Broken Hands

76. Double Trouble

Russell slipped into the house with Julian sticking to him like glue, their footsteps barely audible as they moved through the quiet entryway. Behind them, Alex walked in, shutting the door with his usual calm precision. His soft eyes flicked toward Russell immediately, narrowing with concern.

"Russell, what happened?" Alex asked, his voice tender but laced with that edge of protectiveness that Russell had come to know well.

Julian wasted no time answering, his voice brimming with both excitement and indignation. "Russell finally served that jerk, Cooper. That boy is trouble, and he's been pushing Russell around for a while now."

Russell shot Julian a warning look. Julian, don't make it worse, he thought.

Alex frowned slightly as he shifted his gaze back to Russell, his expression soft but probing. "Russell, is that right? He's been bullying you?"

Russell shook his head quickly, his fingers fidgeting against the strap of his bag. "Not bullying," he muttered, glancing briefly at Julian before refocusing on Alex. "He's just been... getting on my nerves since the beginning of the term." He hesitated, his voice trailing off as he searched for the right words. "And well, today he said something I couldn't ignore."

Alex moved closer, his brows pulling together as his concern deepened. His presence was steady, unwavering—the kind of calm that promised understanding. "What did he say? I know you hardly snap like that, Russell, so what did he say?"

Russell bit his lower lip, the memory of Cooper's taunts flaring hot in his mind. Julian was staring at him, eager to hear the answer too, but Russell didn't want to say it out loud. Still, there was no avoiding it. He sighed, his voice quieter now.

"He said..." Russell paused, looking for the right alternative. "He said I had a dysfunctional family... and he called Mum... names." His gaze finally lifted to meet Alex's.

Alex's jaw was set slightly, and a flicker of understanding softened his face. He nodded once, the gesture small but firm. "I see," he murmured, exhaling slowly through his nose.

Julian scoffed from beside them, his expression twisted with disgust. "And that's coming from someone who's in foster care?" He crossed his arms, his voice picking up heat. "I wish you'd shoved your fist down his throat."

"Julian!" Alex's tone sharpened, his head snapping toward his son in warning.

Julian rolled his eyes, clearly unrepentant. "Dad, you know I'm not wrong. I mean, he—"

"That's enough," Alex cut him off softly but firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Go to your room, freshen up, and order something for dinner. Your presence here is not required."

Julian huffed dramatically, though there was a teasing glint in his eyes as he turned to head upstairs. "Thumbs up, Russ!" he called over his shoulder as he bounded up the stairs, Stray trotting after him eagerly.

Russell let out a small breath of relief now that Julian was gone, but the weight in his chest hadn't fully lifted. Alex's gaze settled back on him, and Russell tried to hold his composure, though his shoulders slumped slightly under the older man's watchful eyes.

Alex placed a gentle hand on Russell's shoulder, "Are you alright?"

Russell nodded, though it didn't feel entirely true. "Yeah," he muttered, his voice quiet. "I'm just worried about what Dad's going to say. I really don't want him to think I'm losing control and beating people up—or causing trouble. I didn't want it to come to that, but it did." He hesitated before adding softly, "And I'm sorry about that. But I don't regret it."

Alex regarded him for a moment, his expression thoughtful. Then, he ran a hand gently over Russell's hair, his fingers brushing it back in an almost absentminded way, the way he'd always done when Russell was younger. "Hey, that's fine," Alex said, his voice warm but steady. "Sometimes people cross a line that they shouldn't. I'll grab some groceries with Julian and, when I'm back, I'll talk to him."