“This needs to end,” I growl, pacing once more.
“You are scaring Summer, son.You need to sit down,” Mum scolds.
I rush to Summer’s side and quickly grab the blanket off the back of the sofa to wrap it around her.She hasn’t been able to focus enough to realise we brought her to our home instead of hers, she’s been that out of it.I think it’s beginning to freak my brothers out too because they keep staring at her.“Sorry.”
Still not a word from her mouth, and she hasn’t pushed me away yet either.
I realise my mum used Summer’s condition to get me to calm down.I glare at my mum, who watches us with a calculating look.I roll my eyes.Knowing my mother, she is mentally picking out wedding flowers for us just because of my reaction.
Liam walks in, pushing his phone into his back pocket.“A fence will be installed tomorrow.You will have a code to enter the property from now on, and it will be censored.Blind spots will be covered once I arrange for a place to stay and get settled.”
“You can stay at the bed and breakfast,” Paisley offers.“Wait, won’t a gate be pointless if I have to give guests a code?”
Liam softly smiles at my sister.“It will be to this side of the property only.I can get one put on the bed and breakfast, but you have a tight security system already.There are only a few entry points and all are covered.Here, near the main house, there are different points of entry, and not all can be covered because of how large the land is.They will be now.But it will mean that unless you move some animals closer to the bed and breakfast, the petting zoo will need to be held off.”
My sister’s shoulders sink, and I know she’s thinking about all the sick kids she has arranged to come here to pet some animals.
“It won’t be forever, sis,” I promise her.I know how much this has meant to her ever since she got the idea from Jaxon and Lily when they brought a little girl here to see the animals.Paisley has been doing it for others ever since, some of which Lily has been here to help with.
“We can build a small stable closer to the bed and breakfast until all of this is resolved,” Mum promises.
“I don’t want to risk the animals getting out that close to the main road,” Paisley whispers.“It’s okay, Mum.Everyone’s safety comes first.I’ve been thinking about closing the bed and breakfast temporarily.”
“No!”Jaxon states, walking into the room, followed by Malia and her sister Makayla.They immediately rush to Summer’s side, Malia pushing me out of the way.“You will not put the business you’ve worked so hard for in financial jeopardy.”
“Who the fuck hurt you?”Malia snaps, gently holding Summer’s hand, before Paisley can reply to Jaxon.I grit my teeth at the bandage on Summer’s arm that I know covers a nasty gash.“I’ll fucking kill them.”
Makayla leans in closer.“Why does everyone look and smell like they’ve been playing with fire?”
Malia lowers Summer’s hand, finally glancing around the room, her eyes widening at the sight of me and my brothers.Her gaze lands on Liam, and something in it burns when she sees the soot and cut on his head.“Somebody talk.Now!Otherwise I will find the person responsible myself and slaughter them.”
Jaxon moves further into the room, going on alert.“I’m not sure about all the details.I’ve only just come from the hospital and immediately came to get you for Summer.But Liam’s house blew up, and if it wasn’t for Summer warning us, my mum and sister would be planning all our funerals.”
Luke grabs Mum around the waist when she collapses, her gasp filled with anguish and pain.Jaxon grimaces, reaching for her other side and taking a seat on the other sofa with her next to him.
Isaac clears his throat.“We were waiting for you to question Summer about it.”
Malia’s jaw ticks.“She had fuck-all to do with this, I can tell you that right now.”
Isaac scratches his head.“We aren’t saying she did.She came and warned us, so she knows something, but I think the blast broke her.”
I roll my eyes.“She’s in shock, dumbass.”
He waves me off.“Same thing.”
I glance at her around Malia.I don’t think she’s broken.Albeit, she hasn’t said anything since we left the incident.Before, she had just been chanting, ‘everyone’s okay’.
“She got checked out by the paramedic,” I murmur, still staring at her.
Did we get her released too soon?
Maybe she is broken.
Malia snorts and turns back to Summer, clasping her face in her hands.“Talk to me, Summer.What happened?”
Makayla scoffs.“Like soft parenting will work,” she states.“Slap her.That will bring her around.”
My jaw clenches.I’m about to detangle Summer from their grasp, when—
