My New Step-Brother - Part 12

All characters are 18+

"I've already explained this" Bernie said sternly, "I have no idea who or where this Jayden boy is, and quite frankly, I'm not exactly sure that running around after a grown man for no reason at all, is a good use of your time, officer" she quipped, and I could hear the venom in her voice.

"He's not a grown man" one of the officers replied, "he's a sick teenager, and his parents are worried about him".

"His parents?" Bernie scoffed, "the same parent who smashed him over the head with a vase, and got him arrested for it? Oh yes, they sound terribly concerned".

"I thought you didn't know who he was?"

A silence fell and I winced.

"Do you mind if we come in and take a look around?"

"Yes, I absolutely do mind" Bernie barked, "you're not stepping foot inside my house without a warrant".

"Mom?" A young voice called from somewhere else in the house, "are Tucker and Jayden finished in the bathroom?"

I sighed, and slumped against the wall.

"You do know that it's an offence to lie to the police, ma'am?"

"Oh fuck off" Bernie scowled, "have you nothing better to be doing than going on wild goose chases?"

I pushed open the door and slowly crept downstairs. Bernie had been amazing to me, but I couldn't stand by whilst she got in trouble with the police trying to protect me. I walked toward the open door, and the two officers spotted me first.

Bernie turned to me, her eyes glaring as though willing me to turn back around.

"Ah! Dylan" she half beamed, half spat, "feeling better, son?"

One of the officers glanced between a photograph in his hand, and my face.

"Dylan?" He asked, with a grin forming, "mind if we have a chat?"

Bernie's lip quivered, whether from anger or sadness, I wasn't sure, but she squeezed my shoulder as I walked to the door and said quite loudly as she returned toward the kitchen;

"If you need me, I'll be out with the rolling pin in a jiffy".

Thankfully, the two men were from a different police department than the rancid homophobe who had arrested me initially.

"Jayden?" One of them asked, and I nodded.

"Your parents are very worried about you" he told me, "and they'd like you to come home".

"I'm eighteen" I growled, "I'm old enough to do what I want".

"Yes" the second officer nodded, "but there are also some serious allegations being made against you, and ones that I'm sure you'd rather sort out within your family, before we have to get involved.

Tucker appeared behind me now, wrapping his muscular arm over my shoulder and glaring at the two police men.

"What allegations?" He snarled.

"I think that's a matter for Jayden and his family to work out" one of them replied swiftly.

"I am his family" Tucker hissed, and I could tell that just like his mom, Tucker wasn't exactly enamoured by their presence.

"Sexual assault" the officer said eventually, and my jaw fell open.

"Excuse me?" Tucker snapped, "sexual... Who? When?"

"As I said, son" the officer said sternly, "this is a matter for him to deal with".

The two officers stepped back from the door, and gestured toward their waiting cruiser.

"He's not going with you" Tucker spat, "if he wants to go, I'll take him".

"Suit yourself" the officer shrugged, "but I suggest you do it today before your father files charges".

"He's not my father" I growled,

"He's mine" Tucker added, with a sound of pure hatred in his voice.

The officers glared at us with a mixture of curiosity and disgust.

"We're not brothers" I added quickly, but neither officer took notice as they turned.

"Well that makes more sense" one of them mumbled, "I'd be pissed if my son was assaulted too".

We both glared at them as they got back into their car and left.

"This is my fault" Tucker finally said, and I looked to find that he had turned as white as a ghost.

"Don't be stupid" I snapped, "this is Dustin's fault, and nobody else's"

"Get your coat" Tucker growled, and was already rushing toward the truck before I could say a word.

"What's going on?" Bernie asked frantically, as she burst from the kitchen, rolling pin in hand.

"I don't know" I said honestly, "but he's not happy".

Bernie ran by me and stood at the door.

"Tucker!" She shouted, "don't do anything stupid! He's not worth it!"

I slid by her, but as I did, she grabbed my arm and stared into my soul.

"Jayden, sweetheart" she said, and looked as worried as I felt. "Please don't let him do anything silly".

"I wont" I told her, but she kept her hand around my arm.

"Listen, there's something you need to know about Tucker" she whispered, but Tucker now had his hand on the horn and when I turned to look, his face was contorted with rage.

"Let's go, Jayden!" He barked, and his mom smiled sympathetically, and kissed me on the head.

"Be careful".

I jumped into the truck and before I even had my seatbelt on, we screeched from the drive and began speeding down the country road.

"Tucker"

He ignored me, glaring out the window and squeezing the wheel so tight that his knuckles had turned white.

"Tucker?"

Nothing, he continued darting up the wet, mucky road.

"TUCKER!"

"WHAT?!" He roared, so loud that I froze and fell silent instantly.

My heart hammered in my chest as I stared at him, dumbstruck. Yes, the situation was serious, but it certainly didn't warrant that. I cleared my throat, doing my best to sound somewhat brave, and spoke as calmly as possible.

"Why don't you pull over for a minute" I breathed, "and we can talk about it".

"There's nothing to talk about" he snarled, pressing his foot on the gas even harder.

"Tucker, you're gonna' crash if you don't slow down" I said, squeezing the seat as I stared anxiously out the window.

We skidded from the long, narrow road and just as we did, a truck sounded it's deafening horn, and missed us by mere inches. Tucker slammed on the breaks and the car jolted to a halt.

The two of us froze, until finally I stared at him, and noticed the tears running down his cheeks. Part of me wanted to shout and scream and run from the truck, but the other part wanted to wrap him in a hug.

"It's my fault" he sobbed, wiping his eyes, "that fucker is trying to ruin us".

I leaned over and embraced the muscular man, and held him as he cried. After a few minutes he sat back and squeezed his temples.

"I'm sorry" he sniffled, "I lost it for a minute".

"No shit" I half laughed, mostly from nerves.

I considered bringing up his mother's warning, but I still had my own shit to deal with, so causing an argument now wouldn't have been good for either of us. We got back on the road and continued our journey, mostly in silence.

"I'll do the talking" Tucker said sternly when we eventually pulled onto my street.

My heart continued to race as we reached the house, and Tucker jumped from the truck. I had never felt as nervous to be going into my own house, but I followed him briskly as he pounded on the door, and a moment later, Dustin stood in the doorway.

"The prodigal son returns" he snarled, and instantly the stench of booze washed over us.

"Don't get used to it" Tucker hissed, and the two of us walked inside after the brute of a man.

The house felt different. The atmosphere was no longer what it once was, and I squirmed at the idea of what my dad would think of it all. It was dark, and the curtains in the living room had remained closed, seemingly all morning.

"Didn't think to clean that up?" I spat, nodding toward the smashed vase which still lay shattered on the living room floor.

Dustin ignored me and continued into the kitchen.

"Where's my mom?" I asked, looking around the house, and feeling increasingly uncomfortable.

"Gone" Dustin slurred, falling into a chair and sneering up at us.

"So what's this then?" He scoffed, "the two faggots ganging up on me now? God, what's the world coming to".

Tucker's fist was already balled but I managed to grab his wrist before he could get any closer to his father.

"He's not worth it" I growled angrily, glaring at the mess of a man, slumped in the chair.

"He didn't assault me" Tucker said, and his voice was so calm that it was almost eery.

"Didn't look like that to me" Dustin sniggered, "but don't worry son, I know that he's just fucking with your mind. He's trying to make you think that all of this" he spat, with a look of disgust as he gestured toward the two of us, "is somehow normal, but I've got your back boy. Me! Your father!"

"You're deluded" Tucker told him, "and you're sick".

"Oh I'm the sick one?" Dustin laughed, and even in the dim light, I could see the yellowing sweat patches on his once-white t-shirt. "You two are the normal ones, is that right?"

Neither of us spoke for a moment, until Tucker shook his head.

"You need help" he sighed, "serious fucking help".

As Tucker turned to walk back toward the door, a thundering roar almost rocked the house.

I yelped as the two of us turned back to Dustin who was bellowing so loud that his words were difficult to distinguish.

"DON'T YOU FUCKING SWEAR IN MY FUCKING HOUSE!" He howled, and as Tucker opened his mouth to retort, the situation became drastically more deadly.

Dustin held the gun toward Tucker, swaying his arm and staring down the barrel with one eye open.

"Not so fucking smart now, are you?" He scoffed, "or you" he added, and pointed it toward me.

It felt like time had stopped, and I waited for the terrible pain, until Tucker stepped in front of me, and his dad began to laugh menacingly.

"You'd die for him, would you, son?" He cackled, but Tucker stayed silent.

"Well, let's just see about that" Dustin smirked, and got to his feet, with his gun still pointed at his son.

"Let's just see what you'll do for your little faggot".