“Kite, you listen to me and you listen good.” Waggling her finger in my face, she glared. “The day she left, I was so sure he would kill you. I suffered a panic attack thinking the one woman you loved—the one girl who could give you a place to hide—left you to die. But then I heard from Kes that you were alive. I waited for you. I waitedthree daysfor you to come to me—to ask for a fixing session or just to talk.” Dropping her head, her midnight bob hid her eyes. “But you never came. Ten days and youstillhaven’t come.”
I remained silent.
Jaz looked up, her eyes wet with tears. “You’re scaring me, Jethro. I miss my brother. I want him back. Tell me what happened, so I know how to find him again.”
Poor deluded sister.
Standing, I bent and kissed the top of her head. “Nothing happened. And I don’t want to be found. If you love me like you say you do, then be happy for me. I’ve finally found something that works and will never go back.”
Tapping my pocket, the gentle rattle of my pills said hello. I relaxed knowing if life ever got too much, if the tears of another drove me to breaking point, all I had to do was swallow a tiny friend and I would be fine.
“Goodbye, Jaz.”
Without waiting for her reply, I strode out the door and left my sister behind.
* * * * *
My phone vibrated its way across my bedside table at three in the morning.
I didn’t jump or tense.
In a way, I’d been expecting this to happen for days.
Picking up the device, I swiped the screen and read the blinking message.
I’d wondered how long she would stay away. She’d lasted longer than I anticipated, but I had no doubt that was down to the circus of stories and endless hounding by reporters—not to mention, her brother would’ve done everything in his power to keep her from contacting me.
But just like my father had said, Nila had reached out.
Unknowingly, she’d just begun the next stage and walked right into a perfect trap.
Needle&Thread:I’ve been staring at this phone for over a week, wondering what to say. I still can’t find the words, so I’ll stick with simple ones. Kite, I love you. I miss you. I’m here for you. I’ve become a prisoner in my own family. They watch me, guard me. I’ve traded one captivity for another. I need you to come claim me. If we work together, this can all be over. Please...I need you to fight for me like I’ve fought for you. I need to know you’re alive and uninjured. Jethro, I want you to take me from this place. Let’s leave. Let’s runaway where no one will find us.
This was the true test. The ultimate trial on the numbing fog I’d ingestedfor the past ten days. I waited to see if her words would make me step outside the comforting blankness I now embraced.
They didn’t.
I was empty. Nothing could make me go back to the way I was. Not Nila. Not my sister.Nothing.
This game had turned into a fishing expedition, and as all good fishermen know, you have to let the fish nibble the bait before they swallowed the hook and sealed their own fate.
Swallow away, Nila Weaver.
Let me catch you.
Tossing the phone to the floor, I left her message unanswered.
Chapter Eleven
Nila
I’D MANAGED TO last over a week before I sent him a message.
But once that boundary had been crossed, I couldn’t stop myself from crossing it every day.
I lived only to send more messages, hoping that one day, he would reply.
Monday...
