“You’re right,” Aro says softly. “But family is like that, I’m learning.” A smile touches her eyes. “They’re the only people who ever get to see your true colors. But that also means you see their no-filter, advice-when-you-didn’t-ask-for-it, beautifully suffocating colors too.”
Yeah.
I close my mouth, remembering that her parents weren’t there for her. Not many people were, and she obviously prefers her new life full of interfering parents and people to count on. Am I out of line? It’s hard to think clearly now.
I climb the next ladder, and she follows.
“If you did want Lucas,” she broaches. “Where would you take him?”
“Aro…”
“Come on.” She sounds playful. “I know you haven’t thought about itat all, but where would you do it?”
I reach the top and look to my right, seeing him in his white shirt that fits him perfectly. It’s not hard to see what’s underneath. He stands on the patio, but his head is turned toward the bounce house.
I draw in a breath, murmuring, “His place, I guess.”
“He’s selling his place.”
True.
My mind whirls, thinking about how it would happen.
Uncontrollable. That’s the word that springs to mind. He wouldn’t be able to control himself, and neither of us could stop.
“His car,” I say quietly.
She smiles. “Ah,” she sighs, looking lost in a memory. “I took Hawke’s virginity in a car.”
An unwanted picture of the two of them in some cramped back seat, sweat making their skin stick to cracked leather, floats through my head. “Ugh…” I grunt. Seems so uncomfortable, and I’m not even talking about the car so much. This family overshares.
We leap down, bouncing out of balance and crashing to our stomachs. I laugh for the first time.
She turns on her side, and we continue to rock with the motion others make in the obstacle course. “You need a place of your own,” she says. “Maybe it’s time we help you with that.”
Hawke’s words from a couple days ago drift through my head.We’ll tell her when she’s ready to use it.
They were talking about their hideout. That’s what Aro’s referring to. A place where I can screw around like they do.
“I might have a place.” I sit up, the wall we just leapt from swaying and jerking with someone else ascending from the other side. “I put in an offer on a house today.”
She shoots up. “What?”
“Don’t tell anyone.” I lower my voice, but I can’t keep the joy off my face. “I don’t want to deal with my brothers until there’s no turning back.”
“Why are you telling me?”
“Because I think you’re the best at keeping a secret,” I explain, “and I’m too excited to keep quiet.”
She gapes at me, and I feel even happier about that. I surprised her. I don’t surprise anyone.
I called Mace, who called Farrow, who helped me take a look at my very own house. He had his own place, knew the area, and I trusted him to keep quiet, because if he knows something the ruling elite of Shelburne Falls—my brothers—don’t know, then that might amuse him.
I’m still nervous, though. What if it’s a huge mistake? It would take damn near the last of my safety net in the bank, and it needs renovations. At least the mortgage wouldn’t be bad.
I see myself standing at my new living room window, looking at the street outside in my new neighborhood, and I can’t stop feeling this incredible warmth inside my chest and down my arms.
My brothers are going to be so pissed.
