I went for honest. “We had company. They were watching the store.”
Her mouth popped open. “Do we need to go?”
“They’re gone now.”
“Were they Colter’s guys?”
Thomas shook his head. “If they were, they were undercover.”
She chewed her lip. “Should we go to the house?”
I nodded. “I think we should. We can order delivery.”
Her lips lifted a fraction, and she shrugged. “Ididwant to introduce you TMNT.”
“I think that’s probably the best idea. We can eat, watch a little TV, and then go honor your sister.”
Cora’s hand came to rest on my forearm. “Thank you.”
An hour later,we were sprawled on the massive sectional in the rental house’s living room, takeout containers spread across the coffee table. Thomas had done another security sweep and was now positioned by the front windows, pretending to read a magazine while actually watching the street. He’d set up patrols to walk the property and stationed guards at the front and back door.
“Okay,” Cora said, waving the remote. “Time for your education to begin. You’re going to love this.”
“What if I don’t?” I teased.
She gave me a deadpan look. “We’ll be getting you a health checkup.”
I yawned and rubbed my face with my hands. “I hope I can stay awake.”
It must have been contagious because she yawned as well. “Me too. If nothing else, maybe I’ll sleep sound tonight.”
“Are you worried about the funeral?”
“Not worried, just uncertain what’s going to happen. Colter and I only met briefly, maybe twice. Both times, my sister and I were fighting about him as she got on the back of his bike.”
I leaned my head on the back of the couch. “She must have fallen hard for him.”
“I don’t even know why.” Cora shifted on the couch until she was facing me with her elbow braced against the back of the couch. “Maya was wild, don’t get me wrong, but she never went for the controlling type. Usually, it was the guy fawning all over her, trying to keep her. With Colter, it was totally different. She did anything and everything he wanted. She met him at the beginning of summer, and by the end of it, Maya was a different person. She was in and out of rehab for the next year and a half. Each time, she’d get out with all these great plans, and he’d show up.”
“I’m sorry.”
“She just couldn’t break away. It didn’t matter how much I begged or pleaded or what.” She sighed. “Mostly, I’m just sad that the last time we spoke, I was angry and told her not to call me until she was ready to kick Colter to the curb. That’s when I moved to Chicago. For a fresh start. I knew that if I didn’t do something, I would never stop enabling her. She had to decide to get clean and stay clean. I couldn’t do that for her.”
I stretched my arm across the space between us and covered her hand with mine. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry you lost your sister. I’m sorry you didn’t get to mend things with her. If I had the power, I would fix it, regardless of cost.”
Her gaze lowered to the couch, and she swallowed hard. “Thank you.” She drew in a shaky breath. “Why do I feel so guilty?”
“It’s human nature. You loved her. You feel like you should have been able to save her. Sometimes people can’t be saved.”
The number of times I argued with my father, trying to convince him that people weren’t commodities to be bought and sold. To remind him of his humanity. Of Anna. Her love for him. How it would break her heart to know he had such little love and respect for her.
He never cared. Never even so much as paused. He plowed on. Plotting with Marco and Benoit. Michael had called me weak.
He’d been thoroughly surprised when I pulled off the coup. He was right to call me weak, though. I should have killed him. Anyone else in our world would have, but I’d spared him. I’d let Anna’s love for him keep him alive.
It was a hard lesson I’d never forget, and I’d never make that mistake again.
“Are you thinking about your father?” she asked softly.
