PULL (BXB)

I Should Have Guessed

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***Mark's POV***

"Are they fucking serious?" Macy's voice carries above the mob that is becoming irritated. Staring at my sister, I shake my head to dismiss whatever irrational thoughts she may be entertaining.

I expected this.

"You are not welcomed here. Invitation only." Gavin charges towards my parents before I can raise a hand to stop the pint sized nurse. I almost laugh out my gratitude when Alex pulls the boy back by his waist. Gavin's arms flail while he gives his best effort to escape the prison of Alex's hold.

"It is okay. Everyone head to the reception." I can hear the stress in Mak's voice as he attempts to reign in the crowd. I imagine that we are far past this step. We might as well face the intruders head on.

I turn back towards my parents as my feet start carrying me forward. My steps are abruptly cut off. Standing in shock, I put my hand over my mouth to keep the noise from escaping.

Without warning, Mama Angela lands a crude slap across my birth mother's face. The look of anger and shock bring simple joy to me.

"Are you okay?" Seb puts his lips to my ear as he begs for a status update on my building emotions.

"I expected nothing less. Let's just clear this up so we can get on with the evening." The slow thud of a building tension headache alerts me that I may not be as calm as I had hoped.

"You bitch!" My mother raises her hand to bring retaliation to my mother-in-law. The only thread on my hopeful sanity begins to unravel. Before I can make an intentional move, I find myself standing in front of the woman who carried me for nine months. I can feel my warm breath dancing between us as I stare into her impassioned eyes. I see the hatred swirling behind the pointed glare.

"That is enough." The low warning comes out louder than I intended. My arm comes down gently, with great effort, to press a halting hand onto my mother's wrist. She will not be throwing slurs or hands this evening.

"We have every right to be here." My mother practically spits her venomous proclamation in my face.

"I told you we should just let him marry that boy. If he wants to ruin his life, who are we to stop him?" My father's words rub me the wrong way in every direction. That boy happens to be the love of my life. Sebastian is my husband.

"Mario, please escort the unwelcome patrons to the exit." Grey gives the order with a deep sigh. I know how badly Grey hates my parents. I don't blame him. Grey is in good company.

"Marcus Fletcher, we didn't raise you to be so disrespectful." My mother pushes through with one last inflammatory response causing me to see red.

"You didn't raise me at all. Every moment of my life I was expected to fit into your idea of what was socially acceptable. The only thing you two cared about was that we looked good on paper." I take a breath before letting my thoughts make their way to my acidic tongue. "Families are supposed to support one another. You did everything in your power to destroy anything and anyone that threatened to tarnish your idea of a perfect image. Congratu-fucking-lations. It worked. You no longer have a son. I don't want to ever see either of you again." My last words come out with an anger so tangible that I feel as though they have physically ripped themselves from my throat.

I watch my mother turn her head toward my father before looking at me as if I were nothing more than a stranger. Ditto. I feel exactly the same way.

"You will regret this, Mark Fletcher." My father spits at my feet before turning to follow Mario towards the back exit of the ceremony.

"I highly fucking doubt that. It's Mark Royals now, not that you need to remember that." I turn away from the entire crowd, separating myself from Sebastian as I move towards the entrance to the foyer. I can't go into the reception when my head is pounding, mirroring the dancing elephants that are abusing my chest.