Slice (The Elledge Family #1) (46 page)

“That was the baby.” I laughed. “I know I am his brother. I get that you don't want to be around someone that is so close to him sometimes but I would love for you to talk to me. I won't go back and tell them shit. I don't have to. All they need to know is that you need your space and that you would like to be left alone. I want you to be comfortable because you are family now. And I love you like a sister. So when he fucks up lock out… him and lock out Mark but don't lock out me.”

“I won't.”

“Good. Now I can go on my date with peace of mind. I don't know what to bring to reveal party so I'll try something like food.”

“Don't bring anything. I talked to Lydia this morning and she has everything planned out. And tell Lucas to wear the outfit that I have bagged in his closet. If he isn't dressed right, then I will flip a brick.”

“I will relay the message.”

“Thanks.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Cypress

      
I hated that the party was even scheduled for today. It was not the way to get around it though. The country club, she had chosen for the it
was perfect. The high ceilings and low lights were something that I envied for myself. Then there was the fact that Lydia was a genius at extravagant parties. Plus, she had the help of her little perfect boyfriend. The color schemes had been chosen by me, green and yellow for a boy and then pink and white for a girl. Each table had just one color set, but the table for Lucas and I was split down the middle. His name on Team Boy and mine on Team Girl. There were balloons with question marks placed right behind us with a huge safety pin in front of the podium. Usually this would be too much for me to take in but the party had been a relief from the constant worrying I had put myself through. I finally had the energy to climb out of bed and try so I looked presentable. My hair for once, was not a mess. It was simply down and the curls were pulled back by a band to keep them from falling in my face. I wore no makeup just a tint of lip gloss. 

Lydia moved around like it was her reveal. She fixed the table cloths and readjusted table placements.  “Okay, so I have gone ahead and placed names on each table. I know that you and Lucas are at odds. Do you want him with you or do you want your mom?”

“I want him with me, Lydia.” I shook my head and walked towards the table. “He should be here by now. I told him to be here an hour earlier than everyone else.”

“He is still on time.” Lydia moved the bouquet of diapers to the middle of the table and continued to walk around. “He just pulled up.” She pointed to his jeep out in the parking lot.

Lucas hopped out. He actually for once followed instructions. He wore his white button down shirt with khakis, covered by a dress blazer that matched my outfit. His mass of brown hair was tossed in a bun on the top of his hands. A few strands hung down but he was perfect for once. Even if his hair was untamed I was happy he at least made an effort.

“Brother! You’re on time! I really don't know how to feel about it!” Lydia hugged him. “You look presentable too.”

“Yeah, whatever, where is she?” He asked.

“Over there, I guess looks don’t change the fact you’re an asshole.”

“Thanks Lydie.” He made eye contact with me and made his way through the array of tables and floating balloons. He smiled at me. “You look lovely.”

“Thank you.”

“Are you mad?”

“I’m furious. But I don't want to fight.” I choked back the lump caught in my throat and stared at him. “I just want to know the complete truth and not some half lie you make up to make sure that we are in one accord. I want the truth.”

Lucas looked at the ground. “I don't know how to tell you everything.” He mumbled.

“The same way you lie… let the words flow.” I turned away from him in avoidance of tears and shrugged my shoulders. “We can talk about it later.”

“Did you talk to Asher?”

“You're wearing what I told him to tell you to wear. So you already know I talked to him.”

“He is better at telling things than me.”

“It’s not his truth to tell.” I spat. “I want to hear the truth from you Lucas. I don't want to hear your brothers make light of it with his words of wisdom. I don't want to hear Mark try and explain it to me. I want you to break everything down and you are going to tonight or you can hang this family up.”

“Can you please just allow me to tell you when the time is right?”

“The feds uprooted your apartment. The time to tell me passed months back.”

“I can't tell you.”

“We’re not arguing.”

“Fine we won't argue, but you can't make me tell you something that you are not ready for. You aren't ready and I won't have you spazzing and hiding my child from.”

“I would never do that!” I yelled. “How could you even let that shit come from your mouth?” I peeked at Lydia. She had made her way to the food and was sorting everything out. “You don't know me at all do you?”

“Can’t the past just stay where it belongs?”

“The past, your past is fucking with my future and I can't have it.”

“Give me two weeks.”

“No, give you two hours.”

We stared at each other until we heard the huge doors of the banquet hall open. Asher strolled into the room with a petite blonde on his arm who couldn't keep her small hands off of him. “Hey you two!” His voice was light and happy.

“Asher, right on time.” Lucas walked away from me and half hugged his brother then turned to the little blonde. “Who is your lucky girl?”

“Taylor Hanson.” He said. “This is my brother and his lovely bride to be… Cypress.”

“Pleasure to meet you both.” She said through a smile.

“Same to you,” I nodded my head. “Asher you look so happy today?”

“Well, I get so what you’re having. You two have been holding out long enough.”

Lucas scratched his head. “If you could excuse us for a moment.”  His hand gripped my arm and he led me away from them. “We’ll be back.”

“Get your hands off me!” I growled as I snatched my arm back. He led me through the grand halls to a small room that was offset from the party. “What do you want from me Lucas?”

“I want you to stop thinking there is more to everything than there is,” his voice was soft.

“I want the truth… right now.”

He paced like he has always done when he was upset. His eyes were hooked to the ground. “I don’t want you to run from me.”

“Is there something to run from?” I asked.

“I…” Lucas exhaled. “I killed Philip…”

Everything turned into a haze. “You what?”

“I broke into his home and killed him that night.” He stared at move unmoving and searched for my reaction. “I killed my ex-girlfriends.”

I could feel the tingle in my legs as they tried to give out on me. “Lucas.” The silence in the room made me feel as if he could hear my heart as it slowed down and then there was a sob the erupted from my chest. “Stop.”

“I want you to know everything.” He whispered. “I’m a killer. I don’t feel anything except this...” He gestured between us. “I feel us.”

“This is what Holly meant.”

“What do you mean Holly?”

“Callum is a killer too.” My tears were under no control. They had drenched the front of my shirt and my face was red hot. “How could you?”

“How could I what Cypress?” He growled. Lucas his hands shook a little.

And for the first time I feared him. I stepped back, inching towards the door. “Kill him.” His eyes slanted towards me and it seemed that he understood who I was talking about without even saying his name.

“Would you rather I let him roam this world raping a degrading women like he had? I did this world a favor.” He grumbled. “I have done, you a favor.”

Lucas walked towards me. My feet shuffled as I moved back to the wall. I needed out and to be in front of someone, anyone. I felt the wall behind me to realize that the door was nowhere close to me. “Stay back.”

“Stay back?” He questioned.

“You heard me.”

“I can't control Callum.”

“You can't control yourself.” I spat.

He stepped closer to me and I stepped back from him. “Baby.”

“Don't fucking touch me!” I screeched. “Don't touch me.”

“This is what you wanted to hear. I gave you exactly what you wanted and you still...” He pulled at his ponytail in frustration. “What else do you want?”

“I want the father of my child to not be a killer.”

“I can't help you there, love.”

This was not what I wanted for today. I wanted to get over this fight, go back to his loft and be with the love of my life. It seemed that would never happen again. My heart thudded as the room started to spin before me. My eyes grew weak and everything in me was let down, humiliated even. But tears were not what I wanted him to see. My eyes stayed wide. If I even blinked for too long, there would be uncontrollable water works. “How can you do it?”

Lucas

For years I hadn’t felt shit, but rage and this carnal need I could never satisfy. Then this beautiful woman entered my life unbeknownst to me and fucked everything up. I felt fear, anger, love, hell, even happiness at some point because of her. But now there was only one thing that was anchored in me and that was dread.  There was nothing that could be said that could make it go down easier. I was a killer and I couldn't stop. I wouldn't stop. The hurt on her face was indescribable and there was nothing that I could do to soothe her, she didn't want me to touch her. She didn't want me to look at her.

“I don't know.” I answered. “I can't help it. It's something in me that is in me.”

“What?”

“A monster. And I have tried several times... over and over to quit. I even worked on it with Asher. I have started to do yoga and it does nothing. I have this need that can’t be satisfied.”

“So they know about you? They are just as fucked up as you.”

I stepped back to allow her some room to move from the corner that she had backed herself into. I shook my head. How is it that I can slice open people, watch them drain until there is nothing left and feel nothing but emptiness, but the thought of her crying again made me feel miserable?

“Hey, you guys?” Lydia said at the door.

I snapped at her, “We’re chatting, Lydia.”

“Well, people are here and the party can't start without you two. So, finish this chat of yours and get out here! Oh, and Cypress, your mom just got here with your aunts and dad. And there is someone here in a suit looking for, you Lucas.”

“Fuck,” I hissed. The last thing I needed at this moment was that damn fed lurking around the one thing that could make her love me. “Tell him to leave it's a private affair.”

“You tell him.” Lydia said as she left.

Cypress navigated her way around me without touching me and she moved towards the door. “Come on.” She held her hand out. “My mom is out there and she’s excited. So I’m going to let them see us happy, even if it’s fake.”

“We can talk later.” I whispered. Her hand in mine felt like maybe she could get over the fact that the love of her life was a raging serial killer.

“Baby… there might not be a later.” The threat was in her voice. We walked into the overly decorated party. I had waited long enough as far as knowing what we are having, not to mention I hated parties. She smiled and waved at everyone. “Hey! Sorry we’re late!”

I was quiet. I watched as the guests clapped as we walked out and we took our seats at the front of the room surrounded by the black balloons with the white question marks. There were several faces in the crowd that had traveled great lengths to get her. Her sister and her mom sat beside her father at the table in front of mine. Then there was Tracy, Mark and Asher. Nothing worse than being the center of attention.

Lydia took the podium. “I am so excited that you all could be here. We are here to celebrate the new arrival in our family. It’s easy to say that I love these two guys more than anything and the thought of the perfect couple bringing a child into the world just amazes me. I’m also honored that they let me plan out this event. Before we get started with the big reveal, would the lovely couple like to say something.”

“No,” I said through my teeth. I grinned and Cypress gripped my hands under the table. She was nervous about the gender and I was dying because she was so close, but she was unreachable at the moment.

Cypress stood up. “Like she said, we are so happy that you could be here with us for this reveal.” She glanced at me. “Lucas had decided months ago that I was having a boy and I can’t wait for the moment to prove him wrong.” The crowd snickered.  She
covered her eyes. “I’m just so excited you guys. This changes our lives forever.”

I could feel the double meaning to her words. I shifted in my seat and smirked. “Change means we’re growing love.” I leaned into her. “Right?”

“Right.”

“See why I love these guys!” Lydia smiled once more and she continued her speech. “Before you two are two safety pins and one balloon. We are going to count to three and then you guys pop the balloons and set baby Elledge free!”