“I didn’t say she wasn’t, but is it wise? Anything could have happened.”
“I wasn’t drunk last time I was kidnapped, if that helps,” Citi adds, walking around her sister and heading for Havoc. “Hey, pres. How’s my girl?”
“Fast asleep, thankfully. I’m not sure I could handle watching?—”
“Don’t say it.” She cuts him off. “If you say it out loud, it will summon her.”
He grins before stepping aside to let her in. “You have fun?”
“So much. And Ambros is so pretty to look at, don’t you think?” She twirls to point at me and crashes into him.
“Jesus, Ambros, she could hurt herself.”
I grit my teeth and turn to face Tink. “Know this is coming from a place of love and concern, so I’m gonna let this slide, because you know me better than that, Nevaeh.”
She sighs and crosses her arms over her chest, her eyes on Citi, who Havoc is helping through the door. “You don’t know what it was like, the not knowing what happened. And now that I do know, I sometimes wonder if the not knowing was actually a blessing. I’m so scared I’m going to wake up one day and this will all have been just a crazy dream. That she’s gone, and this was just my subconscious way of saying goodbye.”
I move closer and pull her in for a one-armed hug. “I get that you’re scared, but you can’t let your fear of losing her stop Citi from living her life. Isn’t that exactly what your dad did to you?”
She hisses and pulls back, tears in her eyes from the unexpected blow my words landed.
“Sorry, that wasn’t cool.”
“Maybe not, but it doesn’t make it any less true, does it?”
She swipes her tears away before face-planting against my chest. “I’m trying so hard not to push and mess everything up, and yet I’m still doing it anyway. What is wrong with me, Ambros? Why can’t I just be what she needs?”
“Hey.” I grip her shoulders lightly and ease her back so she has to look up at me. “There is nothing wrong with you, Tink. Stop trying to be the perfect sister and just be yourself. She loves you as you are, and she needs you to love her as she is right now, too. Neither of you are the same little girls you once were. You’re stronger, wiser—well, mostly.” I wink, thinking of that damn dinosaur onesie of hers. “And braver than most of the MC brothers put together.”
She smirks at me through her tears, but I press on.
“As much as it pains me to say this, the Citi that was abducted all those years ago is gone. She died, and as sad as that is, it’s also a good thing because that little girl wouldn’t have survived a monster like Jasper. But that woman in there, she did. Grieve what you lost, Tink. You’re allowed to be sad. But then bury it and move on, because the woman that came home to you has a whole lot of love to give if you just let her.”
“I’m just so scared of losing her again.”
I shake my head, not surprised Nevaeh’s feelings eerily echo Citi’s own. “Of course you are. You just have to take a leaf out of your sister’s book.”
“What, get drunk?”
“Be brave.”
She sighs but nods. “Okay. Who would have thought when we became airplane buddies you’d end up becoming my life guru.”
I grin, wrapping my arm around her and leading her inside. “I am pretty wisdomus,” I tease, quoting a character from one of her favorite TV shows.
She laughs, grabbing my hand and squeezing it tight. “That you are Ambros. That you are. Thanks for looking after her. I mean it.”
“It’s my pleasure, trust me.”
She bites her lip. I can see she wants to say more, but for now, she lets it go because she does trust me. And that’s not something I take lightly.
We walk into the living room where Citi is sprawled across the sofa. Havoc walks in from the kitchen with a bottle of water and a couple of painkillers in his hand. He looks from me to Tink, his eyes moving over her to make sure she’s okay before he walks over and hands Citi the bottle.
“Here, drink this or you’ll feel shitty tomorrow.”
She sighs and sits up. “It would still have been worth it,” she replies, her eyes moving to me.
“I’m gonna remind you you said that,” Tink tells her, walking over to sit beside her. Tink rests her head on Citi’s shoulder as she throws back the pills and gulps down the water before handing the bottle back to Havoc.
