer smirked. It was just like Liam to give Wesley his cell number. He’d bet money that Liam told his brother to call him if he needed anything.
“You get him on the phone and I’ll drive,” he said, pulling out of the driveway and heading toward his apartment.
“Wesley? Is everything okay?” Liam’s voice came warm and concerned over the speaker.
“Yes! I have you on speaker. I’m here with Spencer. Adam and Jessica texted me this morning and asked if I could come over. Since it’s Friday, I was wondering if that would be okay?” Wesley ended on a rush.
Spencer found himself holding his breath and praying like never before that Liam wouldn’t disappoint his brother.
“Of course. I told you to call me. Both of you are welcome. Bring your pjs and we’ll make a night of it. Hell, we can make a weekend of it.”
“Hell yeah!” Wesley pumped his fist and Spencer chuckled.
“You don’t know what you’re in for,” Spencer warned Liam.
The man’s deep chuckle came over the phone, sending a quick shiver down his spine.
“I can’t wait,” Liam’s smiling voice filled the speaker. “I’ll order Chinese food. See you both when you get here.”
Wesley flipped the phone closed when Liam hung up and gazed at him.
“What?” he asked, smiling when he pulled up outside of his apartment.
“I love you.”
“I love you too. Now, let’s grab some stuff.”
Wesley jumped out of the truck and Spencer followed at a slower pace, trying to get the fucking door closed.
“Still giving you fits?”
Spencer glanced up and grinned. “When did you get back?”
“A few hours ago,” Dillon said and