Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 51248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
“What?” I can’t help that the word slips out and a warmth I wasn’t expecting comes over me. It’s a rare day that we talk about our mother.
Very rare. We don’t talk about what life was like before she died and everything changed.
“You were an animal. Climbing on everything. No fear as a toddler.”
“Then I grew up,” I joke dryly, but my grin doesn’t dampen.
Carter huffs a laugh. “You were her favorite and I—”
“I was her baby boy, but she loved us all.” I can almost hear her saying it, calling me her baby boy.
The memory of my mother makes the tips of my fingers go numb and I find myself tapping them against the leather armrest. My mother loved us more than anything and she would have done anything for us. But the last years of our life she spent sick and on bed rest. I can barely remember a moment with her where she wasn’t succumbing to her cancer. The rest of my brothers can, though. They remember things I don’t. We all remember our father, though, and how he turned into a different man when she died. In a lot of ways, he died with her.
“I remember one day,” Carter says, leaning back and staring past me at the back wall, “she said that when she was gone, that you were the one who would give me a run for my money.”
I let out a huff, knowing damn full well Daniel is the one who we all had to keep close. But that’s for an entirely different reason. When he left, for a long time I thought he might never come back. That was a dark time for us all.
“You were her favorite,” Carter says as if he’s reminiscing. All of my brothers say that, but I know she loved us all.
“Is that why you called me in here?” I ask him with a smirk although I’m not feeling jovial. I’m more anxious than anything after leaving Braelynn. For her, I crossed a line messaging her mother on her behalf. For me, she needs to realize things have shifted to be sharper than before. There’s a number of things she’s going to be uncomfortable with and the sooner we get that situated, the better.
“It’s about Braelynn,” he tells me and I huff a humorless laugh, running a hand through the back of my hair. “Of course it is,” I answer. “I told you, it’s taken care of.”
“She’s scared, Declan.”
“No shit—” I almost remind him how out of fucking touch he is. How all of this is a shock to her. How even his own wife once had a more difficult time coping than Braelynn is right now … and Aria grew up in the life.
“I don’t want to fight. This isn’t me coming for her or getting in between you two. I’m trying to help … to find a way for …”
“For what?”
“For both of you to be happy and … she’s fucking terrified.”
My tone is harsh when I tell him, “She needs time; she’ll be fine.” My throat dries as I stare down my brother. She is mine. They can’t take her away from me. Although my hackles are raised, his aren’t.
“Aria told me they had a conversation,” he confesses. Slight shock and, to my surprise, betrayal flicker through me. Why wouldn’t she tell me?
“Did she tell you?”
“No,” I answer and I readjust in the seat uncomfortably. “She didn’t tell me.”
“It wasn’t long, but Aria let me know.” Braelynn didn’t tell me. Why the hell wouldn’t she tell me?
“What did they talk about?”
All manner of things race through my mind. The one question I’ve just asked Carter, though, screams that I don’t have the control over Braelynn I thought I did and that’s dangerous. It’s a dangerous thing for her to be in my world, but to not confide in me. To have secrets even.
“Aria didn’t say exactly. She just said she was obviously not well and reluctant to say anything at all.”
“I think that’s not unreasonable. She needs time to adjust. Aria of all people should know that.” Every word falls flat and I’m certain Carter can see through it. The mention of his wife brings a touch of tension to his posture.
It’s quiet a moment, not a sound other than the steady ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner of his office and the crackle of the fire.
“Braelynn will get used to it — just like we all did. We all adjusted.”
“Why not give her an out?” Carter suggests and instantly I hate it.
“What do you mean?” I barely speak the menacing question.
“Offer her a way out where she can leave all of this behind and know that she’s safe.”
“Leave me, you mean?” I’m ashamed of how my voice cracks. Of how he could possibly turn his back on me. Break his fucking word to me that she is mine to do with as I see fit.