“It’s your brother.”
“Arlo?” she whispers.
“Yes.”
“I want proof,” she demands. “Tell me something only Arlo would know.”
I like the fact that she sounds so damn strong and stubborn, just like I remember her. “I have a scar on my right cheek from when you threw a rock at me because I wouldn’t play kickball with you. I think I was only six then. I remember I cried so hard, but you begged me not to tell mom. You bribed me with chocolate chip ice cream, which was always my favorite, and I never told a soul.” Suddenly, I can hear her loud sobs through the phone, and it guts me. “Sara…Sara, it’s okay. Please don’t cry,” I beg her.
“I thought you were dead,” she cries out.
“Ditto,” I tell her with a huff.
“It’s…so nice to hear your voice, Arlo. I’ve missed you…so much,” she says between sobs. It takes her a while to calm her breathing and quiet her crying, and I just stay on the line, giving her as much support as I can from over the phone. “I’d love to see you,” she says quietly. “Will you come visit me?”
I stare at the address on the index card. She’s residing in a town in Pennsylvania I’ve never heard of before. “Of course,” I tell her right away. But then I think of Victoria and how she will react to my departure. Will she try to run? Will she get in trouble again while I’m gone? Cursing under my breath, I tell Sara, “Actually…I don’t know if it’s a good time right now.”
“Please, Arlo,” Sara practically begs me. And then I know I can’t possibly say no.
“Is it all right if I bring someone?”
“Your girlfriend?” she asks.
“Something like that,” I mutter.
“Oh, that would be wonderful, Arlo. I’d love to meet her.”
We set up the date and time and leave the conversation with a tearful goodbye. After disconnecting the call, I feel like the hole in my chest has decreased somewhat. Yes, I may have lost my mother and father, but now I have my sister back.
It doesn’t make anything right, but it somehow makes things…better.
Now I just need to convince Victoria to come with me to my sister’s house. Because right now, Victoria is safer by my side than without me, even if she doesn’t believe that.
CHAPTER 26
VICTORIA
DAMON DOESN’T MEET me for our usual training session, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bother me. I had gotten used to our routine. We’ve actually been opening up to each other and talking, which is more than I can say from before we started training together.
He’s been cooped up in his office all day, so I decide to leave him alone. I’m sure it’s important if he’s willing to skip one of our sessions.
I spend the day walking the grounds, visiting the garden that needs some serious sprucing up, and reading at my favorite window seat in the house that has a large window with a view of the backyard.
When it’s almost dinnertime, I decide to make an appearance just in case Damon has time out of his busy schedule to eat.
After a quick shower, I straighten my hair and put on some makeup. I even put on a dress, which is something I haven’t done in a while since I was covered with bruises. Some yellow marks still remain, but my body looks like it once did before all the horrible shit happened to it.
Inside, however, I’m scarred. My lungs ache whenever I take a deep breath. I still can’t take baths because of my new fear of water. Hell, I have trouble controlling my breathing even when I take a shower. And I can’t sleep with the light off because of my new fear of the dark.
Mentally, they wrecked me, but I’m going to try to get better and stronger to spite them, if nothing else.
Pleased with my appearance, I go downstairs to join Damon. I’m happy to see he’s there and not holed up in his office anymore.
But it’s over dinner, while we’re feasting on baked herb-roasted chicken, when he drops a huge bombshell.
“I found Sara.”
My fork drops from my hand, clattering onto my plate as my gaze flicks up to meet his. “You…found her?” I ask in disbelief. “She’s alive? She’s okay?”
