DAVE

“Dad,” I said, my voice sharp, barely holding back the frustration that burned in my chest, “why don’t you clean up your own mess instead of handing your daughter off like some bargaining chip?” I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest, frowning at him. The words echoed in my mind even as I spoke them. The love of my heart, I added silently, though I wouldn’t dare say it out loud. Evie. My Evie. How could he even think of giving her away to someone else?

Dad sighed, running a hand over his face like the difficulties of the world rested on his shoulders with a weary look on his face.

“I get that you’re angry, Dave. I am too,” he said after a moment. His voice was soft, almost apologetic, but it only made me angrier. “But you have to understand that it’s the only choice we have. I’m sorry. This is what’s best for the family.” He paused, his eyes shooting toward the doorway, as though he expected her to walk in at any moment. “And besides, thank God she has you as her brother. You’ll make things easier for her, I know you will, you've always been good at playing the brother role.”

I grasped my fists at his words, biting back the response that sat at the tip of my tongue. Make things easier for her? The thought was laughable and almost insulting. Of course, I would. I’d make sure she never ended up with Mike. No one else deserved her. No one else could take care of her the way I could. She belonged to me.

I nodded, “Yeah, sure, Dad,” I finally said, the edges of my voice dripping with sarcasm. “I’ll take care of her. She's my baby.” I gave him a tight smile, one that I hoped would mask the storm of emotions beneath the surface.

He didn’t notice, of course. Dad never noticed. He just smiled faintly, stepped closer, and placed a hand on my shoulder. His touch was meant to be reassuring but only managed to ignite the simmering rage inside me. “And Mike’s a good guy,” he added, as though that simple statement could erase the insult of even suggesting Evie belonged with anyone but me.

The moment those words left his mouth. “Mike is a good guy” I felt a wave of fury rise so fast that it nearly knocked me over. My fists clenched at my sides, and I had to dig my nails into my palms just to keep me from exploding. Punching him in the face was the only thing on my mind. How dare he stand here and talk about Mike being good for Evie? What did he know? Did he see her the way I did? Did he hear her moan at night, feel her warmth, or understand the things she needed that only I could give her?

If Mike was such a good guy, then what was I? Every single time Evie came to me, when she sought me out, when she let me hold her when I gave her what she couldn’t find anywhere else. I proved that no one could satisfy her like I could. I wasn’t just her brother; I was everything she needed in a man. And yet, here Dad was handing her off to Mike like she was some sort of responsibility he didn’t want to deal with anymore.

The words slipped out, raw and unrelenting before I could stop myself. “I’m the best guy for Evie. She knows it.”

The room fell silent, with the weight of my declaration hanging heavy between us. Dad froze, his hand still mid-pat on my shoulder. Slowly, he took his hands off me with his eyes widened, and his countenance moving from confusion to shock. His brows shot up and he stared at me like I’d just grown a second head.

“What did you just say?” he questioned, his low voice turning into a loud roar, demanding clarification.

My mind raced, my chest tightening as I realized the implications of what I’d just said. I couldn't risk her being separated from me, I needed to fix it and cover my mess before he started piecing things together.

“I mean—” I stammered, scrambling for an explanation. “I mean siblings are always the best for each other. You know, better than anyone else. That’s all.”

Dad blinked, his expression softened slightly, though the unease hadn’t completely disappeared from his face. “Right,” he said slowly, his voice uncertain. “I guess… that’s true.”

I exhaled quietly, forcing myself to relax, though my heart was pounding in my chest. I could still feel his gaze on me as if he were trying to decipher the meaning behind my words.

“I know you love her, but you can’t take care of her forever, Dave,” Dad said, his voice carrying that mix of authority and fatigue he often used when trying to sound reasonable. He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his thinning hair. “She needs to build her own family. That’s just the way things are meant to be.”

I stared at him, my jaw tightening, holding back the words that clawed to escape, I don't just love her, I am in love with her and very obsessed with her. My silence stretched, but inside, I was anything but calm. If only he knew. If only he could understand that Evie already had a family with me. Every moment we’d shared and every secret that bound us together, was proof of that. We didn’t need anyone else, least of all Mike.

Dad sighed, mistaking my silence for contemplation. “I know you’re protective of her,” he continued, his tone softening. “And I’m grateful for that, truly. But Evie isn’t a little girl anymore. She needs a partner, someone who can take care of her in the ways that family can’t.”

His words were like a burning knife to my chest, each one twisting deeper than the last. What did he think of me? I wasn’t just her brother; I was her everything. The one she came to when she felt lost. The one who wiped away her tears. The one she came to when she needed a cock in her butthole. The one she will come to begging for his cock in her pussy soon. The one who… My thoughts spiraled, but I couldn’t let them surface. Not here, not now.

I finally responded, “You’re right, Dad,” my voice was low and carefully controlled. “She does need someone who can take care of her. Someone who actually knows and understands her.”

He smiled faintly as if my words had reassured him. “Exactly. And that’s why this arrangement with Mike is a good thing. He’s a solid guy, Dave. He’ll treat her like a princess.”

The mention of Mike’s name made my stomach somersault. I clenched my fists under the table, forcing myself to stay composed. Treat her right? Mike didn’t even know her. Not like I did. Not the way I did.

“I’m sure he will,” I lied, the words bitter on my tongue. “But don’t you think it’s a little… soon? I mean, shouldn’t Evie have a say in this?”

Dad frowned, clearly weighing my question. “Of course, she has a say. But sometimes, we all need a little guidance to see what’s best for us. And right now, this is what’s best for her.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, tasting copper as the anger surged. Guidance? Is that what he thought he was offering? This wasn’t guidance; it was control, plain and simple.

“If you say so,” I said, swaying my shoulder as casually as I could manage.

Dad nodded, satisfied. “I do. And Dave, I know this is hard for you, but I trust you’ll do the right thing. You’ve always been there for her, and I know you’ll support her through this.”

I nodded back, forcing a tight-lipped smile. Support her? Oh, I’d support her, all right. Support her in staying far away from Mike and from this ridiculous arrangement.

The room fell into a heavy silence and after a moment, Dad stood up, giving me another pat on the shoulder. “Thanks for understanding, son,” he said before walking away, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I sat there for a while, staring at the empty space he’d left behind. The audacity of it all burned in my chest. He thought this was what Evie needed? He thought Mike could take my place?

I stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor, and stormed up to my room. Slamming the door behind me, I leaned against it, running a hand through my hair. My thoughts were a whirlwind, tangled and messy, but one thing was clear: I wouldn’t let this happen.

Evie was mine and nothing, not Dad, not Mike, not anyone was going to change that. Not now. Not ever.

My touches have left an imprint and an unspoken convenant that no one could ever erase.