~ ~ Beatrix ~ ~

Air left my lungs and my stomach churned as Finn was escorted from the room with his sister in tow.

"Bastards, " Cam muttered making his way toward me, settling both his hands on my hips, squeezing gently.  Anger and guilt dominated his face and no doubt his thoughts.

"I shouldn't have told him—this is my fault," he said through gritted teeth.

The churning in my stomach shifted to something darker. "Only one person is to blame."

"Please Bea—"

I shook my head, barking without any bite. "No. And don't think you're going to talk me out of it."

"I won't let you go," he challenged, his mouth pressing into a vexed line.

Like he could stop me.  My bottom lip jutting out, I stepped out of his hold.  "It's not up for discussion, Cam." Not hesitating I headed for the door, grabbing the handle, opening.

Cam closed the distance putting his hand out he pushed it shut before I could escape, then used his much larger body to pin me in place.  Not touching me, but no room for me to leave.

Cam expelled a breath. "What did Finn tell you...about that night?" His tone was coarse, heavy with remorse.

I couldn't—no didn't want to say the word rape.  It conjured up so much anger and disgust that my own flesh and blood would do such a thing. "What Seb did to you was unforgivable."

I slowly turned, my head tilting up.

"Did he—did—" He tripped over his words, taking a measured breath and dropping his hands to his side. "Did he tell you Seb—" Pain lanced across his face. "Filmed...what happened?"

The blood in my veins thickened and chilled. What the hell? If I thought I could hide my shock or disgust. I was wrong.

Cam, unable to hold my gaze shut his eyes, sucking in a staggered breath.  "I don't remember—" Pausing. "Just pain."

I swallowed hard as murderous inclination toward my brother itched under my skin.

"He's gonna tell you I asked for it. But I swear, Bea."  His head moved from side to side almost violently.  "I never..."

His distress tore ribbons from my heart.  Still not looking at me, I gripped his face with both hands, forcing him to look at me. "I believe you."

I did. There wasn't a shred of doubt in my mind, and I felt angry at myself that I'd ran away before knowing the truth.  But Seb had done everything to make sure I left, couldn't get rid of me fast enough.  How stupid was I think that he cared about me?  Selfish bastard only ever looked out for himself.

And now I knew why.

"I hated myself for a long time.  He took so much from me but losing you was the worst part."  He took my hands from his face and held them in his.  "I can't lose you, Bea." 

"This wasn't your fault and I'm not going anywhere."

"Wasn't it—my fault?"  He searched my face for answers.  "Seb told me he loved me, Bea."

And the last piece fell into place.  The jealousy.  His resentment toward me laid out bare. He'd wanted what was mine.

Cam continued. "I laughed it off." Letting go of one hand he dragged it across his mouth and chin.  "I didn't know what to say to him." His head tilted back, looking up. "I swear I never felt anything. He was like my fricken brother for christ sake."  Frustration deepened his voice.  "I never led him on or made him think I would be interested in a relationship."

"Look at me Cam."  He lowered his head, and I smoothed his hair from his face, keeping my tone soft. "Nothing gave him the right to do what he did—that wasn't love."

"I lost you."

"We've lost time, but nothing more.  My feelings haven't changed. Never will."

His chest expanded, eyes darkened.

"Now you have to trust me to fix this. I have to help Finn."

Cam's jaw flexed ready to dig in and fight me on it, but what he didn't realise was my brother had hurt me too.  True, it in no way compared to what he'd done to him.  But all those years I'd been broken, unable to let others in and trust. "He took something from me also, Cam."

Realisation dawned on his face as he nodded slowly accepting he wouldn't win this. "Then I'm coming with you."

"No."

"But what if—"

"There are no buts. I'm doing this alone."

"He's your only living relative. All that you have left, Bea."

"I don't care if he declares himself to be Jesus.  I'm done.  I've tried over the years—but no more.  Family don't hurt each other."  Unable to speak another word, Cam captured my mouth, it was sweetened with desire and desperation.  His hands snaked around my waist pulling me tightly against him.

"I love you so fucking much Bea."

"I know."  He loosened a soul weary sigh resting his forehead against mine. "You have to let me do this Cam, and I promise I'll come to yours as soon as it's done."

~ ~

Arriving at my parents' house, I didn't need to knock.  I had keys—or at least I hoped he hadn't changed the locks.  Fingers crossed I inserted the key

I let out a breath as the latch clicked, stepping inside.

It was weird being back...inside my family home. My eyes travelled around the room as an offbeat sense of discord swelled extending outward to steal my breath.  It was nothing like I remembered.  Seb had wiped clean every memory.  Not a picture or family memento remained.  I hoped to Christ he'd packed them away in storage.

I called out his name, there was no misreading my bitter tone.

No reply.

I made my way upstairs.  My feet led me to what had been our parents' room.

The same. Everything was gone.  Wiped clean. The master bedroom was now Seb's.  Leaving the door open, I opened my bedroom door.  A single box sat in an empty room.  It was filled with my things. He'd condensed everything into a small box.

Bastard.

Only one thing for it—I would wait until the coward showed his face.

Making myself at home—technically it was my home. I brewed a coffee and sat at the kitchen table.  I thought back over our childhood.  We'd never been close and after Dad died, I was a burden, but I honestly thought he'd cared for me on some level...loved me deep down.

And would look out for me if I ever needed him,  Not forgetting his promise to dad.  I'd let him treat me badly for years and even when I knew he'd screwed me over, stealing my inheritance, I hadn't confronted him as a small part of me hoped we could build a better relationship, he was after all my only living relative and what was money at the end of the day?

But after what I'd learned today—I was done.  He was nothing to me.

An hour later a breeze from the front door opening whipped around my feet. Seb swanned through the kitchen door wearing his smug indignation like a fucking coat and with self-opinionated eyes he peered down his nose as I sat here.

"What do you want Bea?"  He sniffed as though annoyed at me.

Hair dishevelled; my eyes ran over the rest of him. Dried blood stained his shirt and a tear to his pants sat just above the knee.  A cut over one eye and the other slightly swollen with blue hazes. His bottom lip busted, and he was standing but leaning to the left... protecting his ribs? I wondered.

"That's all you have to say?"

Seb glared at me. "I'm not in the fucking mood.  I've been in A+E with several bruised ribs and ten stitches, all courtesy of that nutter, attacking me."  He lifted his shirt, and I could see a large strip of white gauze plaster just above his hip.  "And a mild concussion."

This earned Finn blows jobs for life. Starting as soon as they released him from police custody.

"That nutter, or I much prefer hero, is my boyfriend. Finn Wilder."

Seb's brows lifted then furrowed. "Does that mean you're not back with Cam?"

"I'm back with Cam." I cast a wry smile. "He's mine too."

He bit out a curse and that's when I saw it—jealousy. He still had feelings for Cam.

"And just so you know.  Cam is Finn's boyfriend too."

Ouch... that hurt him as his eyes lit with anger and something else. He'd assumed Cam turned him down because he thought was straight.

I watched him put the pieces together... Cam wasn't as straight as he thought.

Rising from my chair, I walked around the table, each step unhurried.  Coming to a stop within touching distance and before I could think what I was doing, I slapped him—hard.  So hard his teeth rattled, and my palm stung.

But fuck me, it felt good.

"What the fuck, Bea!?" he seethed, covering my beautiful blossoming hand-stain.  "Whatever he's said to you is a fucking lie!"

Violence tickled my fingertips, clenching into a fist. "He told me you filmed it—you sick bastard."

He stilled, the pulse in his temple throbbed.

"Show it to me."  I would not watch it. But I would delete it, then smash his phone to bits.

Glancing down, I saw the corner of his phone poking from his pocket.  I attempted to seize it.

He grabbed my wrist in a remarkably tight grip. On instinct, my fist shot up and connected with his nose.  I heard the crack and hoped it was broken.

"Jesus Christ!" He stumbled backward, cupping his face.

"I'll ask again and give me the wrong answer and will I break every one of your ribs before moving onto your balls."  To emphasise and before he could stop me, I closed the distance and gripped his nuts tightly in my hand.

Ivy would have killed to have seen this.

He jumped back and yelped, forcing me to let go.  I wasn't proud of my behaviour or violence toward him.  But he deserved every bruise.

Blood ran from his nose as he made his way to sink, running water.  "You're fucking crazy. Get out.  Before I call the police."

I folded my arms and glared at him. "Yea, I'll put the kettle on and when they get here, we can have a pleasant chat about you raping my boyfriend before we move onto embezzlement and fraud."

That had his attention, and his head whipped around.  "I never raped him and what the fuck you are talking about? ...Fraud?"

"Don't fucking lie to me. I know you better than anyone, Seb."

His left eye twitched.

"You forget.  I know what you look like when you lie."

His gaze dropped.  "And what?  You didn't think I would find out about our parents' will?  How they left us this house and the cottage in somerset? Oh and not to mention life insurance."

Realisation fell like a curtain over his scowl.  And finally he looked nervous, licking his bottom lip.

"I want the recording of you raping my boyfriend."

He threw a hand up in the air, refusing to look at me. "There isn't one.  I fucking lied, alright!"  He pressed the towel to his nose, smearing blood.

A long beat of silence and then finally his eyes drew to mine. "That's the first true thing I've heard you say."

He walked toward the table, pulled out a chair and sat pressing his towel to his nose.

He looked pathetic.  On the way here, tonight. I'd prepared an entire conversation with a list of questions... the number one being—why?

But honestly, I didn't want to spend a minute longer with him than needed.  He made me physically sick and just breathing the same air made me feel dirty and ashamed that we shared the same blood.

"I don't know why Cam didn't report you to the police."  I lied—it was because of me. He wanted to protect me.

Dropping my arms I walked to the table and pressed my hands flat. "This is what you're going to do."  I watched his jaw twitch, but he kept quiet.

"Number one.  Withdraw your charges against Finn.  Tell them it was self-defence and you hit him first."

His nostrils flared.

"Every bit of hurt you feel is justice for what you did. But it by no means vindicates you—it doesn't come close to what you actually deserve."

I took a breath.  "Two.  I want you out of this house by the end of the week or else I go to the police and trust me—you don't have a leg to stand on."

That hit him hard.  It was clear he'd thought I was dumb and didn't know that he'd signed my name to sell the cottage in Somerset and pocketed the money for himself.

"Three.  I don't want to hear or see you again.  I don't have a brother."

Silence.

"Bea... please,"

Oh, now he was being nice.

"Please—this is my home, Bea."

"Correction, it's mine.  Just like Cam's mine and always was."

His hand clenched into a fist.

"My solicitors will contact you tomorrow. Anything you need to say, do it through them."

He remained quiet, but I could feel his anger, hatred toward me.  "Do you understand?"

One breath.

Two breaths.

"Fine," he gritted out.

Not sparing him another glance. Head held high, I walked from the kitchen and out the front door.  Pulling out my phone, I messaged Cam to tell him I was heading back.

About to ring for a taxi, I remembered Finn's car was here.  Spotting it, I breathed a sigh of relief. One less thing to worry about.

I let myself with the Finn's key.  Dropping them on the table with his wallet and phone. Looking up, I was met with a pensive face.

I smiled and the distance between us was swallowed up as he swept me up, kissing me like his life depended on it.

Coming up for air. "No sign of Finn?"

He shook his head. "No." He rubbed his nose along mine.  "Are we okay?" he edged back.

"Yes, we're better than okay. And he'll drop the charges against Finn."

An audible sigh left his lips.  "Thank you," he whispered.

"He also lied about filming it."

"Yeah?"

I nodded as relief filled his eyes and he leaned in for another kiss.