She doesn’t leave her office, unless it’s to handle business. Looking around, I don’t understandwhy. This office looks like it’s in the middle of a large renovation but with no supplies.It’s creepy.
Killian smirks from his corner, a ghoul haunting the room. He’s always been mischievous, starting fights with Maeve sincewe were kids. There was a time when Maeve stabbed Killian over a cupcake because he challenged her to who could eat it faster.
But to me and my younger siblings, Killian is the protective older brother. The one who played with us, or chased us through the house. Who read us Korean mythology books during thunderstorms.
But when he hit eighteen, Killian was no longer a sibling, but a trained assassin who Pops sent him on regular missions. For the last few years, he hasn’t been at the mansion. He only returned when Pops died, almost a year ago, and has been rarely seen since.
“Colli,” Killian drawls, a book on his lap. “Should I be here for this sister disagreement?”
We both give him a look.Right. Like he’d miss this.
“No,” I respond, turning toward Maeve, eyebrows raised. “Because I’m not marrying Roman.”
Leaning back, my sister regards me, eyes cold. She’s always so cold. Sloane rarely got along with Maeve—they were too opposite. Sloane runs hot—Maeve, frigid. I played peacemaker between them.
Pops wanted that. To be the good daughter, the demure daughter.
I gave Maeve enough time to look over the proposal. It’s beendays. I’ve been sulking around the house, waiting for her to bring it up to me and instead, silence.That’s not new.
She’s always quiet, hiding in her shadowed corner, letting the darkness of our world coat her. But the world will not have me—I’ve already sacrificed too much. I refuse to let her control my life the way she did to Sloane. I refuse to be used and molded, like I was with Pops.
“So, you heard,” she says, judging me.
“Are you going to do it?”
Maeve is silent, face devoid of emotion. Robotic. Because God forbid, she shows me an ounce of warmth instead of the face of our Captain.
Sloane has it in her head that Maeve and I are close. We’re far from it.
After Mom died, Pops retreated. He hired a nanny to keep us going—but shortly after meeting her, she disappeared. From that moment on, Maeve did everything for us. Dinners at night, tucking us into bed, or making sure we got to school.
I wanted to be just like her. So, I bandaged Briar’s scraped knees and held Sloane’s hand when she threw a tantrum.
Until I got sick. When I expected hugs, or declarations of love, Maeve remained aloof. Emotionless. It forced me to realize that maybe she didn’t care about us—but only protected us, because we were the clan. That’s all she cared about anyway.
“It’s an interesting proposal.” She taps the page. “There’s a lot in here that would benefit the clan.”
“He runsgirls,” I snap, planting my hands on the desk. “You don’t see how those women look. They’re nothing more than pits of empty skin suits, beaten and abused until there isn’t any light left in their eyes. They’re just ghosts, Maeve.”
“I know,” she says, voice dry. She grips the edge of her desk.
“No, you don’t?—”
“I do,” she snaps, knuckles turning white. “The question is, how doyou?”
Swallowing, I pull back my retort. Hayes hasn’t told her—I know it. Otherwise, I’d be locked away for evendaringto associate with her enemy.
Why hasn’t he blown my cover yet? He can’t possiblylikewatching me dance?
My body warms at the thought.
“They come into the ER on my night shifts. I’ve patched them up more times than I can count.”
She tilts her head, scanning me for a lie. “Do you report them? A resident, soon-to-be physician takes an oath to protect their patients. That includes turning in suspected abusers.”
Fisting my small hands into the desk, I glare at my older sister, temper roaring in my ears like the crack of a storm. I know why she’s doing this and she isn’t subtle. “I try to report them. They’re smart. The guards never bring them and the women never make a claim. Without that, I can’t do shit.”
“Don’t you have people you can tell?” There’s a ghost of a smile and it’s another dig.
