WHEN TRAE AND Lindy pulled up to their house, the yellow lights of their living room were still turned on and could be seen from the driveway, which could only mean one thing — Lee was preparing to raise hell.
"Fuck," Trae said roughly. "He's up."
"Of course he's up," Lindy said with a sigh, although her heart had been racing the whole ride home. "He would never miss a chance to ream us."
"I'll go in first," Trae decided gallantly, shutting the car off. He smiled slightly at his sister. "I'm guessing the night was at least worth it for you. Or at least that's what I heard from Krist."
Lindy furrowed her brows and resisted the urge to sink lower into her seat. Her neck and face burned with that familiar hot feeling as Trae's knowing eyes rested on hers.
"Butt out, Trae," she commanded.
"I will, but only because I don't agree with the false patriarchal positions brothers assume over their sisters," he announced smartly.
"Okay, we get it, you're changing the world one step at a time. Now get inside please before he comes out here and causes a scene," Lindy pleaded.
Trae walked up first with Lindy following closely behind, tip-toeing in the wake of his shadow like a quiet mouse. When Trae slowly opened the front door, the hinges squeaking eerily in their place, they instantly recognized the sound of their father clomping down the stairs.
"Trae—," Lindy began, reaching for her brother as a series of warning signals went off in her head. It was too late. Lee came bounding in from the kitchen and grabbed Trae by his shirt collar, dragging him into the house violently.
"You little shit!" Lee roared. He threw Trae to the ground, and Lindy screamed, never having seen her father act so murderous towards her brother. Trae scrambled to his feet, backing away from Lee as he charged forward again.
"I know where you fucking went. Lindsey's friend's house, my ass. I have a buddy who lives in Raymond. He kindly called the house phone when he saw you two leaving a party three houses down from him," Lee hissed, scrunching his face angrily.
Lindy's stomach dropped as she realized her and Trae were about ten times more in trouble after Lee's discovery. There was no way they would walk free after this.
"We weren't there for the party," Trae started. "A friend's band playing and we just wanted to go to support—,"
Trae had no time to finish his defense. Lee grabbed him once more, wrenching his shirt between his fingers and slamming Trae up against a wall. A framed photo of the family, taken back when Hannah was still alive, came crashing down and splintered glass across the floor.
"You think I'm stupid, kid? I'll kill you for going behind my back, you little shit," Lee barked, shaking Trae horribly in his grasp.
Lindy knew she had to intervene, because in the moment, she imagined Lee really killing Trae right then and there in the living room. The instinct to protect her brother, the only person she loved in the world, overcame her as she ran towards Lee and brought her fist down on his back.
"Let him go! Stop!" she shouted, pounding another fist down with all the strength that she could muster between Lee's shoulder blades.
Lee whirled around, stiff-arming Lindy's chest and sending her small frame flying backwards. She stumbled into the couch and fell to the ground once she lost her footing, suddenly disoriented by Lee's physical assault on her. Trae shoved Lee off and ran to her, crouching down protectively over his sister as Lee loomed from the corner.
