I just know Bea cringed at that. She hates being called by her full name, only her parents call her that.
“If they’re not stupid, they’re at least predictable. People always leave a trail, whether they mean to or not.” Kai, who has remained silent up to this point, finally speaks, but he’s only looking at me.
For a second, no one says anything. But then, from the corner of my eye, I see Will grin, the tooth gem in his mouth catchingthe light. No doubt real diamond. “I agree,” he says, his camera hanging around his neck.
“Or she can just live with someone else for the time being,” Liam suggests.
Lilia grips my arm tighter, her eyes lighting up. “Great idea! You can live with me!” she says, staring at me hopefully. If only it were that easy.
“What about my sisters?” I ask, pulling back slightly to look at her, then at the others.
“What about them?” Kai’s voice cuts in again. He’s not being cruel exactly, but the way he says it… like it’s that simple. Like I can just walk away.
“I can’t just leave them,” I say, louder this time, because it feels like no one is listening.
Kai’s response is a sigh—an actual sigh—before he rolls his eyes. “They’ll manage.”
Something inside me snaps. My chest tightens, and before I know it, the words are spilling out. “They’ll manage? They’llmanage? Oh, that’s right, you wouldn’t know what it’s like to have nothing to eat. Or to have to count every penny just to make it through the week.” I glare at him. “They won’t survive without me.”
Kai’s gaze doesn’t falter, but there’s a shift in his expression, and for a moment I think he’ll argue. Instead, he tilts his head slightly, his eyes narrowing in thought.
“Is it exhausting?” he asks, his voice quieter. Scarier.
I blink at him. “Is what?”
“Caring so much for other people that you forget to care for yourself?” His tone is so calm it feels like a slap.
Heat rushes to my face, and I can feel the anger slowly bubbling up. My hands curl into fists at my sides. “Excuse me?” I manage, my voice shaking with rage. “Theyneedme, I’m just doing what’s right.”
Kai doesn’t flinch. He stands there, perfectly composed, like he’s just stated a fact. So simple, so unfeeling, and so infuriating it hurts. “And what exactly doyouneed? Or does that not factor into your math?”
“It’s not about me,” I say finally, quieter than I mean to. “It’s about my family. They need me. I’m trying to protect them.”
He studies me for a moment. Not cruelly. Not even coldly. Just… patiently. As if he’s waiting for me to hear myself. “Of course it’s about you,” he says. “You’re just terribly clever at finding reasons to disappear inside other people’s problems.”
I’m about to say something else in response, before I hear the faint click of a camera. I whirl around, and my eyes land on Will, who’s standing a few feet away with his camera pressed to his face. He lowers it slightly. “Don’t stop on my account,” he says, and my stomach twists as I feel the heat rise in my cheeks again. There’s something about the way he looks at me through the camera, something behind his eyes. I had noticed it before too.
“Man, I told you not to do that,” Liam says, giving him a light shove on the shoulder.
Will tilts his head slightly, still grinning. “And do you remember how I responded to that?” he asks, his tone light, despite what I’m sure was a threat.
Liam’s expression shifts, his shoulders stiffening just enough to be noticeable. He sighs, stepping back slightly. “He’ll delete it,” Liam says, glancing at me briefly before turning back to Will.
Will doesn’t say anything, just adjusts the camera strap on his shoulder. He doesn’t need to say it; I know he won’t delete anything.
“She’s right,” Christian says out of nowhere, catching me slightly off guard. “About her sisters,” he clarifies, his eyes meeting mine. “We’ll make sure they live comfortably. Don’t worry.”
I don’t even know what to say to him. The look on his face is so sincere, so genuine, I don’t know whether I should smile or cry, because the truth is, I can’t remember the last time someone did anything for me.
“Oh! I almost forgot to show you this,” Liam says suddenly, leaning toward me and pulling out his phone. He taps the screen a few times before holding it up for me to see. “It’s an app,” he says, seemingly very impressed with himself. He talks like he’s showing off a new toy. “It detects movement outside the house and captures it. See?”
On the screen is a live feed of what I assume is the outside of his own house. Liam points to a small red bell icon in the lower left corner. “If you see anything suspicious, press this button,” he says. “It’s an alarm.”
Bea’s eyes widen slightly as she leans in to get a better look. “So, it’ll scare them off,” she says, looking at me excitedly. “That’s perfect.”
If they’ve gone to this extent just to protect the house, I might as well just stay there. It’s practical. Logical. But at the same time, a tiny voice in the back of my mind tells me it might be exactly what I need. I need a bit of distance from my sisters. For once, I have to think of myself. Because, as much as I hate to admit it, Kai is right. Itisexhausting. Maybe this time, just this once, I can take a step back. For me.
Mason
