Taking Out the Trash, Tag: Shane (feat. James the Creeper)

Friday, October 8, 2010 @ 2 pm

Devin was cleaning kitchen for the third time that day. It seemed that their house guest made it impossible to keep clean or at least James saw it as his mission to dirty every dish in the house. Drying off the last plate, Devin placed it in the cupboard before peeking around the corner into the living room. Molly was fast asleep in an overstuffed chair as James sprawled himself across the couch flipping channels lazily. The sooner they told him that they were having a boy, the sooner they could tell him to get out for all she was concerned. A deep sigh and Devin went to the door separating the kitchen from the garage. Some sort of sounds that Shane considered music could be heard through the thin door. Rolling her eyes Devin peeked in her head just to make sure he was still alive. “Hey you… Spaghetti for dinner?” she asked. Obviously she got no response because he couldn’t hear her over the loudness of the stereo. Snorting to herself Devin let the door close behind her figuring he’d come in the house when he was ready.

The cupboards were looking a bit bare thanks to James and Molly. Must be a Moran gene to be able to eat everything and the kitchen sink. Even Molly could put it away. Devin felt like she wasn’t just eating for two but more like three these days. Pulling out a recipe card (even though Devin knew it by heart) Devin started fishing around for pasta and tomato sauce, all the herbs and spices that the recipe called for. Setting those on the counter it was time for dishes. There was a specific pot she liked to cook her sauce in and of course it was on a lower shelf.

Grabbing the pot, Devin heard someone behind her. “So you finally decided to come out of hiding in the garage?” she asked

It was the only place where he felt he could be free, truly free of his brother and all his associated shit, with his music and his beer and his tools in hand. But walls were a false barricade that weren’t keeping James out, they were keeping the anger in, and narrowing his eyes at the wall Shane snorted as he turned the stereo volume up another notch. The garage was already drowning in music, the angry riffs and throaty grunts and screams that reverberated from scratchy speakers made his ears ring. It pressed against his chest and penetrated his skin, feeding the adrenalin within. Shane had been angry for days, weeks, ever since his kid brother had arrived and the welcome was well and truly over. It was only memories of the day before that had him looking down again and drawing in slow calming breaths. He was having a little boy and his need to share that news with his so-called family ate away inside like some kind of acid.

Lying on the sofa James yawned and stretched. He was tired and in truth had been for days. Molly was sleeping and James cast an envious eye over his daughter. The TV was giving him nothing by way of relief and the monotonous beat of the noise coming from the garage continued to grate away on his nerves. He was too lazy to argue with his big brother over something so trivial, it was a dead horse; nothing Shane liked was good enough save one… and rolling his head back on the arm of the sofa he watched his sister in law walk back past on her way to the kitchen. He sighed. It was loud but probably missed behind that… shit Shane called music. Not that James cared. Hand on his belly he watched Devin enter the kitchen wondering as he often did what she wore under that shirt or skirt, wondered where those legs ended, wondered how warm she would feel against him. This wasn’t fair.

With another sideways glance towards the child on the chair and the garage door thankfully closed James got to his feet and after stretching made his way through the house, drawn by the scent of beauty that lingered in the air. His head fell slightly to the side as he stood in the doorway watching her bend to retrieve a pot from a shelf. He groaned inside his chest. His shoulders fell. He was practically behind her when she spoke – and James had to throw on his best game face as his hands went out either side of Devin’s waist with an offer that sounded less chivalrous than it deserved, “Hey, let me help you with that. There we go.” The pot wasn’t where his focus was, nor her pregnant stomach… but still James smiled as he stood a moment and looked down into his sister-in-law’s face. Damn, she was fine. “Who’s hiding?,” he wondered. James’ smile shifted to a smirk as he let out a long low breath.

Fuck, she thought to herself as she heard James behind her. Rarely did she curse or swear but this felt like it was needed. The whole reason for being in here was because Shane was in the garage and she wanted to be as far away from James in her own house as possible. Too bad there wasn’t excuse to leave. The worst part about the whole thing was that he was touching her… again. “Thanks… but I could have gotten it on my own,” Devin answered immediately stepping out of his touch and putting distance between him and herself. She wished he would stop doing that, stop touching her and saying those remarks that could be taken more than one way. Looking at the garage door, she wished Shane would come through it at any moment to keep his brother in check. From the loudness of the music, Devin knew that Shane acting as a savior wouldn’t be happening until he decided to come out of his self imposed exile.

“Shane… he does that from time to time,” she answered nonchalantly. Usually when he came out of the garage there was something new to be added to their collection of items he had made. A picture frame, a night stand, something that he had made with his own town hands to be placed on display in their house somewhere. “He’s probably working on something. The music helps him think,” she stated leaving it at that and ducking away from James’ gaze. She wanted to tell him that he was having a nephew and then end it with a firm get out but he was Shane’s brother. Devin was sure her words would hold no weight in the matter.

Devin was keeping five feet of space between her and James if she could help it and lately had been trying to dress like a cloistered nun to at least try and keep his gaze off of her. Of course keeping the space between them was hard to do when she was trying to make dinner… his goodbye dinner hopefully. “I bet there’s a game or something on. Or at least highlights. Something more entertaining than me cooking.”

James chuckled at what came out of Devin’s mouth. She could say what she wanted but there was something more behind it, he could tell by the way her eyes kept going back to the garage door. Still he raised his hands as if in surrender and let her walk away. This was a game he could play and had been playing since arriving a month or so ago now. Had it really been that long? And here he was thinking his brother could have at least asked him to stick around, build that bridge, rent out the spare room til their kid came along, if it came along; Mother Nature had Her own plans in mind it seemed given what she’d done to his firstborn not all that long ago. Shit happened for a reason big brother… “Just… trying to help,” James excused and lowered his hands to his sides. “Got to look after you, remember, family, all that. I know after what happened last time…” Clearing his throat he swallowed down his smile and suppressed the internal laugh that wanted to bubble up out of his throat. Ah, this was just pathetic, the way she kept looking back at the door the way she did… who was she kidding?

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” Thinking that a brief lapse into commiseration was enough he folded his arms across his chest in some attempt to come off less imposing in a tiny room with a tiny chick and her worried eyes. After a brief pause James moved on as smoothly as if he were entertaining guests at some party. In a way even despite that horrendous noise coming in from beyond the garage door it felt like that. Maybe it was just the company that did that; and with that again James smiled. “Oh he does, does he? Well, good to see some things never change.” He followed her as she moved about, busily tending to her pots, pans, spoons, jars, always lingering in her peripheral, close enough on occasion to cause her to bump him with her elbow or hip as he deliberately got in her way just to get her attention. If that was what it took… “Do you know he used to listen to this shit as a kid? Not around dad of course. Dad laughed. Said it sounds like skinning cats. Must sound like that to you, being a music teacher and all. How do you stand it? You must have the patience of a saint to put up with him, I swear. Shane doesn’t think. Hard head. Trust me. But it comes in handy. I grew up with him. I know what he’s like, probably better than anyone. But you’re yet to learn those endearing traits, right? Oh well, he’s still lovable in his own way, right?”

With his smile now decidedly bitter and a roll of his eyes James ignored the comment about Shane being some kind of Mr Fix it. He couldn’t find a tit to grope in a whorehouse let alone fix anything worthwhile, that was what amused James the most; Shane being touted as something special when he needed a matchmaking service to find him a chick in the first place. Perfect? Hardly. He moved a little closer to stand beside his sister in law and look down over her while she pretended to go about her domestic duties like the perfect little housewife. “Well see now goes to show how well you know me. I’d much prefer to spend my time with a beautiful woman than some game on the TV, even if she is cooking. Something I’m afraid we don’t share,” he said of his brother, casting a glance back to the garage door that was still closed. Reaching out he lay a hand on her back. To anyone else it would have seemed comforting, until his fingers were sweeping the hair back over her shoulder. My god she really was too good for him, he thought with his mouth suddenly dry.

Set about her task, it was easy to pretend that James wasn’t there. Ignoring his presence had become somewhat of a standby as of late, more so after the stunt he pulled at the fair. At least, it was easy to ignore him until he said what he did. The spoon she had in her hand clattered against the jar that Devin nearly dropped. He had just as much right of bringing that up as her own father did. She hoped that maybe like Peter Taylor, James would say what needed to be said and then leave to never be heard from again or at least until some other tragedy struck. Taking a deep breath and clearing her throat, it was more the shock that he said what he said than the actual event that got to her. Just yesterday they were told that Shane and herself were going to have a baby boy and James already was ruining the moment by bringing up what could have been. It almost sounded like a threat as if it was going to happen again… maybe he wanted it to just so James could one up his brother one more time in their lives. Swallowing down the bile Devin shook her head and went back to her task. “It’s okay,” she answered her voice once more saying the words making them sound anything but okay.

Every turn she made he was there in her space and somewhere inside Devin heard a voice very much in the timber and tone of her husband telling her to scream at James to back off. But all the years of constant belittling, of not making a sound, of needing to be good enough, prove that she was the perfect housewife kept her mouth shut. Good hostesses and wives didn’t yell at their brother-in-laws and tell them to get out. Instead she continued or at least tried to with the plan that James didn’t exist. If he’d stop talking it would be easier to do. Not mention Molly out there probably wouldn’t like to be woken up to yelling and screaming. Seeing how James was, she probably had enough of that in her childhood already. “It’s not what I’d choose to listen to,” she answered succinctly. Of course it sounded like noise to her. Once and awhile a song would have a melody and she’d conceded it wasn’t too bad but for the most part… well she hated it. But Shane liked it and he kept it to the garage. What more could she ask for? “Shane’s a good man and a good husband. So yes, he is lovable and he is loved.” What did James not understand about this? It wasn’t an act, Devin wasn’t going to wake up in the morning and decide she didn’t love Shane any more.

A shiver ran up her spine at his touch, his words only adding to the creepiness of the moment. She felt like a mouse some cat had caught and decided to play with first. It was definitely not the same type of shiver that Shane inspired from her. It was the kind she got walking down a street at night, that feeling of being unsafe. Flinching out of his touch, Devin once more put space between herself and James wondering what she did to make him think that was okay. “Don’t touch me,” she stated harshly feeling her heart beat start to pick up and the bile rise in the back of her throat once more.

That moment was brief but it was still there, the contact filling James with a warmth that spread from the back of his neck to his groin and back again; out escaped a low shaky sigh. But then she had to ruin it and step away. What came out of her mouth caused James to balk; he wanted to laugh into her face and in a way did, unable to reel the chuckle back as it slipped out only to be covered by more stunned silence. She had to be kidding right? So she wanted to play that game did she? No wonder she needed a service to hook her up if this was the reaction she gave anyone coming on to her. Okay… game face back in place James tilted his head to the side and smiled down at his sister in law. “What? Dev, come on, we’re family, remember? I didn’t mean anything by it… it was just a… well, I know how hard this must be… with me here.”

Approaching her once more with hands up in surrender James tried to come across apologetic even if it really was just a superficial act; the look on his face had to attest to the tenuous nature of the conversation. But still she seemed to want to talk in double entendres, so be it, his idiot brother was still out there… smart girl. Had to act like the damsel in distress in case he walked in. Oh wow she was hot, did she realize how hard she made him? With a slight nudge of the heel of his hand James had warned his appendage to behave in the front of his pants. Too many nights he had been forced to endure listening to her cry out his brother’s name in orgasm; it didn’t take much for his brain to change Shane to James and subsequently tighten the grip with which he held himself in those moments in the dark. She didn’t know it yet but she had to know it was inevitable; James was almost insulted a month had passed and this game had barely progressed. Still he lowered his hands again to his sides and wondered, “What? Oh come on, we both know it… I know he’s your… husband,” why was that word so hard to spit out to the point it practically choked him. “I’m not here to break up your happy home… but maybe you need to address your little problem; this come here, go away thing… it’s not sexy. You think I can’t do better than barefoot and pregnant? Please. I said it before, we’re family,” still… James didn’t think he had to elaborate beyond that double-meaning of what that word meant. As blind as she was even Devin had to know that Shane was far beneath her and she had just settled… it was sad actually.

Just as he was about to lay his hands on her shoulders the door opened and the music grew in intensity. Like a bad smell Shane was entering from the garage and looked distracted as he approached the doorway barely breaking stride to survey the scene. “Ah, saved by the bitch,” he teased, smirking at the face Shane gave back sharply over his shoulder as he passed on his way to the refrigerator. “I was just telling your wife that she should take it easy… given her delicate state and all after what happened.” Standing back James came to rest with his hip against the counter and his fingers wrapped around the edge on either side rather than around the woman a few meters away like he initially wanted. Shane though seemed ambivalent, of course. With a frown he paused with fresh beer in fist and looked at Devin as though she were doing something wrong and he couldn’t see what it was. He nodded at her and then at his brother in response as he handed a fresh one over. The door closed with a rattle and thud as a cool gust of wind hit the back of his shirt. Approaching his wife Shane slid an arm around her and bestowed a quick kiss on her temple. “What’s up?” he wondered as he twisted the lid off his beer and took a thirsty drink.

Somehow she was backed into the corner with eyes wide and searching for something to keep James back. What part of not touching her didn’t he get? One hand gripped the counter as the other one lay on her stomach as if in some way he was planning on attacking her and risking the life of Shane’s and her child. Devin felt like she did when her father hit her all those months ago; threatened. “Don’t call me, Dev.” It was just as sharp and harsh as her telling him not to touch her. Only one person called her that and it wasn’t James Moran. She wanted to scream for Shane, she wanted to hit him and lock herself in the bedroom but much like her husband, James’ size didn’t provide her with much of an avenue for escape. Shane wouldn’t hear her anyway with the volume up as loud as it was. They should have told him to get out weeks ago.

“What part of the fact I love him don’t you understand?” It felt like she was arguing with her father all over again when he asked why she stayed here with a man who didn’t have a college degree and most likely could barely provide for her let alone a family. For weeks she had taken every substitute opening she was offered, feigned errands to run just to get away from him. How could James not see that his mere presence made her sick to her stomach and that every twisted word he said only made that feeling grow? “There is no come here thing there’s only go away, James. I’m Shane’s wife, I love him. What part of that don’t you get?” Devin’s hand trembled at her side as James loomed over ready to hit him, push him away and make a run for the garage when the door opened and the music blasted into the kitchen. Her body was shaking, feeling like a tightened rubber band about to snap at any moment. Once more he was lying, it seemed to be the only thing James was good at. Being a man sure wasn’t one of them. Wide eyed and looking at Shane pleadingly, the look that met her back made her heart seize up for a moment.

With Shane’s arm around her it was the first time she felt safe. Turning into his hold, Devin looked at James and then at Shane and decided enough was enough. She’d give Shane the option of doing it himself, but if he wasn’t going to stand up for himself at least, he could stand up for her… protect her. That was part of his vows after all, wasn’t it? “Shane… I need to talk to you… alone.” Words were tight as she pulled him back to the garage where she knew James couldn’t listen in nor she was sure would be tempted to follow. Devin’s body was still shaking as she wrapped her arms around herself waiting to hear the door shut behind them. “Shane… I want him gone. Today… now… please?” She couldn’t look at him. How did she tell Shane that his brother was a creep who had done nothing but hit on her and belittle him every chance he got? “I just… I can’t have him here any more,” she voiced a slight crack betraying that she was starting to get upset.

Maybe it was coming in from the noise that had done it but something was wrong even if Shane didn’t know what it was let alone quite understand; it was written all over Devin’s face and the way she shook a little as she held on to him. Immediately Shane’s eyes turned to his brother with that sinking feeling from the fair coming back again unexpectedly, the force of it almost sucked the wind clean out of the bigger man’s lungs. Alone she had said… Shane nodded in response. It was automatic. Though his ears still rung from the chaos of heavy metal music he knew enough to know that one word only reaffirmed his suspicions and had nothing in defense against it. “Okay,” he agreed. He could feel himself shaking as he followed Devin’s lead across the room and back out to the garage with James eyes and his smile following him every step of the way in his peripheral vision. Oh god, what was wrong now…?

Assuring himself that Molly remained sleeping on the chair somehow in spite of it, Shane withdrew into the garage and shut the door securely behind him. The noise was the next thing he had to address and was quick to lower the volume on the battered pain-flecked boom box sitting in the tray of his truck. Before the last throaty growl could issue forth from the speakers Devin’s voice could be heard begging him and something about the tone of it if not the way she stood there at a distance holding herself reaffirmed it. The grip with which he held the beer in his fist began to hurt as he took another drink from the bottle. Devin was pacing, she just wasn’t herself, and what stood out most was the way she could no longer look him in the eye; a cold familiar guilt struck root inside and blew out in the space of a heartbeat. Something really was wrong and it could no longer just be avoided or ignored. And there it was; she wanted James gone. Rather than argue Shane stood staring a moment just watching his wife with a frown slowly buckling his brow.

“What did he do?” It wasn’t delivered as a question, just a literal statement of fact. That feeling within grew with such force it made him feel sick, physically weak. Still adrenalin coursed through his veins as he clenched his teeth and shook his head. The urge to throw his bottle came and went on a stupid whim. The anger was real and growing stronger with each second he waited for an answer. But he couldn’t see her like this and the crack in her voice was the proverbial kink in his armor. Within strides he was across the room and smothering her against his chest. Still the bottle remained in his hand and another mouthful was taken before he could even get the words out that followed. “Babe what did he do? Did he do something? He did, didn’t he? God- damn it, I knew it… Did he hurt you, did he say something?” Fear pinched his voice as Shane pulled back and with both hands, one full one empty he clasped both sides of Devin’s face and stared down into her eyes as if reading behind them to get to the truth of the matter.

All Devin wanted was for Shane to agree, kiss her on the forehead and match through the door to tell his brother to leave. She knew she should have brought up what was going on all those times Shane asked her how she was doing as they lay in bed together in tangled limbs. But why rock a boat that was already on stormy seas? Maybe Shane hadn’t noticed the way his brother looked at her, behaved around her… maybe James saved it for the few moments they were alone and there was no Shane or closed door she could hide behind. After weeks of wanting to tell Shane that his brother was hitting on her, making a mockery of what they had, and implying that it wasn’t Shane’s bed she should be sleeping in, Devin was at the point where the only thing to do was to tell Shane that his brother was a creep, that he made her skin crawl and the only thing she wanted to happen was for Shane and herself to just be them again.

Words stuck in her throat as she started to say something and then chocked on them. She was flustered knowing that Shane already had enough to dislike his brother on without adding in that he was propositioning her. Pacing a rut into the floor Devin was trying to formulate how to phrase it, looking at the ground, the walls, the ceiling… looking everywhere but at Shane as her heart beat hard against her ribcage. “He…” she began and then shook her head deciding that what she heard herself say in her head wasn’t good enough. “I didn’t…” Again it sounded like she was admitting guilt when she was the victim to a wolf they had let into their home under the guise of familial duty. She had ignored the presence for so long that now it seemed impossible to admit to Shane she had known it all the time and was ignoring it for him. If she had a sister that was hitting on him, watching him, like James did to her, Devin knew she’d want Shane to tell her.

Strong arms halted her and Devin found that she was gathered against Shane’s chest standing in what was the safest place to her. Hands against his chest, head tucked under his chin, Devin took a deep breath wishing she could stop shaking in order to answer his question. “I thought if I ignored it…. Ignore him that he’d get the picture,” she finally mumbled out to him. “I didn’t want you angrier at him than you already were but it just kept getting worse,” her voice cracked and she wished that the first time James had implied that she was flirting with him, that she didn’t love Shane was much as she declared, she had gone to Shane and told him what a slimy snake his brother was, that she wouldn’t have had to endure weeks under his eyes with his comments and “accidental” grazes. Looking into his eyes, biting her lip and fists full of his shirt in her hands, Devin took a deep breath. “He’s been hitting on me. Every day. And then touching me and I finally told him to stop but he wouldn’t back off. I thought I saw him watching when I was taking a shower once but I don’t know… I just… I want him gone, Shane… I’ve told him to back off and he just won’t. I can’t listen to him tear you down any more.” How did she exactly tell Shane that his brother had been trying to get in her pants for the last month? That every time he looked at her she wanted to scrub away at her skin until it was red and raw, that she repeatedly told the guy that she was in love with Shane and that wasn’t going to change?

That cold feeling in his belly solidified and sunk like a block of ice as he held her, feeling the air in that little garage shift and too sink succinctly. What had started out as another normal day had become something uncomfortable and unfamiliar; he had grown accustomed to the tension that having James under his roof brought and accepted it as he always had, it was in itself familiar territory. He had grown up with it to a point that it no longer really registered anymore on his consciousness; the pressure on his chest was second nature as was that rush of pulse or the constant aches that pulsed behind his eyes and cheekbones from clenching his jaw out of habit. He looked but he didn’t see, the same as he heard but tried not to absorb the insults almost every word that fell from his brother’s lips in his direction. It didn’t excuse it but it seemed in that moment a door that Shane had forced closed had been unlocked and a series of emotions ran through him as reality returned full force. “He’s been hitting on me… touching me…” Shane closed his eyes and swallowed with a now dry mouth. Things stopped registering then. He slipped out of body and for a moment couldn’t see or think or feel. Then he nodded. “Okay.”

Shane gave Devin’s shoulders a squeeze as he stepped out of her hold. The beer he wanted to throw he sucked dry; it barely touched the sides and evaporated before hitting his stomach. Breathing hard, sharp, Shane was on the other side of the garage door before Devin could say or do a thing to stop him. His only focus was on his brother and once he saw him standing there with his daughter in arms Shane drew to a stop with a scowl laden on his face. At first he was too angry to speak. That much was evident to James who stood rocking a sleepy Molly against him and telling her that it was going to be alright. The smirk he attempted to hide behind the little girl’s shoulder wasn’t lost as the two brothers locked eyes across a suddenly tiny room. The silence was palpable. Shane could only stand there and stare a minute as his arms shook by his sides. “You… son of a bitch…” To that James scoffed. He seemed to laugh if only inside his chest as Molly stirred and lulled her head uncomfortably against her father’s shoulder. With voice tight, low with rage he struggled to spit out, “What the hell… she’s my wife-” But James only lifted his chin and smiled back at the other man in a way that could only be seen as proud. He still didn’t speak, clearly enjoying the spectacle of his big brother barely keeping it together as Shane approached another step and James stood his ground still jostling his daughter like some shield between them.

She knew it wasn't her fault but still the words tumbled out. "I'm sorry." It was soft and muffled against his chest just taking the moments to find the comfort in his embrace knowing that no matter what James said or did, he couldn't get to her here in Shane's embrace. She wasn't sure how to tell him what a creep his brother was. That for weeks he had been implying things that she never said, never did, and thought it was okay to treat her like he did in the name of family. Devin knew he was already upset just at the fact James was even living in their walls, knew he was upset with every dig his brother sent. The last thing Devin wanted was to create more bad blood by telling Shane that his brother was a pervert doing all he could to get in her pants and break them up. But today had been the last straw. She still felt like she needed a hot shower just from the way he touched her before... she needed to hear Shane call her "Dev" to make the name less soiled and blackened. What Shane planned on doing, Devin couldn't tell. Yell at him to leave was the first thing that came to her mind. Tell his brother to leave and never come back while she took refuge in the kitchen not wanting to see his face again until forced.

The door shut behind him and Devin could hear Shane start to yell at James. Still her body shook and with the absence of his arms, Devin had to find comfort in her own. It was the sound of items not breaking that struck her keenly. Not that Devin wanted Shane to be slugging his brother and getting into a fist fight in the kitchen, but from the way he straightened his shoulders, Devin knew that the first item she should get when quiet settled was the first aid kit. Another deep breath and she peeked in through the door seeing the stand off and both men waiting for the first strike. It wasn't until James shifted and Molly could clearly be seen cradled against hist chest that Devin's eyes went wide. Once more he was using his daughter, reminding her of her own father who had used her in so many ways just the same. Daughters were always convenient only when they were needed to him; James seemed to be of the same philosophy.

Slipping through the door, the only person Devin was looking at was the little girl. "Shane... don't... not with Molly here," she begged wondering if James was going to be half the man he claimed to be and let the girl go.

James thought the scenario was hilarious if the smile that suddenly settled on his face was anything to go by. Molly was unsettled, clearly she wasn’t used to the physical affection of a father and that alone was one more reason Shane had to hate his so-called brother. The older man had to look away and shake his head, reminded of memories he had no intentions of sharing now but still carried the shame for having foolishly confided in James when he needed his brother the most – only to feel betrayed anew now. Then Devin was there and Shane still couldn’t look at her. Oh James did snicker then. How easy was it to cause friction in a so-called happy relationship? He wanted to laugh into Shane’s face but didn’t as he looked to Devin, then swept another glance from feet to hair and let out a sigh that could have been taken any way. Shane bristled with that scowl pinching his face.

“You don’t really wanna go down that path, do you?” he started. It drew narrowed green eyes just as James expected that it would. The younger man tilted his head and cast out a cautionary expression that bordered on playful. Still he continued to rub his daughter’s back as she lulled there somewhere between sleep and defiance.
“What the hell’s that s’posed to mean?”
“You know exactly what it means, big brother. Just how it sounds.” To Devin he said, “I bet he hasn’t told you-”
“Don’t.”
And just like that James knew he’d won. He knew it and Shane knew it and James laughed. It was short and sharp and laced with bitterness as he looked between the couple again and shook his head.
“He never did, did he? Mr perfect husband… tsk-tsk…”

Like a cornered animal Shane approached again. It was only a few inches but James had expected it enough to put equal distance between them again with another bitter snicker filtering through the thick tense air. “Uh!” James warned gesturing Molly between them with a nudge and lowering of his eyes. It stalled the bigger man off, if again just barely. Still James couldn’t stop smiling. In fact he was practically grinning as he rested his chin on his daughter’s shoulder and looked at his sister-in-law with something akin to sympathy in his eyes. “Wow, you really have been sucked in, haven’t you? Shame. Shame he’s playing you too, hell, he’s been playing you from the start princess, I doubt half the shit he’s told you is the truth, you see Shane here used to be something of a… well… lets just say he’s sowed a few wild oats in his time, isn’t that big brother?”

Shane shook his head. There was nothing on his face beyond hate as James said, “Don’t believe me? Ask that woman that rang the other day, Tali. I know all about it, Shane, she mightn’t, but I know, the rotten apple doesn’t fall far from the tree does it?” he was forced to suck in his intended laugh as Shane charged again and has to back up to the other side of the couch as Molly suddenly erupted into tears.

Her skin literally crawled as if a thousand of bugs were treading across it. If it wasn’t for the fact that Molly was still secure in his arms, that Shane stood between her and the man, Devin would have slapped the grin off his face. Instead she stepped more into Shane’s shadow where she could hide easily from his gaze and more in the protection of the man she loved. Devin wished Molly would wake up wand realize the danger her own father was putting her in. But all Devin could do was stand there and listen to James taunt and threaten her husband some more. As James addressed her solely, Devin gave him a blank look giving nothing away, the only thing she could feel again was the bile at the back of her throat as he coaxed and taunted and tried to make himself the better man in all of it.

As James brought up Shane’s past, Devin tried not to listen. He had forgiven her for hers… at least she thought he had. He had said as much. That was the past… it was who they used to be and not who they were now. Not the people they were to each other any more. She hadn’t asked about his own romantic past because she didn’t want to know. Devin didn’t want to know about ex girlfriends, or women he slept with… all she needed to know now was that she was the only woman he was with, the only woman in his life, and the only one that made his heart skip a beat like he was the only man that could do that to her. But it was hard to ignore what James was saying… Shane was attractive… more than attractive and Devin noticed the looks he got from other women, it wasn’t like the women were trying to hide it. Then there was the issue with his boss coming onto him. But he got fired for not giving in and Devin… against her own better judgment… against the voice of her father telling her how she could ever think a man like Shane could fall for her, stay loyal to her… Devin believed Shane.

“I don’t believe you,” Devin said before James continued… soon cut off by Shane going at him. Molly was quickly thrown out of the way now that she wasn’t much of a defense for James any more. Crying at the noise, at the fall, Devin went to gather the little girl out of the fray and coddle her to her, shushing her and keeping her from seeing her father and uncle. “Shane,” Devin called out to her husband off to the side. “Please just… let him leave…” Devin pleaded of her husband not wanting to traumatize the little girl in her arms any more, nor letting James think he won. All she wanted was for him to be out of their house, that they could go back to the two of them. Hand on her stomach, Devin was trying to calm down Connor who seemed to feel his mother’s agitation. “Please… for Connor,” she begged of him reminding Shane there was another party they had to take into consideration.

Like a trigger fired, Devin’s words caused Shane to react, whether out of frustration or rage or simply impulse too late to stall the truth from coming out of his younger brother’s mouth. Molly dropped to the side as James skirted away, unable to maintain grip on the child who was quickly scooped up into Devin’s arms. James barely registered. Not initially. Shane was on him with fists screwed up in the collar of his shirt and with a hard thud James’ back was against the wall. Pictures on the wall, glass in the windowpane nearby shook from the force of it. “Go on, do it,” James goaded with chin still raised in defiance. Shane’s arms shook as he held his brother against the wall by the collar of his shirt.

“Do it! It won’t change anything and you know it! Be a hero! Show her what you are-”
“I’m nothing like you-”
“Who are you kidding? You wanted it as much as she did-”
“You shut your god-damn mouth-”
“Or what? You gonna fuck me too? Like Tali? Like Ava? Yeah that’s right, I know you went there-”
“You don’t know anything-”
“I know Molly’s as much mine as she is yours, brother-”

The second the word left James’ mouth it was stifled by a blow to the mouth as the laughter that began to bubble up was cut off against the contact of skin and knuckles and hate. The blow had barely been delivered when another was quick on its heels that James was quick this time to weave away from. Nursing his mouth he paused as he dabbed his fingers to his lips and checked for blood before he laughed in spite of the throbbing in his face. He beamed. “Finally,” he growled breathlessly, “There you are. You can act all soccer-dad all you want but I know the real you. The times you fucked my girl behind my back and smiled to my face. You know what it feels like, I know you,” James panted, craning forward with his chin to stress his point as blood seeped on his lip and rolled down his chin. “And this isn’t you. Play her all you want, I’m just giving you a taste of your own medicine big brother, it’s good, huh?-”

“Get out.”
“No, I don’t think so. I’m gonna destroy your family like you destroyed mine. That’s only fair, right?”
“I didn’t-!”
“Didn’t what? Fuck Molly’s mom? More times than I did, I’m sure. Did your wife know that? Did you tell her about the other women before that? Come on Shane, you can run all you want but you are what you are. We’ve done this all our lives, you’re never gonna change, we’re family, it’s what we’ve always done-”

“I won’t say it again.”
“Yes you will,” James said seriously. Now back up to his full height he looked at his brother as though the few inches that separated them were nothing and he were looking down on something far below him. He snorted and smirked as he dragged the back of his hand across his mouth and looked to Devin holding the still sobbing Molly in her arms. He sighed. It was overtly wanton as though his thoughts were open for all to see. “My god, you are fine… you’re still too good for him, and that’s saying something, he’s had the best, always has, haven’t you? Golden boy… having a golden boy… well congratulations…” With a snort James walked away from his brother and started towards Devin and the wet-eyed little girl.

Cradling Molly’s face into her shoulder, Devin shushed the little girl as she cried against her shirt. “Shane!” she called to him trying to get him to drop his brother, tell him to get his stuff and go. At what James said next, Devin’s eyes went to the little girl in her arms. No… that… if Shane had he would have told her. Devin had told him the biggest black mark she had in her past, unprompted, unasked. She had no secrets from him any more. That was what being husband and wife was about. It was about trust and the only way to keep that trust was to not have secrets, at least secrets this big. “Shane, stop!” she yelled at him as he hit James in the face. Molly cried harder at the yelling while Devin tried to block everything James was saying. About Shane sleeping with Molly’s mother, insinuating the child she currently was trying to comfort was his and not James’s.

Letting the little girl go, Devin put space between herself and Molly finding her back against the wall both literally and figuratively as James approached her. “Just leave…” Devin said looking at Shane but knowing that now and here wasn’t the time to voice the words that were going through her head, to ask him the questions she needed answers to. “Get yours and Molly’s stuff and go,” she said, her voice cracking and the tears catching at the back of her throat. To think the day before it was tears of joy that were filling her eyes. James had no heart and obviously she had fallen right into his game. He probably was betting on her talking to Shane. It was all about getting Shane to react, to use her against him. As her arms wrapped around herself, Devin couldn’t look at any of them, finding a blank spot on the floor to look at instead. It wasn’t the battle waging in the living room but that of her head and heart going at one another.

Devin’s mind was agreeing with James. Logic arguing that Shane could have. He had a past. She had married a stranger and who knew what he was like before then, if the man he was today was the same as the man that held her with tears in his eyes the day before. Every moment of tenderness had been an act. But her heart was there just as loud telling her that she loved him, unconditionally and it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was that he loved her, he had said so. He had held her hand looked into her eyes, brow against brow, and told her that he loved her. No matter what James said, no matter what lies, half-truths, or insinuations he was trying to put there, Devin trusted Shane above all of those.

“You don’t know anything about him or who he is. Shane is a good man, the best man no thanks to you and your dad. I love him and he loves me,” Devin said looking past James to Shane, one hand on her stomach and the other wrapped around herself. “And you’ll never know what that’s like.” A tear rolling down her cheek, Devin waited for James to turn down the hall and walk out their front door, to feel Shane pull her to his chest and again tell her he loved her like no one else.