chapter 182

Orion POV

Evelyn still hadn't come up to bed, both Ryland and Thaddeus were curled up together fast

asleep beside me. Ryland tossed slightly as he dreamed. I wasn't game enough to interfere in his

head. I didn't want to see what haunted him, I already knew by the anguish smashing me in the

bond. I shake his shoulder and he opens his eyes for a second before rolling over and spooning

Thaddeus. My shaking him must have been enough to disturb his dreams as he settled peacefully,

his heart rate calming.

Hopping up I go in search of Evelyn, ducking my head into Mara’s room, I pull up her unicorn

duvet tucking her in and making sure she is warm. Flicking off her nightlight before walking back

out and shutting the door. I find Evelyn asleep passed out. Annoyed, I pick up the empty beer

bottles from around the couch and the empty scotch bottle before discarding them in the bin.

Walking back out, I chuck another log on the fire making sure it doesn't go out. This house was cold

in the mornings.

Scooping my arms under her legs and her back I pick her up, she turns into me trying to get

comfortable in my arms. I walk upstairs placing her next to Thaddeus, she rolls into him seeking

warmth or his skin. Thaddeus growls at her in his sleep pushing her arm off and I sigh, watching as

she rolls over before hopping up. Her eyes opened for a second as she looked around trying to

figure out how she got upstairs before sinking back down into bed completely oblivious to me

standing there like she looked straight through me. She pulls the covers up rolling back into

Thaddeus who tosses her arm off again. He was completely asleep but even though he was asleep

he could still identify her touch, he moved away from her and I sat next to her grabbing my book.

Thaddeus had been with Ryland all day, skipped work trying to calm him over their tiff this

morning. I was finding the place suffocating with everyone's mood swings, we had been here two

nights and it had been nothing but arguments. We needed a break and I was starting to think it was

from each other. Ryland and Thaddeus built on anger and consumed with each other. I felt like an

outsider, just hovering in the middle somewhere. Evelyn was back and forth and I don't think she

realised how rude she could be. Our usually calm mate is now snapping and snarling at us and half

the time, I don't even think she realises the tone she uses.

Evelyn moves, rolling the other way draping her arm across my lap, she shivers from my colder

skin but nestles in getting comfortable. I felt like I was caught between them having to choose.

Ryland and Thaddeus for years were two peas in a pod, always close while I was the outsider but

now I was finding more comfort in them but still pulled to her, a tug of war, but one thing remains I

have been with them longer, knew what they needed so was easier to cope with them. Evelyn she

just shoves everyone out and deals her own way so I figured I will let her deal with it herself.

Hearing Mara cry out, I climb out of bed to make her a bottle she was sitting up in bed when I

walk in her eyes glowing in the darkness, she hands me her bottle.

“Lay back down” I tell her before ducking down to make her bottle and coming back. I tuck her

back in and go to walk out.

“Stay Dadda" She whines shuffling over, I walk over climbing in her bed with her, my feet

dangling off the end and I wait for her to go to sleep, letting my mind drift. By the time I was pulled

from my thoughts it was morning and I awoke to the sound of arguing. Mara is stirring at the sound

and I become angry that once again the morning starts with fighting. Getting up I tuck her in,

before walking out and across the hall and open the bedroom door.

“Just fuck off to work Evelyn,” Ryland snaps at her. Evelyn looked hungover and I wouldn't be

surprised if she was still drunk as she stumbled around trying to find clothes.

“Can you just shut up, why do you have to be so loud?” She snaps at him and I look at

Thaddeus who was on the bed looking ready to rip both of them a new one as they argued back

and forth slamming drawers shut too loudly and stomping around.

Evelyn grabs some clothes before shoving past me,"Move"” she snaps and I grip her arm.

“What's going on?" I ask her as she tries to leave.

“Ask him, I woke up to him screaming at me for touching him the fuck wit” She says shaking my

arm off.

I look at him confused, “She was fucking squashing me. I thought she was asleep on the

lounge. I rolled and she fell off and thinks I did it deliberately” he says.

“But she was next to Thaddeus” I tell him remembering where i placed her, she must have

rolled over him in her sleep.

“Yeah well that's not where she woke up, she was laying on my back” I pinch the bridge of my

nose, now they were arguing over who was sleeping where, Thaddeus looked just as annoyed over

the ridiculous situation.

“Good morning” He says to me and I smirk at his sarcasm as he yawns, stretching his arms

above his head.

“Orion, where are your car keys?" Evelyn calls from downstairs.

“Why?” I sing back out, walking out and looking over the bannister.

“I need to borrow it,” She says.

“I need my car today, Mara has a playgroup” I tell her and she huffs. She goes to ask one of

them but Ryland calls out from the room.

“Your not borrowing mine” He says and she rolls her eyes and I could feel her frustration and

feel Ryland happy he was ticking her off. So god darn childish.

“Can I borrow yours?” She calls to Thaddeus.

“It's not here, it's getting the back door replaced because you broke it" He says walking over to

me and standing behind me.

“Can I pinch your spare tyre?” She asks looking up at me. I sigh, not particularly feeling like

changing tyres and was about to walk down.

“You know what don't fucking worry about, you can all go fuck yourselves” She says before

storming out of the house before I could even tell her I was going to change it for her.

“Fucking drama queen” Ryland says walking out.

“You don't need to be a dick” I told him.

“She fucking started it"

“No, you are just still pissed about yesterday,” I tell him and he shrugs while walking off into the

bathroom. Mara walks out of her room rubbing her eyes. She hears the shower turn on in the

bathroom before looking up excitedly, her eyes sparkling, the kid loves water and shower time. I

chuckle at her knowing she was about to go invade his shower and sure enough she runs straight

for the bathroom banging on the door with her tiny fists.

“Let dad shower by himself for once,” I tell her and she pouts at me, I roll my eyes pulling her

shirt off and open the door.

“Ah hurry up then” I hear Ryland tell her before opening the shower screen. I go grab her a

towel from the linen cupboard before going in. Ryland strips the rest of her clothes off before she

runs out and grabs some toys. I laugh as he rolls his eyes when she comes in with an armful before

sitting on the shower floor playing with them while he tries not to step on her.

“She really needs to stop thinking she can shower with us every time” He tells me and I agree,

soon as the kid hears water she comes running.