She'd promised to help her sixth-grade class bully to pass Maths if he stopped tying her pigtails to the chair. She'd almost failed herself, she'd put so many hours into tutoring the deliberately obtuse brat.
She'd promised to 'make it all better' when Ruby's first crush had dumped her, and she had. By sitting up with her all night, plying her with ice cream and cookies and candy, before heading around to the jerk's place first thing in the morning and ramming his prized bicycle into a tree.
Ruby sighed. "I understand how much your word means, I really do, but I could've helped. I could've eased the load and not been responsible for this."
She waved her hand towards the building and Sapphire grabbed it. "Don't do that, blame yourself. You weren't the stupid one working ridiculous hours, skipping meals, taking caffeine supplements to get through the night."
Sapphire tapped her chest. "Idid that, not you, so don't you dare think this is your fault."
Trust her sister to shoulder everything, even now. Ruby held her hands and squeezed.
"But that's just my point, Saph. It is my fault, because you didn't think I could handle any of this." She shook her head. "I respect the promise you made to Mum, but when you started going downhill you could've come to me but you didn't. You chose to get sick rather than rely on the bubblehead."
Sapphire's lower lip wobbled. "I only called you that as a kid because I was jealous of your creativity."
"Yeah, I know, but want to know something?" Ruby held her thumb and forefinger an inch apart. "A small part of me believed it. Mum believed it. Every guy I ever dated believed it, because I let them."
Sapphire reared back as if she'd poked her in the eye. "Mum adored you. She never thought that—"
"Yeah, she did. She would've told me aboutSeabornat the end, otherwise."
Sapphire blinked back tears and Ruby almost wished she'd never brought it up. But telling her sister about her festeringresentment felt good, rather than allowing it to constantly niggle.
"I'm sorry, Rubes. I never meant to make you feel inferior or stupid." Sapphire shrugged. "Guess I got caught up playing the control-freak big sister like I always have and didn't give you enough credit."
"Hey, it's okay, I'm the boss now," Ruby said, swiping away her tears as she nudged her sister. "Better me than you. Otherwise, you would've had to march up the aisle with Jax."
Sapphire wrinkled her nose. "Marry Jax Maroney? Not likely."
They laughed through their tears and, relieved, Ruby knew things would be okay for now.
Until she remembered her husband waiting for her in the car.
A husband who'd apparently organised a wedding night she'd never forget.
Sapphire snapped her fingers. "Speaking of your husband, I want to meet him."
Uh-oh. Ruby could only imagine what her overprotective big sis would say. She had visions of Saph upgrading her revenge tactics and using Jax's car as her weapon of choice for tree-ramming this time.
"Not a good idea, Sis—"
"Non-negotiable." Saph’s lips compressed and she crossed her arms in a familiar stubbornness Rudy had seen too many times over the years to try and sway her sister.
Saph could out-stubborn a herd of donkeys.
"What are you going to say to him?"
Sapphire arched an imperial brow. "If I haven't given him a fat lip by the time he leaves after I've finished with him, maybe he can tell you."
Ruby chuckled at the thought of her sister going one-on-one with Jax.
Both commanding, both powerful, both used to having control.
Maybe she could sneak down to the river bank and watch.
"Okay, I'll let him know."
"Good." Sapphire nodded, unfolded her arms, linked her fingers together, and stretched forward, unkinking her knuckles. “It’s been a while since I kicked ass."
