Beautiful Oblivion (Maddox Brothers #1)(63)
Author: Jamie McGuire

ASSHOLES

Trenton’s phone buzzed, and he picked it up, and then rolled his eyes. I’d sent the text to him, too.

“Hey. They came after me.”

“Are they okay?” I asked.

“They’re hurting. They’ll hurt worse in the morning. But it’s done.”

My face compressed. “Trent! Damn it! This has got to stop!”

“I told you, baby, it’s done. Coby was with them. He didn’t jump in. He tried to talk them out of it. I beat their asses. They agreed to back off.”

My phone chirped. It was Chase.

Sorry. We worked it out. It’s all good.

How does your face feel?

Not good.

Good.

Raegan’s eyes widened a bit before she backed out and walked to her room.

I glared at Trenton.

“What did you want me to do? Let them beat my ass?”

My face smoothed. “No. I hate that it happened in front of Olive. I’m worried about her.”

Trenton climbed out of bed, flipped off the light, and then crawled back in beside me. “You’ll see her tomorrow. She’s okay. I explained it to her, and then I explained it to her parents.”

I cringed. “Were they mad?”

“A little. But not at me.”

“Do you need an ice pack or anything?”

Trenton chuckled. “No, babe. I’m good. Go to sleep.”

I relaxed against him, but it took me quite a while to fall asleep. My mind wouldn’t stop racing, and I could tell from his breathing that Trenton wasn’t asleep, either. Finally, my eyes got heavy, and I let myself drift off.

When my eyes finally opened, the clock said 10:00, and Olive was standing next to my bed, staring at me. I held the covers against my chest, aware that I was nearly naked beneath them.

“Hey, Olive,” I said, squinting. “Where’s Trent?”

“He’s bringing in the gwocewies.”

“Groceries?” I said, sitting up. “What groceries?”

“We went shopping this mowning. He said you wuhr out of a few things, but he has six sacks.”

I leaned over but only saw the open front door.

Brazil stepped into the hallway, his dark bronze skin covered only by a pair of green plaid boxers. He yawned, scratched his ass, and then turned around to see Olive. He crossed his hands over his groin that was just waking up as well.

“Whoa! What’s she doing here?”

“She’s here with Trent. You’re back already?”

“Got here as Trent was leaving.”

“Put your damn clothes on, you don’t live here.”

Olive shook her head, scolding him with her sparkling green eyes.

Brazil retreated to Raegan’s room, and I nodded toward the door. “Beat it, kid. I’ve gotta get dressed, too.” I winked at her, and she grinned before skipping into the living room.

I shut my bedroom door and dug into my drawers for socks and a bra, then slipped on a pair of jeans and a cream sweater. My hair still stunk like forty packs of cigarettes from working at the Red the night before, so I pulled it back into a tiny ponytail, sprayed some body spray on it, and called it good.

When I walked into the kitchen, Trenton was joking with Olive, putting away canned goods, among other things. All of the cabinets were open, and they were all full.

“Trenton Allen!” I gasped and covered my mouth. “Why did you do that? You’re supposed to be saving money!”

“I spend a lot of time over here, eating a lot of your food, and I am three hundred bucks ahead, especially after Travis’s year-end fight.”

“But you don’t know when it is or even if it’s going to happen. Travis is all about Abby, now. What if he quits? What if the other guy backs out?”

Trenton smiled and pulled me into his arms. “You let me worry about it. I can buy a few groceries once in a while. I got some for my dad, too.”

I hugged him, and then pulled the last cigarette out of my pack. “You didn’t happen to pick up more cigarettes, did you?” I asked.

Trenton seemed disappointed. “No. Are you out? I can run back and pick up some.”

Olive crossed her arms. “Smoking is bad fowr you.”

I pulled the cigarette from my mouth and set it on the counter. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t patwonize me. You should quit. Twent should quit, too.”

Trenton watched Olive for a moment, and then looked to me.

I shrugged. “It was getting expensive, anyway.”

Trenton pulled his pack from his coat pocket and crushed them with one hand, and then I picked up my last one, and broke it in half. Trenton tossed his in the trash, and so did I.

Olive stood in the middle of my kitchen, happier than I’d ever seen her, and then her beautiful green eyes began to leak.

“Aw! Ew! Don’t cry!” Trenton said, sweeping her up into his arms. She hugged him, and her little body began to shake.

She sat up, faced me, and wiped one of her wet eyes. “I’m just so bwessed!” she said, sniffling.

I hugged Trenton, sandwiching her in between us. Trenton’s eyebrows shot up, both amused and touched by her reaction.

“Gosh, Ew, if I’d known it was that important to you, I would have thrown them away a long time ago.”

She pressed her palms against his cheeks, making his lips pooch out. “Mommy says that she is more proud of quitting smoking than almost anything. Except me.”

Trenton’s eyes softened, and he hugged her to him.

Olive watched cartoons on the love seat until Trenton had to go home to get ready for work. I beat him to Skin Deep and decided to dust and vacuum because Calvin had already opened the shop, turning on all the lights and the computer, which is what I usually did when I arrived.

Hazel burst through the front door, nearly hidden behind her big orange coat and thick scarf. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” she said, rushing to her room.

I followed her in, curious.

She sprayed the chair with MadaCide, and then disinfected everything else. She was rummaging through her drawers, setting out various packages, and then turned around to face me. “I’m going to wash my hands, glove up, and then I’ll be ready!”

I frowned. “Ready for what? You don’t have an appointment this morning.”

A mischievous grin swept across her face. “Oh, but I do!”

She left for about five minutes and then returned, putting her gloves on. “Well?” she said, looking at me expectantly.

“Well what?”