Crazy Stupid Bromance (Bromance Book Club #3) - Lyssa Kay Adams Page 0,91
why I should have let you rot in prison like I wanted to.”
Oxygen escaped Noah’s lungs in a giant whoosh.
“And I did want to,” Marsh continued. “As far as I was concerned, you were an ungrateful brat. Trying to bring down the country your father died fighting for was a disgrace to his legacy. If I’d had my way, you would have gone to trial and let the chips fall where they may.”
Betrayal burned Noah’s throat. “What changed your mind?”
“I made your father a promise,” Marsh said, voice thick. “He died in my lap and made me promise I would look after you, raise you to be a man.” Marsh’s lips thinned. “You have no idea what responsibility is, Noah. Not until you realize you’re the one thing that stands between life and death for another human being. And not until you realize that someone made that choice for you, and you’re all that’s left behind.”
Noah pounded down the steps until he was inches from Marsh’s face. “Is that what we are to you? The shit that got left behind? The heavy burden of responsibility on your shoulders? This is not what my father wanted. He didn’t want my mother to never move on with her life because she’s trapped in yours, dragged down by your own guilt. He didn’t want me to live my entire life trying to live up to some version of manhood that no person alive could emulate. The only disgrace to my father’s legacy is you.”
The punch came out of nowhere. Pain exploded in Noah’s cheekbone and radiated across the planes of his face. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth as he stumbled and dropped to the ground.
Marsh loomed over him, fists clenched and breathing labored.
“Oh my God! Noah!’’ The front screen door slammed open and shut, and his mother ran down the steps. She crouched next to him on the ground, her worried face hovered over his.
Noah held his hand to his nose and came away with bloody fingers. “I’m okay, Mom.”
“What the hell is going on here?” His mother shot to her feet and glared at Marsh. “What is wrong with you?”
“That boy is a disrespectful liar.”
“That boy is my son!”
Marsh’s hand began to shake. “You’re coddling him. You always have.”
“And you’ve treated him like a no-good loser!”
“I’ve tried to treat him like a son.”
To Noah’s shock, his mom got in Marsh’s face. “You’re not his father!”
“Really? Because I’ve spent far more time raising him than anyone else. Including you.”
“Hey!” Noah rose on woozy feet. “You can say whatever you want to me, but do not talk to her like that.”
The door banged open again as Zoe ran out. “What the hell is going on?”
His mom’s hands shook at her sides. “I need you to leave, Marsh.”
“What? Are you kidding me?”
“No. I need you to go. Now.”
“Sarah, please.” Marsh’s voice had lost its bite. He was a man suddenly faced with the loss of something that mattered to him, and Noah recognized the signs all too well. Noah almost empathized with him.
“You will not talk to my son like this anymore,” his mom said. “I should have intervened long before now. Just go.”
Marsh’s face sagged. He backed up, hands digging into his pockets for his keys. Noah, Zoe, and their mom watched silently as he climbed into his car and backed out.
“What the hell was that?” Zoe demanded, trailing behind them. “Did he seriously hit you?”
“Come inside,” his mom said, tugging on his elbow.
Noah gently shook her off. “I have to go.”
“No. Not until I look at you and you tell me what the hell is going on.”
Noah followed his mom inside and to the kitchen, where she told him to sit at one of the stools lining the island. A timer began to shriek, and Zoe jumped halfway to the ceiling.
“It’s the lasagna,” she said. “I’ll get it.”
His mom went to the sink and dampened a wad of paper towel before returning to him. She dabbed at the blood beneath his nose. “I’m okay, Mom.”
“Let me fuss over you.”
He relented and tilted his head back so she could gingerly wipe the blood.
“Have you ever been punched before?” Zoe asked from the stove.
“Not like this. No.”
“I wonder if you should go to the emergency room,” his mom said.
“I’m fine.”
“I can’t believe he hit you.” Her voice shook. “What happened?”
“Just a lot of stuff that’s been boiling for a while.”