Andrew had left earlier, after an awkward goodbye at the door, his eyes lingering on me with unspoken questions. "Catch up soon?" he'd said, and I'd nodded vaguely, my mind already on Keith.
Killian burst in then, the front door swinging open with his usual energy, his jacket slung over one shoulder, his dark hair tousled,blue eyes sharp as he scanned the room. "Hey, family. What's the - Oh. Company."
I stood, smiling. "Killian, this is Keith Krogen. Keith, my brother, Killian Sterling."
Keith rose, extending his hand. "Pleasure, Killian. Aurelia's told me about you."
Killian shook it, his grip firm, eyes assessing. “Krogen? As in the island guy?” he said with a half-smile. “Heard about you.”
Keith arched a brow. Killian chuckled and shook his head. “From our mum actually. She wouldn’t shut up about it for weeks. Said there’s this man who built an island out of nothing but ambition and saltwater.”
A faint smile touched Keith’s mouth. “Sounds like she gives me too much credit.”
Killian shrugged. “Maybe. But she said anyone who turns empty ocean into paradise is worth keeping an eye on. Anyways, what brings you to Galena?"
Keith meets my gaze evenly. "Aurelia."
Killian’s eyes wide, but soon easing slightly. "Fair enough. Treat her right. Aurelia’s been through enough. I don’t want to see her hurt again.”
Keith smiled faintly. "Understood."
Mum brought out more snacks then, cheese and crackers, fresh grapes, slices of that apple pie, setting them on the coffee table as we all sat on the couch. Keith sat besides me. The conversation flowed. Then Keith noticed the baseball memorabilia on the walls, signed balls, old gloves, a photo of Dad coaching Little League.
"Baseball fan?" Keith asked Killian, nodding to a framed Yankees jersey.
Killian grinned. "Die-hard. You?"
Keith leaned forward. "Grew up watching the Mets, underdogs, you know? But I respect the Yanks' history. That '78 season, epic."
Killian laughed. "Mets? Brave choice. But yeah, '78 was gold. Remember Bucky Dent's homer?"
"Legendary," Keith replied, his eyes lighting up. "Changed the game."
Dad joined in. "Dent's shot broke hearts, but that's baseball. Unpredictable."
The talk shifted to games, stats, favorite players.. Everyone eased, laughter filling the room, the tension dissolving like mist in the sun. I watched Keith, calm and engaging, looking so at home with my family, his smile genuine as he bantered with Killian, complimented Mom's pie, "Best I've ever tasted, Hazel." My heart swelled, the empathy from earlier deepening into love, the calm washing over me like a balm.
Chapter 29
Keith
We’d stayed at Aurelia’s parents’ place for two days before returning to Elysian Haven. It felt grounding, family, warmth, a sliver of normalcy I’d never known, but the moment the island came back into view, unease settled in my chest. The return to Elysian Haven was supposed to be a balm, a retreat to the paradise I'd built, but the rotors slicing through the air above the lagoon sounded more like a guillotine’s blade than a welcome home.
I kept my thoughts contained, a storm cloud I couldn’t let break, not with Aurelia beside me, her hand in mine as we descended, her eyes bright with the island’s promise despite the shadows of her own past. Father’s empire wasn’t just business. It was a graveyard of broken lives. And I’d been complicit by blood if not by choice. The guilt gnawed, but I pushed it down, focusing on her, my light, my reason to dismantle it all.
We touched down on the helipad, the rotors slowing to a whine as Victor signaled the all-clear. Aurelia stepped out first, the breeze catching her sundress, lifting it in a swirl of blue fabric that made her laugh, a sound that cut through the darkness like sunlight. Sheturned to me, her hair whipping around her face, her smile tentative but genuine.
Zora waited by the path, her sleek black hair tied back, her leather jacket and jeans a badass contrast to the island's tropical vibe. She'd arrived yesterday on my jet, her presence a calculated move. Aurelia needed a friend, someone to talk to without the weight of my shadows, and Zora as my sister, was the only one I trusted with that fragility. She was twenty-eight, same as Aurelia, sharp as a blade, with a no-nonsense edge honed from years without breaking. Her dark eyes missed nothing, and her smile was a weapon, charming when she wanted, cutting when she didn't.
"Brother," she said, hugging me briefly, her grip firm. "You look like hell. Island life not agreeing?"
"Family drama," I muttered, pulling back, nodding toward Aurelia. "Thanks for coming. She... she needs someone. Someone to talk to"
Zora's gaze flicked to Aurelia, softening. "She's tough. But yeah, I get it. Women talk, men brood, it's the natural order." She turned to Aurelia, extending a hand. "Nice to meet you again. Heard a lot about you, mostly from his moping texts."
Aurelia laughed, a light sound that eased the knot in my chest, shaking Zora's hand. "Pleasure’s all mine. And moping? He doesn't strike me as the type."
Zora smirked, slinging an arm around Aurelia's shoulders as they started toward the villas, me trailing behind like a shadow. "Oh, he is. 'Zora, she's amazing. Zora, I screwed up. Zora, fix it.' Classic Keith. Builds islands but can't build a bridge after a fight."
