But I can see one common emotion in all of them—regret.
“We thought you were dead…” Roman says roughly, clearing his throat as his hand resumes rubbing across my lower back. “Charlie made it seem like you…fuck, I can’t even say it.”
I glance between them in disbelief. “Did she tell you?”
“No,” Kairo reassures quickly. “This was when we noticed you were missing at school. We thought…”
Holy shit.
Charlie made them think I had died when I had already graduated and was on my way to Manhattan. I told her not to tell anyone what happened to me…
She really is a ride-or-die.
She got revenge on my behalf when I was long past that point. I just wanted out of that town.
“Wait…” I trail. “When did you find out—”
“We saw you at Varsity Vat,” Maddox sighs before plopping down onto the floor. “We came across a video of you performing and were passing through Manhattan at the time. We had to see it with our own eyes.”
My lips part, the air rushing from me. “That was eight years ago…”
“It was,” Kairo agrees before chuckling lowly. “Imagine our surprise when we saw you up on the stage.”
My head whips around to Maddox, the dots connecting. The note left at the bar all those years ago sits crumpled in my dresser drawer. I never got rid of it. “You left me the note.”
His eyes crash with mine, wide and startled. “You read it?”
I snort, my nerves seeming to fizzle out slowly. “I still have it.”
“All these years…” Maddox whispers.
Roman clears his throat, shifting subtly below me. “Rosalie, there’s something we need to tell you.”
The way he says my name, like it’s a prayer, has a shudder wracking my spine. That fluttering sensation returns to my stomach, and I wait for him to speak. I feel small in his embrace, but it doesn’t scare me. Not the way it used to.
He’s gentle with me, his eyes softening as he brushes my hair away from my neck. “We’re sorry. We’re so fucking sorry for how we treated you…”
The bridge of my nose stings with my welling tears. I sniffle quietly, wiping my eyes as something bittersweet erupts in my chest. I never wanted golden and gilded promises. I never wanted pity. I just wanted genuine honesty.
I’ve never asked for a lot. It isn’t in my nature to beg for more than what I’m owed, but this is unexpected. An authentic apology. How many times have I thought of this very moment? Dreamed that maybe one day, someone would see what they put me through and actually feel remorse.
“Please don’t cry,” Roman tuts softly as he uses his thumbs to wipe my tears. “You’re breaking my heart, Siren.”
Kairo rubs up my calf, sincerity in his stare. “We really are sorry, Thorn. We’ll never put you through that again. I swear.”
Maddox’s hand finds mine, and he intertwines ourfingers. “Never again. You deserve the world.”
My tears are falling heavily and messily down my cheeks, but I can’t stop them. This doesn’t erase my past, but it’s a good step in the right direction. I thought letting all of this out would have pushed them away, but if anything, I feel even closer to them than I was before. They know it all, and I can’t find it in me to stop. My head is still partially in the bad place, and the words tumble from my lips without any barriers.
“Dad always said I looked like her…” I blink rapidly, sniffling. “My mother.”
Roman slides his hands up my cheeks, curling his fingers into my hair as he forces me to look at him. “You’reyou, Rosalie. No one else. You’re Rose Beckett, three-time Grammy winner, pop star, and a fucking saint. Don’t ever forget that.”
I nod before pushing my chin upwards and capturing his lips in a slow kiss that bleeds my overwhelming gratitude and vulnerability. It isn’t heated, but it’s sweet and timid. Where I once feared coming this close to Roman, I now find a new sense of comfort and serenity. When we pull away, he rests his forehead on mine, and my voice is barely above a whisper. “Thank you.”
He closes his eyes as if he’s in pain. “No, thank you. For letting us back into your life. For giving us a chance when we didn’t deserve it. Thank you.”
I swallow, nodding against him. I’m speechless, but they aren’t expecting me to fill the silence.
