“Let go of me!” Avia shouts.
“Put her down,” Ivory commands.
Security looks confused, but they do as he says, setting my sister down on her feet. She’s glaring at all of them, but at least they’ve confiscated her knife.
“Leave us. This is a family matter,” Ivory tells them. “No need to worry.”
The guards march away, reminding me of his cartel soldiers, likely from the same general pool of associates.
“Avianna, please let me explain.” I force her to look at me and not him.
“Angelito, he’s manipulated you!” She exclaims. “He killed mom and dad, and had me—”
“There’s a lot you don’t know,” I cut her off. “But he didn’t take you, Avia. Someone from Papa’s business did. And he didn’t take me… I grew up with Tía Cristal.” Her brow furrows. “I only just ran into him a few years ago, in New York.”
Avianna appears baffled, head shaking back and forth.
“I was hellbent on revenge for most of my life,” I tell her. “Consumed with finding you and killing him. But I… couldn’t kill him. I can’t—I mean, I don’twantto.” I take her hands in mine. “But I never stopped hoping I’d findyousomeday. You were always the most important part of it all.” She blinks more tears down her cheeks. “I only just found out you were dead two weeks ago…”
She shakes her head solemnly. “I’ve been through it, hermano. But I’m good now. Better than good, actually…” Her lips quirk. But then she peeks at Ivory and falls away.
“This is a heavy conversation,” Ivory says in one of his soothing tones. “Why don’t we go back to the house so you two can talk?”
“The house?” She hisses.
“Ourhouse,” I hum. “Avia, we live together. He’s m-my…” I cower under her eyes, whispering, almost sorrowfully, “I love him.”
Avia rubs her eyes. “Jesus, Angelito…”
“Come on.” I take her by the arm, yanking her toward the stairs. “I’ll explain everything, I promise.”
“Oh, mi hermano,” she sighs. “You’d better.”
Now…
We’re back in New York for the first time since we moved to Vegas, and honestly, it feels like I never left.
I love Vegas, I do. The West Coast is a vibe. But New York City will always have my heart as the first place I ever lived on my own.
Eighteen months ago, I was reunited with my twin sister, whom I’d thought was dead. Turns out, she was very muchaliveand living healthily and happily in Vegas. She’d faked her death as a means to stay hidden, and sure, it worked as it needed to.
But I found her. Finally, Ifoundher.
There’s no other way to put it… This was a sign.
That our first time going out in Vegas, we ran into my sister I’ve been searching nearly two decades for… That is some serious cosmic activity.
Things with Avianna weren’t all sunshine and rainbows at first. We had some hurdles to overcome—like her complete and utter disdain for my soulmate.Avianna was where I’d been five years earlier regarding The Ivory.Minus the whole lifelong lustful obsession thing, of course.She wanted to kill him, and she didn’t understand how I could feel differently.
It took some convincing, and even after that, it took some time for us to get to know each other. We never really had. We’d gone most of our lives apart.
But we worked it out. I gotmy sisterback.
My twin and I have been reunited, and it’s all I could have ever hoped for.Well, that and living in a gorgeous mansion in Vegas with the love of my life.
And ever since, we’ve been growing together. All of us. It’s been perfect.
Nine months ago, Ivory flew Leah out so that she could see Avia again; so that the three of us couldfinallybe together in the same room at the same time. It was amazing.
