I nod. “Living here means the commute is easy, so I usually stay a couple days a week. But when we’re not trying to keep you out of the crosshairs of a criminal organization, I spend most of my time on the estate.” Something obvious occurs to me. “Are you uncomfortable being there, considering all that happened between us?”
It would be understandable.
Before everything went wrong, we were building a life in that house, and even if it’s the property I inherited from my family, there’s no reason we couldn’t have a fresh start somewhere new, somewhere without baggage or history.
“No,” she says after a moment. “I…” A breath. “I really like your house?—”
“Ourhouse.”
She starts to shake her head.
“I haven’t changed a thing, baby.”
“What?”
“You made it into a home. I hadn’t had that…”
“Since your mom died.”
I nod.
She moves closer, wraps me in her arms.
Hugging me. Touching me.
Not the other way around.
Something unlocks in my chest as she smooths her hands up and down my back. “It’s been a long time,” I say on a shrug. “And I barely remember her anyway.”
“Doesn’t mean it hurts any less.”
Especially when my dad was determined to erase her…and erase any part of her softness that remained in my life.
Boarding school was almost a relief.
Hell, it was probably the only reason I didn’t end up sucked into the shit he was involved in.
I want to stay like this forever, holding Briar as she holds me right back, but I’m distinctly aware of River’s harried voice, the slams and bangs from the kitchen.
The soft “Meows” from below.
Pulling back, I bend and snag Tulip and Buttercup, cuddling them close. They nuzzle at my face and Tulip wraps her little paws around me in her version of a kitty hug.
I don’t think Thorn is the only one who’s been claimed.
But I don’t mind in the least.
“Should we rescue Thorn from River?” Briar stage whispers as she steals Buttercup from me. “Or is it the other way around?”
I look up, realize what I missed before—namely the look on Thorn’s face.
Hmm.
“I’m not sure.”
She giggles and we both start walking.
“Brooks?” she says.
