The Taking

Chapter 19

"Get your paws of me, brat! Damn kids these days think they can throw an old woman in a lake and think it's funny. Your mother is going to hear about this Vincent."

"You weren't making it easy!"

"Boy, you think I'd sit still and let you drown me?!"

Vincent made a slur of explicit words before something hit him and he yelled, "Ouch!"

When I heard Gran's voice scolding from the living room, I dropped the novel I read and dashed out of Greyson's study like the house was in fire. Greyson, sitting by his study table, dropped the stack of papers he was analyzing for Bennett and followed behind me.

"Celeste!" he yelled but it was too late, I was already at the end of the hall.

If Gran is here, does that mean my mom was here too? On my way down the stairs, I almost trip on Liam sliding down the stairs on his stomach. I was in a hurry, but the little boy sidetracked my attention.

"Liam, isn't that dangerous?" He could get rug burns, or fall and get hurt.

His features looked so much like Greyson, especially when he had that stubborn look on his face that read don't tell me what to do. He frowns and doesn't like the way I was reprimanding him. "I'm not Liam, I'm Caleb!"

Embarrassed by my mistake, I cover my mouth with my palm. "I'm sorry, Caleb. I didn't mean to mix you up with your brother, but you shouldn't be sliding down the stairs on your stomach."

He rolls his eyes. "Nothing will happen." And he positions back on his belly, but two muscular arms lift him up before he could repel himself down. "No!" He protest.

"Liam, it's not good to lie. And Celeste is right. You could fall and hit your head and we would have to take you to Dr. O'Dell. She will stitch your head back up if it's split open."

Liam looks horrified. "My head...split open?"

"Yeah, all your brains will gush out and you will be as dumb as a goldfish!"

Tears brim Liam's eyes and he looks at his idiotic brother with both hands clutching his head like it's ticking to explode.

"Greyson!" I take Liam from him and set the traumatized boy on his feet. Liam wraps is tiny arms around my hip and hides his face behind my back. I pat his head and tell him Greyson was just kidding.

"Why are you babying him? He lied to you and he didn't listen." I can't believe him.

"Your little brother is just a kid. Kids are like that!"

"He's an Alpha's kid, he needs to learn discipline." He makes me wonder how he was raised. Was Bennett one of those fathers who told their kids that boys shouldn't cry? I wouldn't expect Laura to accept that type of parenting.

"Scaring him is discipline?"

"It's the only way for him to listen."

I groaned to myself and turned around to face Liam. "Liam, can you promise me something?" Liam shyly looked peered at me with his chin tilted down. He stared at his brother's intimidating stance and avoided either of our gazes. I looked over my shoulder and wanted to kick Greyson's shin again. "This is your fault," I mouthed.

Greyson didn't think so. With an eye roll, he crosses his arms over his chest and shakes his head. "It's just like him to stop talking after I scold him. He'll get over it eventually. Leave him alone."

There was a loud crash, followed by a scream and then Gran's voice. "Don't tell me to calm down, or I swear this vase will get it!"

"No," Laura was there and she begged Gran to put the vase down repeatedly.