Full House (3 page)

Marco was no longer underage, but Kent still doubted he was ready for anything but a passing affair. Still, Moody’s words continued to haunt him. What if Marco fell in love with someone else while Kent was waiting for him to grow up?

Fuck.
Kent scribbled down Marco’s address and closed the file. He told himself he’d just swing by to make sure Marco wasn’t in need of anything before going home. The thought of returning to Bobby’s wasn’t appealing at all. His friends had made it pretty clear whose side they were on, and it sure as hell wasn’t his.

* * * *

With the scribbled address clenched in his fist, Kent pulled up in front of the small yellow and white house. He glanced around, wondering how safe his truck was before climbing out.

The houses on either side of Marco’s seemed to be in decent condition, but Marco’s house was definitely the pride of the neighbourhood. Despite needing a new roof, it appeared well kept for a home of its apparent age.

With a deep breath, he climbed the four cement steps and knocked on the door. He waited for several moments before knocking again. It was possible Marco was just slow getting up to answer.

The door opened and a large Mexican man answered. The man appeared young, but not too young. A date? “Is Marco here?”

“Who wants to know?”

“Kent Baker, his boss. I heard he was hurt so I thought I’d stop by to check on him.”

The handsome man scratched the light covering of hair on his bare chest. “He’s in bed. You want me to get him up?”

It was easy for Kent to connect the puzzle pieces. “No. Just tell him to see me in my office Monday morning.”

He turned without another word and retreated to the safety of his pickup.
How fucking stupid can I be?
Of course Marco would have the flavour-of-the-week taking care of him. He drove home intent on forgetting he’d ever embarrassed himself by going by Marco’s house.

* * * *

“Bruno! Who was at the door?” Marco asked his brother.

Bruno shuffled into the bedroom he shared with Nicky. “Kent something. Said he was your boss. Said for you to meet him in his office first thing Monday.”

“Shit! Did you tell him who you were?”

“No. Why?”

Marco shook his head. “Nothing. You ready to go to bed?”

Bruno scratched the short curls above his ear. “Might as well. Ain’t shit on TV.”

Marco carefully sat up and swung his legs to the floor. “Help me up, will ya?”

Bruno grabbed Marco’s hand and pulled him to his feet. “I already made your bed for you.”

Half-way towards the door, Marco paused and looked over his shoulder. “Really?”

“Yeah. I’m not that much of an asshole. I know you’re hurtin’.”

It was such a small gesture, but it meant the world to Marco. Rarely did anyone do something for him that didn’t have to be asked for. “Thanks.”

Bruno waved him away and shut the door once Marco was in the hall.

Marco stopped at Maria’s door and gazed in at his sleeping sister. He often worried what it was like for her growing up without a woman’s influence. He’d made sure she had her own space, but unfortunately, that was all he could do for her beside show her all the love he felt.

He quietly shut the door again and made his way to the living room. After turning off the lights and making sure the door was locked, he laid down on the sofa. Other than brief naps in one of his brothers’ beds, Marco hadn’t slept on a real mattress his entire life. The couch had been his bed even as a boy, although back then, he’d had to share it with Bruno.

As he lay in the dark, he tried to imagine why
Kent
would come to his house.
Poker night. Shit.
He fumbled around on the coffee table until he came up with his cell phone.

The phone rang three times before Angelo picked it up. Even then, his friend didn’t say anything right away. “Please don’t tell me
Kent
came over there?”

“So you did tell him.” It wasn’t a question because Marco already knew the truth.

“I’m so sorry. He started in on the same ole shit about a date being more important to you than your friends. I just couldn’t take it anymore. I kinda blew up on him. Then he yelled at me, then Moody got involved. Hell, I don’t know. The whole thing just snowballed before my eyes.”

“Well, it’s even worse now. Bruno answered the door and told him I was in bed.”

“So?”

“You’ve never met Bruno. He doesn’t look like your typical seventeen-year old. No doubt
Kent
thought he was my boyfriend or something.”

“Oh. Ouch. You’re going to have to straighten it out, Marco. You know that, right?”

“Maybe. At least I’ve got another whole day to think about it. I’m supposed to be in his office Monday morning.”

“Good luck. Call me if you need anything.”

“Thanks.” Marco hung up and tossed the phone back to the table. He’d briefly considered calling
Kent
, but had quickly decided against it. “Monday’ll come soon enough. No sense borrowing trouble.”

* * * *

Trouble came soon enough when there was a knock on the door the following day. With his brothers out and Maria playing in her room, it was left to Marco to gingerly make his way to the door, praying it wasn’t
Kent
.

Opening the door, he came face to face with an even bigger problem. “What do you want?”

Marco’s dad pushed past him to enter the small living room.

“I didn’t invite you in,” Marco protested, regaining his balance with a hand on the wall.

“It’s my house. I don’t need an invitation,” Eddy proclaimed.

“The hell it is. If it had been left up to you, we’d have been out on the streets years ago. I’m the one who pays the mortgage and the taxes, not you, you sonofabitch.”

Eddy sighed and flopped down on the sofa, putting his big booted feet on the coffee table. “I need money. Things with Lucinda didn’t work out, and I need to get out of town.”

“Tough shit. Get a fucking job,” Marco spat, holding his ground.

Eddy jumped up and lurched towards Marco, slamming his fist into his son’s jaw. “Don’t you get smart with me.”

The force of the blow knocked Marco off his feet. Memories of a childhood spent hiding behind the couch assailed him. He’d promised himself he’d never again allow his dad to lay a finger on him.
Damn.

“Get out,” he screamed over the sound of Rufus’ barking as the loyal German Shepherd tried to scratch his way through the back door.

At almost twice Marco’s size, Eddy leant over Marco and pulled him up by the front of his shirt. “Don’t you dare fuck with me, boy. I can take back everything you have.”

Marco bit the inside of his cheek as he tried desperately to maintain his balance on his reinjured knee. “No judge in the State of
California
would give you custody of Bruno, Nicky and Maria.”

“I either need money or a place to stay. You decide.”

“I don’t have anything to give you. I had to borrow money from a friend for gas a couple days ago.”

Eddy backhanded Marco, once again sending him to the floor. Marco heard a noise and glanced towards Maria’s room. His baby sister was staring wide-eyed through her partially-opened door.

In no condition to fight his father, Marco knew he had to get Eddy out of the house before he did anymore damage to Maria’s fragile disposition. “Give me a few days. I’ll see what I can come up with.”

Eddy righted himself with a satisfied smirk on his face. He glanced over his shoulder and grinned. “Boo!”

Maria let out a squeak and slammed her bedroom door.

“Get out, Eddy.” At that point, Marco didn’t care if Eddy beat him to a bloody pulp, he would not allow his dad to mess with Maria like that.

“I’m going. But I’ll be back on Wednesday for my money. If I don’t get it, the next time you see me will be in court.”

Marco wiped the blood off his chin as Eddy stormed out of the house. Moments later, Maria came running into the living room.

“Are you okay?”

Marco nodded. “I’m fine. Will you get me a wet washcloth?”

Maria ran back out of the room to do as asked. Marco shook his head, trying to get his thoughts in order before Maria came back. He groaned as he scooted across the floor towards the couch.

He’d managed to pull himself up and lie down before the cloth was thrust into his hand. Marco dabbed at his split lip for several moments before addressing his baby sister. “Please don’t let Eddy worry you. He’s full of hot air.”

“What’re you gonna do?” Maria asked.

“I don’t know yet, but at least I’ve bought myself some time.” He wondered if Moody would be able to give him some advice as to how to deal with his old man.

“Hand me the phone, sweetheart, and then go back and play.”

Maria continued to look down at him, a worried expression on her face. Marco reached out and ran his hand down his sister’s arm. “I’m okay, really.”

With a nod, Maria handed him the phone before retreating to her bedroom. Marco waited until her door was shut before punching in Angelo’s number.

“Hello?”

“Hey, it’s Marco. Is Moody around?”

“Why? What’s happened?”

Marco tried to smile around his sore lip. Angelo was an uptight guy on his best days. He knew his friend would really worry if he knew what was going on. “Nothing life-altering, I just have a couple of questions for Moody.”

Marco heard Angelo whispering in the background moments before Moody’s deep rumble came over the phone.

“What’s going on?”

Marco took a deep breath, surprised he was actually going outside the trust of his family with the truth of his home life. “I need your advice on a domestic issue I’m having. Do you think you could stop by? I mean, if you’re busy, that’s okay…”

“Give me the address.”

Marco rattled it off. “It’s not that I don’t want Angelo to know, but we both know he’ll stew over it.”

“I’ll see what I can do. Give me an hour.”

“Thanks. Uhh, the door’s unlocked, so just come in. I don’t know that I’ll be getting off the couch.”

“Is it wise to have your door unlocked?”

Marco moved his sore jaw open and shut a few times before answering. “Probably not, but I don’t think my problem will be back any time soon.”

* * * *

Marco was asleep when the door being opened woke him. “Hey,” he mumbled.

“Holy shit! What the hell happened to you?” Angelo bellowed as he made his way over to the sofa.

Marco looked around Angelo to Moody and raised his eyebrows. Moody grinned and shrugged. Marco wasn’t angry. He knew the two rarely kept anything from each other, but now he’d have to suffer at the hands of Angelo’s mothering.

“My dad came by looking for money. This is what happens when he doesn’t get it.” Marco met Moody’s gaze. “He said if I don’t come up with some by Wednesday, he’ll take me to court to try and get the house and the kids back.”

Moody shook his head. “He could try, but no judge in the world would grant it.” Moody took out his cell phone and snapped a couple of pictures of Marco’s injuries. “Was anyone else here when it happened?”

Marco nodded. “Maria.”

“Can I talk to her?” Moody asked.

“Why? I mean, she’s…” Damn, Marco didn’t know how to describe his sister in a way that Moody would understand. “…timid. She spends most of her time in her room. I don’t know if it’s because she was exposed to so much violence at such a young age or what, but she feels safe in there.”

“Would it be easier for her if I talked to her in there?” Moody asked.

Marco nodded. “Probably. If you can help me up, I’ll introduce you to her. She won’t speak to you without me in there.”

One moment Marco was lying on the couch and the next he was scooped up into Moody’s arms. “Hey!”

Angelo chuckled. “It’s best to just let him have his way. It’s easier.”

Marco looked up at Moody. “I feel like a fucking toddler.”

“You’re as light as one too. Haven’t you been eating?”

Marco refused to answer the question. Money had been tight the last couple of weeks. He made sure the kids had some kind of protein to eat, but he’d made do with whatever was left over after they got their fill. With two teenage boys in the house, that was often very little.

Moody made a deep rumbling noise in his throat and carried Marco towards the hall. “Which room?”

“This one.” Marco reached out and knocked on Maria’s door. “Maria? Sweetheart? Can I bring a friend of mine in to talk to you?”

After several long moments, the door opened. Maria seemed shocked to see her brother in the arms of such a big man.

“It’s okay. This is Moody. He’s a police detective. He’s going to try and help us with our problem.”