Thick As Blood {A Menendez Brothers Fic}

28. The Talk

To think how drastically different my life would be once we left Florida and entered this absurdly dangerous world that is called Beverly Hills, was almost laughable. My father demonstrated just how evil he truly is, how calculating and malicious he is by nature. I always thought he was pure evil. But now? He sprouted the horns to prove it, along with poisonous toxins that spread whenever he spoke. He's the epitome of evil. And I knew I could never escape his clutches. Not alive.

"I—I've been having nightmares. I feel like I'm the reason Aunt Clara is dead. That somehow, I killed her. She was trying to protect us. All of us. But—but she payed the price for my actions." Did I regret what Erik and I did the night we left the party? Absolutely not. It brought us that much closer. I wouldn't change that moment for anything. But—but I still clung to the fact that I didn't obey my father. Which resulted in a human life being taken away. One that meant the absolute destruction of any ounce of humanity that I always wanted to believe was in my father. But who was I kidding? He never had any. He was born evil. This, I knew.

"Ana... you aren't to blame. That thought being placed in your head? Is your dads doing. He knows you're dating Erik. He knows, and he hates it. He despises Erik and I because we're taking his little girl away from him. But that's the thing. I have a moral obligation to keep you guys safe. And I'll do anything to accomplish that." Lyle said with so much determination within his more than serious tone, his soothing eyes reflecting how he truly felt with one simple glance. I knew from the moment we had met one another, that Lyle would become more to me than just a friend. He'd be the ultimate protector, the most amazing best friend, and all and all he's family. Just as Erik is.

"And you know I won't let him do a thing to you, beautiful. I swore I'd keep you safe. That's what I promised when I asked you to go out with me. Because you're not some passing fling as your dad once tried to say. You're—so much more than that." Erik's soft spoken words nearly did my heart in from how truly sweet and thoughtful he is. Erik's tenderness with me is something I've always admired. The compassionate way he always finds himself being around me, is just a show of his character. He doesn't let anything bog him down, he doesn't let what he's been through turn him into something he's not.

"Truth is, you've changed our outlook on life from the moment you stepped foot in our house for the first time. From the moment you stepped foot into our lives. You give us hope. You give us love. Actual love." I nearly broke down from Lyle's sudden trembling voice, never really used to seeing him being the one to get emotional when we speak about these things. But then again, this was the first time we had truly talked out what we are to each other.

"You know I can't express enough how deeply I love you both. I just can't. Because there aren't enough words to even describe how I feel." I gently wrapped my arms around them both as we sat atop Lyle's very messy bed, their hands drawing soothing patterns amongst my back through my thin pajama top. I softly kissed Lyle's cheek, then kissed Erik's lips with so much tenderness and love behind it, my fingers gently touching his cheek once we had pulled away from one another.

"Truth is, we have to stick together. We have to show our parents that we aren't breaking apart. And we aren't following their rules. Not anymore." But that was easier said than done. I knew this. My words echoed between the three of us like a mantra we needed so desperately to follow. But oh how hard it would be.
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(40 Minutes Later)
Gently kissing Ava on the forehead, tucking her further into the blankets she'd clearly had been moving around in, I gazed upon her more than peaceful face with so much warmth. She's the reason I can't leave. If I went to UCLA, she'd be alone in this house with him more often than not. And I couldn't handle that. I just couldn't.

"Miss Ana?" Helen startled me from her sudden appearance in Ava's room, having figured out I must have wandered into here since I wasn't in my own room. She knew how protective I was over Ava. And she admired it wholeheartedly.

"Helen? Is everything okay?" Her little smile spoke volumes on an indication of why she was looking for me. Erik. She loved Erik and Lyle like she was their mom. Just as she has done for me since living in this house, she looks out for them as well. If Jose calls over here to asks if they'd been there, she covers for us. If anything is asked about my whereabouts, she says I'm with Stacey. She knew what life was like in this house.

"Sweet Erik is waiting for you downstairs." Knowing it was 2:00 in the morning from the little cloud clock Ava has on her wall, I couldn't help but to smile from the thought that he had snuck over to see me. But I wasn't prepared for the subject matter that would be brought up. And how it would absolutely affect the next few weeks. Softly creeping down the stairs as not to alert my father that something was amiss, I practically hopped into Erik's open arms from the mere sight of him standing below the staircase.

"Hello handsome. Now what brings you over on this fine day?" He softly smiled at my attempt at humor, gently guiding me into the living room where we could be alone without any distractions or fear of someone looming over us. My father didn't get up until at least 5. So I knew we would be okay.

"There's—there's something I have to tell you. I didn't earlier because Lyle would have gotten mad. But—" He trailed off for what felt like ages, his eyes immediately glazing over in such pain and sadness. The worst I'd ever seen in him. The smile on my lips had faltered from the mere state of him, my hands finding his in the dimly lit room in utter fear of my own.

"Erik.....? What's going on?" Tightly, he gripped onto my hands for comfort. He was scared to tell me what it is that was bothering him. But when he did, my heart seemed to break into millions of pieces.

"It's still happening. My—my dad. He's—he's still doing it. He's still—" Tears began to cascade down his face in utter pain, pain he'd been suffering from for years. I knew what he meant, what he was talking about. Absolutely heartbroken, I just held him to me with as much love as I could possibly offer. It shattered me to think what he's been going through in absolute silence. I knew Lyle and I were the only ones that knew. And the both of us? Wanted nothing more than for this to end.