“What’s wrong Bruiser?” Bastien asks me, observing the look of confusion I still have on my face.
“Nothing, apparently two drinks and Knox’s kissing abilities have addled my brain," I say absently, and then laugh, shaking off what just happened.
“Awww Squeaks, you’re a lightweight," Ryker teases me.
I cuddle into his side when he puts an arm around me.
“Maybe I need to eat or something," I add offhandedly.
“Good call, Bruiser. I’m starving. Halliwell’s?” Bastien asks the others, as he slides out of the booth. “Halliwell’s!” they all chorus back, and we make our way to the exit.
38
The house is unsurprisingly quiet when I make my way downstairs. The guys and I were out until early this morning, and they’re probably still sleeping. I would be too if I wasn’t starving. It’s mid-afternoon, but past the usual lunch time so I’m startled to find the paladin in the kitchen eating when I walk in.
I haven’t seen any of them since the reading, and I’m tempted to back up and leave, but my stomach rumbles, begging me not to. Adelaide quickly fixes me up a plate and hands it over with a small smile to counteract the somber atmosphere of the kitchen. I take it into the dining room, away from where the paladin are all eating at the kitchen island.
I get halfway through my sandwich when the chair next to me is pulled out, and Aydin sits down. Several other chairs groan their protest as they’re pulled away from the table and suddenly occupied. I keep my eyes on my plate and focus on eating.
The longer the paladin stay quiet as their heavy presence surrounds me, the more I start to seethe. I push my plate away and sit back in my chair crossing my arms over my chest. I give each of them a cold, hard stare and wait. Eventually Keegan finds his balls and speaks up.
“We fucked up, Vinna. There’s no way around it, and none of us want to make excuses for what happened.”
I say nothing for a while. I just continue to stare at them. At this point, I don’t know what I’m hoping they will say. Honestly, I can’t imagine any words that could repair the damage that’s already been done.
“I fell for it all, the promises of protection and acceptance, the vows to treat me like family, like I was wanted here. But it’s all bullshit. You’ve been watching me this whole time, and for what? Waiting to see if I’d turn on you, take you out? Or were you just hoping I was malleable and could be twisted in any way that you saw fit?”
I turn my gaze to Aydin searing him with my betrayal and anger.
“Did you fight with me because you enjoyed it, and it bonded us? Or were you sizing me up, letting me teach you my tricks, so you’d be better prepared to deal with me when the time came?”
“It wasn’t like that Little Badass-”
I scoff and shake my head interrupting him. I’m not going to believe anything he has to say now. They’ve all broken my trust.
“I don’t know how to reconcile what I thought I knew about each of you with what you showed me before the reading. I guess not youUncle…” I speak the word with cold sarcasm.
“You’ve been clear all along about how unwanted I was, so I shouldn’t be shocked. But the rest of you,” I laugh humorlessly shaking my head. “I thought Beth was bad, but at least she was always honest about how much of a piece of shit she thought I was. There were no shopping trips or promises that things would get better. There was no pretending like I mattered or deserved to be cared for. Beth never lied about how welcome I was. I always knew exactly where I stood with her. I’d take that over your lies any day.”
Lachlan flinches at my comment, and my first instinct is to feel bad. That thought alone enrages me. I push my chair away from the table ready to leave. Aydin’s hand shoots out and grabs my wrist to stop me.
“Don’t touch me,” I warn venomously.
“Vinna, please hear us out,” he begs and immediately pulls his hand back.
I stand silent as I stare at the wood of the table and try to calm my rage.
“I’ve spent all night beating myself up for letting this happen. I was desperate for acceptance, for answers. I clearly made all of this more than it was. The truth is we don’t know each other, and I’m not owed anything...”
I look from the table up to Lachlan.
“We share blood, but that doesn’t connect us. It doesn’t make us anything more than the strangers we are.” My eyes move from Lachlan and settle on each of them as I fall silent.
“Give us another chance," Keegan tells me softly, his tone hopeful.
“Why? Why should I do that?”
“Because we’re family and that’s what family does.”
