Family Matters

Chapter 20

"I can't believe you pulled that shit," Ellie snapped.

Bastian locked their bedroom door after him and she immediately let loose in a way he had never seen. At first he thought it was adorable, her tiny balled fists and the way she stomped as she paved the room, but soon he would grew annoyed.

"What?" He chuckled as he loosened his tie. "I did it for you, love."

During all the years they were together she'd always kept her cool, played quiet and demure with him for a multitude of reasons. None of those reasons mattered to her in that moment.

"You did it to show how big your dick is," she spat. "You did it to fuck with our heads AND use me for some business bullshit."

"Watch your mouth," he warned her.

Ellie rolled her eyes more annoyed by his lack of reaction than the tone he used. "Why? Why taunt them? I'm trying to do this, for you, Bastian, by you're making it really hard."

His face lit up as he laughed, still playing his charm, and they made eye contact in the jrror as he swung open the closet door. Hanging up his suit coat he turned to her again and his smile was replaced by a dark and cloudy look.

"I'm making it hard? You've been telling Poe about them, Ellie. I specially asked you not to."

She figured he'd realize but she hoped he either let it slide or even forgot but clearly, Bastian did not forget things. "Because you told her they're bad," she said defensively. "They're going to hurt us and break up the family." Dripping with attitude, Ellie glared at him, her hands on her hips, with more confidence than she expected. "I didn't want her thinking that way, not about Hap."

"Did they not?" He asked with a sick smile. "You should be grateful I didn't tell her what you did. I don't know if she'd forgive you."

Ellie scoffed, "She'd never believe you over me."

"Is it a risk you're willing to take?" 

"I'm sick of this!" She shouted in his face. "Everything is a goddamn game! This is my life and I'm sick of your mind fucks." Ellie grabbed the vase from the bureau and flung it at him but, thankfully for her, it missed and shattered against the wall.

With slow and measured steps, Bastian moved across the room toward her wearing a creepily calm expression. "No game," he cupped her cheek sweetly, "No mind fucks. I was trying to do something nice for you by keeping those trashy, caveman bikers close. But," he grabbed her shoulders and pushed her into the wall with all his strength. "You don't seem to appreciate what I'm doing for you."

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, in a daze due to the blow to the head from the wall. "I'm... I'm sorry, baby."

"That's my girl," his hand crept up her leg. "Let me take you to bed."

Ellie agreed in a mumble as he gingerly lifted her against his chest and carried her to bed.

--

Long after Ellie and Bastian's argument, Happy and Rory ended up back at his house while Juice seemingly disappeared.

"That was insane," Rory snapped. "Your poor sister."

Hearing her sympathy surprised Happy but he didn't comment on it. He pulled two beers from his fridge and tossed one in her direction.

"Yeah," he huffed. "Seeing them, the way he fucking controls her, I wanted to rip his heart out."

"I know," she commiserated. "In a way though she did kind of control the situation."