Living with the Grace Boys

Chapter 9

Hey darlings!! What do you think of the story so far? Comment what you want to see happen. Anyone that has a cover can send it to me if they want me to use it. Plus if I use it, you get a shoutout and possible follow. Anyway, thanks a billion!! Peace out losers✌️!!

Rae's POV

After we finished our snack, Isaac came down the stairs. He looked a little shaken up. Griffin followed after him, he looked hella nervous.

"Sterling, can I um, talk to you? Alone?" Griffin's voice was shakey.

"Yeah. Everyone upstairs. Work on homework." We all turn to leave the room. I realize that I left all of my textbooks at school.

"Elliot and Shane can I borrow your textbooks? I left mine in my locker."

"Sure. You can work with us in our room." Elliot answers. I nod. We leave.

*********

Sterling's POV

Griffin sat down across from me. Isaac is the last to leave. He lingers for a few minutes until Griffin tells him to leave.

"What's wrong Griffin?"

"I'm going to tell you something and your not going to like it."

"Okay. Shoot."

"I went out looking for Dad today."

"WHAT!? Griffin I told you to stop doing that! Why don't any of you guys ever listen to me!?" That's twice today that someone has told me what they've been up to. Twice now that I've gotten angry over it.

"Sterling, it's no big deal. I'm ok."

"That's not the point. That bastard left us. Why would you want him back?"

"Because he's our Dad, Sterling."

I take a deep breath. I can barely get any of them to listen to me anymore. I feel like I'm losing them.

"Sterling?" Liam. Shit, did he hear that?

"What buddy?" I can see that's he's been crying. His eyes are all puffy.

"Sterling, he hurt me again. On my back." He taps his shoulder blade and winces. I frown.

"Let me see."

Liam walks over and I kneel down. I lift up his shirt to see his back; it's all red and there are welts on it.

"Griffin, get him ice." Griffin nods. Sadly, we've been through this before. "I'll go talk to Mr. Pikes."

I walk upstairs and find him in his study. I knock.

"Come in!"

"Um, Mr. Pikes, sir? What did Liam do this time?"

"For your information, he came in here and bugged me, and then proceeded to ask me questions after I told him to leave. When he didn't, I needed to punish him."

I can't believe this. Liam is 8, he doesn't know any better. Plus that doesn't sound like him.

"Was it necessary to hit him as hard as you did?"

"What, is that baby crying? I could hit him harder. Or would you rather me hit you."

"I'd rather you not hit any of my brothers, but hit me instead of them. Please."

"I'll think about it. Now leave me be."

I walk downstairs and into the kitchen. Griffin is sitting with Liam on his lap. Liam's shirt is on the floor and he has ice held over his back.

"How ya doin' buddy?"

"It's better. But it still hurts."

"Okay. What did you do to make him hit you?"

"He-he came into my room and wanted me to," He gulped. The tears came running down his face. "He wanted me to undress. He wanted to touch me Sterling." He cried even harder.

"That little bastard." I mumble under my breath. "Come here Liam." I take Liam into my arms. I walk him around the kitchen. We leave Griffin sitting on the stool in the kitchen. Liam sniffles into my shoulder.

"How about tonight we all stay in the big bedroom and have a little fun night? How does that sound?" He nods his head and continues to cry into my shoulder.

I walk upstairs with him to my bedroom. I lay him on the bed and settle in next to him. I tell him to rest and I do too. He snuggles close to my chest. I feel awful that he keeps getting hurt, but I don't know what to do. This is the best home, most of the time. I really need to do a better job at being the older brother. Right now I fucking suck at it.