The pain in my chest is almost too much. She loves me, but she won’t take a chance on me.
“Rylan, I can’t lose you. It would destroy me if something happened to you.”
I pull out and push her down onto the bed. She rolls over as I lie down over her body, holding her in place.
“Why?”
I want to slip back into her body, but we need to get this out now, or we never will.
“My father sold my child. You can’t love me, because I allowed that to happen.”
I rear back, but not in anger toward her. I hold her head so she’s looking at me as I give her the truth.
“Did you ask him to sell her? Did you in any way facilitate it?”
“No. Not at all. Why do you think I ran?”
“Then you have nothing to worry about. I’ll kill him for it, but tell me about Silas. Why would he kill me for loving you?”
“He had some creepy obsession with my mother and now me. I look a lot like her, but I never wanted anything with him. I don’t think she did either. Maybe that’s why she committed suicide.”
“Are you sure she did? What if your father or Silas killed her? You said after she died, Silas became darker.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t know. But if I look into it, they will be alerted to where I am. Holden told me that not only had my father sold me, but he had sold Oly as well. It’s why I have to keep you safe. If they find us, they’ll take her away from me.”
“He sold you? Fuck, baby. Let me and my men protect you. We already want to and do.”
“I can’t. I’m scared.”
A pounding sounds at the door, and she cringes back.
“Prez, your sister is looking for you.”
“Fuck. Just a moment.” I rise from the bed, and she sits up. “We aren’t done. You’re going home with me tonight. We will discuss this.”
She slips her dress back on, covering her sexy body. When she looks at me, her beautiful amber eyes are shielded, keeping me from really looking into her soul like I did before. I should tell my sister to forget it, but it’s her day, and Shock would kick my ass.
“Come on.”
I’m all buckled up and my tux is straightened as I open the door.
“Stay with her,” I tell Icarus.
He nods as he holds Oly. I kiss her cheek, then we head downstairs and back out into the yard, where the party is in full swing beneath the canopy of heated tents.
My sister is standing there, and she takes my hand to lead me to the dance floor. People start to gather, and I spot Icarus standing there with Marnie next to him. She’s holding Oly, and I settle for a moment.
The song “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” starts, and I shake my head. It’s the exact version she and I loved when she was growing up. We dance as people around us laugh, and I look up to see a slideshow of pictures flashing across the top of the tent. I smile at the memories of us hunting and fishing with our parents.
Then I stop. The next image is from her birthday before Mom died. It’s the picture Shock carries in his wallet. The image that was stuck in my mind for so long. The last time we were all together before everything changed.
I turn back to see Icarus standing alone. I hug my sister, then rush over to him.
“Where is she?”
“She said Oly had to use the restroom.”
I head for the house and search everywhere, already knowing she’s not here. I’m going to spank her ass for this.
