STEPBROTHER (R-18)

Chapter 35

Scarletts P.O.V

You stand at the bottom of the stairs, tears stinging your eyes as the image of his sad anger flashes in

your mind. You hate seeing him so broken. Just the way he was when you first ever noticed the black

eye his mothers boyfriend gave him. For someone to hurt him like that... it makes your blood boil.

I have to go with him. I have to. I wont let him go through this alone.

You're so angry, you swipe at your frustrated tears and gasp when you notice your mother standing at

the top of the stairs, staring at you. That's when you realise you're naked, in just his t-shirt, and he's

just barged through the house shirtless and with his hair disheveled.

"Scarlett... what the hell is going on? Are you-"

Your mother swallows, unable to say the question unbidden in her mind.

"Are you and Oliver... sleeping together?"

The horror in her tone confirms she already believes it, she just wants to hear you say it, and despite

your own fear and guilt, you don't have time to deal with her over emotional bullshit. Not when you

have to catch up with Oliver, and stop him from doing something incredibly reckless.

I don't have time for this shit.

"It doesn't matter! I have to go!"

"It does matter! Are you and Oliver having sex?"

"We are having sex. I'm a fucking adult mom! I don't need your dam lecture right now. I have to go find

him"

"Oh my fucking god.. Kirk!"

"Yeah, grab Kirk. That'll help. Its not going to fucking change anything!"

You twist on your heels, jogging back to your room to pull your dress back on. You grab a pair of

sneakers, pulling them on quickly before you swipe your phone and begin to jog back towards the

stairs.

"Scarlett, you need to stop and talk to me right now"

You ignore your mother at the top of the stairs, pushing past her and Kirk.

"Scar? Scar!"

"I-I have to go. Will you drive me to the hospital?"

Bri nods frantically, mumbling a quick apology to your mom and Kirk before she swipes her keys from

the table beside the door and you both file outside toward her car which is parked out front of the

house.

"What the fuck is going on? Did your mom catch you?"

"Yes. Yes. But that doesn't matter!"

You hop into her passenger seat with shaking hands. You fumble with your seatbelt as she climbs in

the car and turns the key in the ignition. You glimpse at her, hating how she frowns with concern.

She is wasting time. I have to go there.

"Doesn't matter? Your mom just found out your fucking her boyfriends son, and you don't care?"

"Bri... I have to stop Oliver from doing something stupid. His mom is hurt, and he's driving to the

hospital"

"What is he going to do?"

"Nothing yet. I need to make sure it stays that way"

"Okay, okay. I'll get you there"

The ride is agonisingly slow. You feel like you sit anxiously perched in the passenger seat for decades.

Every red light evokes a scowl from you, as you nervously nibble on your nails.

Why does his mom stay with him if he's abusive? How could she put herself in danger? Oliver in

danger?

"Why the hell do kids need to clean up their parents messes?"

Bri mumbles a quick unsure reply, but it wasn't a question directed at her. You spent your life cleaning

up the unstable messes your mother put you in. Bouncing from home to home. Never having a place to

safely rest your head. Not until you got older and your mother started dating. Even then, the homes

didn't last long. Once she moved on to someone else, you were bounced to another place.

It always made me feel alone.

So fucking alone, and I don't want Oliver to have to feel that. God, I really like him. Really, really like

him.

Its the first time you've openly admitted to having feelings for him to yourself. Apart from all the games

and all the sex, and all the bullshit, you genuinely have strong feelings for him. Your heart aches just at

the thought of his pain.

"Scar, we're here"

You're so consumed with the chaos of your thoughts you didn't realise you're in front of entrance C of

the hospital, the emergency room. You utter a quick thanks and open the door and hop out.

"Do you need me to stay?"

"No. He has his car. And hopefully a shirt..."

"I thought I saw him wearing one. Probably grabbed it before he left"

Great, because I'm sure they wouldn't let him in, and it would probably be unwise to tell him he cant

see his mom. Especially in a rage like he was.

"I'll text you, Bri"

You slam the door shut, and take hasty steps towards the doors. You hear him before you see him.

Fuck! He's shouting.

You scan the hallway, eyes widening when you find him shouting at the receptionist. You hurry towards

him.

"I don't fucking care. I'm her son. I want to see her, now!"

"Oliver!"

He tears his gaze from the woman behind the desk and looks at you with surprise

"What are you doing here, Scarlett?"

"What's going on?"

"I cant see her"

"Sir, She's in the middle of an exam. Once she's done you'll be allowed to go through security and visit

her"

"See, it'll be okay. We just have to wait"

"Fucking bullshit"

You wince as he slams his fist against the counter. Taking a deep breath, you place your hand on his

arm, and offer him a sympathetic look.

"Oliver, I know you're upset, but lets just wait and then you can go back, okay? I don't want you getting

into trouble"

"Fuck getting into trouble..."

Jesus, he's pretty fucking mad. I don't blame him.

"I'll page Dr. Quintin and let her know you're here"

"You do that"

"Thank you"

You pull Oliver towards a couple of seats along the wall, and command him to sit.

"It'll be fine, Oliver. I'm sure she's fine"

"You don't fucking know that"

"Okay? Maybe I don't fully know that... but I'm sure she is, and getting pissy with the receptionist is

hardly the way to get answers"

"I'm going to kill that asshole"

Oliver vibrates with rage. It consumes him in a way that steaks your breath, and makes your chest

ache. His pain is potent. Aged and amplified with years. You know nothing you say will lessen it, but

that doesn't mean you wont stop trying to comfort him.

"C-can I get you something? From the vending machine? Or a coffee?"

"No"

"Fine. I'm going to grab a drink"

Just to give him distance for a second to collect his thoughts. Ive never seen him this angry. Not even

when he was jealous and almost fought Jayden at that party.

You head towards the vending machine, glancing back at him to find him worth his head in his hands.

He's so concerned about her. Even though she's been a shitty mom.

You sigh, exhaustion overcoming you as you insert the money into the vending machine and grab a

soda. It's been. A long day, and not only are you trying to derail a psychotic Oliver, your mother is

probably going out of her mind with anger and disappointment back at the house.

I can only imagine what her and Kirk are saying... I don't know how this is going to change things.

Maybe for the worst.

Your mind begins to reel with worse case scenario as you grab your soda. With a firm shake of your

head, you attempt to dispel them. You're thankful for this distraction when you notice a woman

approaching Oliver.

Must be the doctor.

You head over, warily stepping towards Oliver as he rises from his seat. The woman casts her eyes to

you, before speaking.

"Hi. Oliver?"

"Yeah"

"I'm the woman who called you earlier, about your mother"

Oliver crosses an arm over his chest and uses the other to rub his chin, on edge.

"Is she okay?"

"Yes. She's stable"

You watch as Dr. Quintin glances at a tablet, scrolling quickly before showing Oliver x-rays.

"She claims she fell, but honestly, he physical injuries point us towards domestic violence. Do you think

that would be possible? Your father? Or someone else in the home?"

At the mention of his father, Oliver clenches his jaw and shakes his head.

"My father would never... and they're divorced. Its her current boyfriend. Is there anything that can be

done? A police statement or something?"

"Well, she denies that its domestic in nature, and without her statement, nothing can be done"

"So he fucking gets away with it"

He really has no filter.

"No surprise. It'll take him killing her for something to be done"

Olivers hands tighten into fists down at his sides. Dr. Quintin gives him an empathetic look, before

sighing.

"Honestly, I see this in a lot of domestic violence cases. She really needs to understand though, that

she cannot put herself in that situation. One more strong blow to her head and she has an incredibly

high risk of a brain bleed... it could kill her"

Olivers silent as that news settles in.

"Can he see her?"

"Yes. She's just finished an exam. She's awake, if you'd like to go in"

"Thank you"

"You're welcome. We'll continue to monitor her for a few days, set her up with PT to help with the

broken leg, and some counselling... does she have somewhere else to go?"

"She wont leave"

Dr. Quintin nods slowly, and pats Oliver on the arm before she says a quick goodbye, and disappears

through the door she came. You turn to Oliver, afraid to say something to piss him off in such a raw

moment as this. After a minute of agonising silence, you clear your throat.

"Did you want to go see her?"

"No"

He twits on his heels, stalking off towards the front doors.

"Oliver! Where the hell are you going?"

"I'm going to confront that asshole"

"I don't think-"

"You're either coming or not. Either way, it doesn't matter. I'm fucking ending this with or without you"

He doesn't wait for your response, instead he hurries out of the hospital, his shoulders stiff with tension.

You know you should just leave him. Let him handle things the destructive way you know he does,

there's no reasoning with him when he's like this. But you cant. You're in too deep.

"Fuck"

He's going to hurt that man... and I'm not just going to sit here with my hand on my ass. I'm going with

him.