The doctor, a tall man with graying hair and a kind face stepped toward me. “No, my dear.” His deep German accent adding depth to his words. “You are...” he trailed off, waiting for me to answer.
“His sister. Skye.” Unsure why I suddenly felt like an imposter, I added, “I’ve just arrived but I can come back.”
“No need.” He rubbed his jaw. “Were you and Mr. Donovan close?”
I glanced down at Shay.Inseparable once, I wanted to say. “Yes.”
He looked at the nurse then. “Have we tried the touch therapy?”
“We have, doctor. No response.” She eyed him curiously.
He looked at me. “May I call you Skye?” At my nod, he continued, “would you mind holding your brother’s hand, please.”
“Sure.” The fear of hurting him sat heavy on my chest as I reached out, my movements cautious and slowly slipped my hand into his. “Shay,” I unconsciously called out.
There was a sudden spike on the heart rate monitor the same time his fingers squeezed mine for a fleeting moment. A strangled laugh escaped my lips.
Open your eyes, Shay, come back to me, please,I silently willed him.
“Did you see that, doctor,” the nurse gasped.
“I did,” he sounded pleased. “Can you release his hand, Skye?” I looked at the doctor, confused and not wanting to let go. “Please,” he encouraged. “It’s just to test his reaction once more.”
I tried to but Shay’s grip tightened, the heart rate monitor spiked once more. Without thinking, I dropped my cheek to his chest and let the tears flow unburdened.
“Let’s give her a moment,” I heard the doctor say.
I didn’t bother to look up, emotion holding me down.
Not sure how long I stood there, leaning over him, the tears finally slowed. My lower back cried for relief from the folded over position and my temples pounded from the lack of sleep. “Shay.” I lifted my head to look down at him. “I’m—”
“What are you doing here, Skye?”
My body snapped upright, my hand slipping out of Shay’s grasp as I turned toward the door. Looking just as beautiful, minus the bridal dress I’d last seen her in, Ryleigh glared at me. When I didn’t immediately respond, she folded her arms across her chest and arched a brow, impatience drawing a few creases across her forehead.
“He’s my brother,” I finally found my voice.
“The same brother you fucked?” she flung the words at me, her disgust a potent effigy to her pain as she approached me.
I blanched, pure ice running through my veins. “You...you know?”
“What do you think happened to him when you ran out of our wedding ceremony just as he was about to say I do?” she scoffed. “You broke him, Skye.”
“No,” I shook my head, suddenly angry that he’d told her. It was supposed to be our secret. “He broke me first,” I retaliated, not thinking.
Her sarcastic laugh echoed through the room. “Are you serious right now.” She shook her head, disbelief painting her beautiful features into an ugly scowl. “You broke him, me, us, Skye. I married an empty shell of a man that afternoon. Still, I stuck around. Because unlike melodramatic Skye, I loved him. All you wanted was attention as usual.”
Her words pierced my soul, further shattering it, into tiny unmatchable shards of crystal. “Attention?” I swallowed the ache lining my throat. “He took care of me since I was born, he gave me that attention. He chose to give it to me, I didn’t ask for it,” I lashed out, angry that she’d won in the end. “And I certainly didn’t ask my heart to betray me, to fall in love with him.”
She scoffed, shaking her head. “And when exactly did you decide you were in love with your brother? When he changed your fucking diapers?”
I flinched from her disgust, knowing I could’ve walked away, shut out her spiteful words but I chose to stand there, to continue talking to this woman who hated me. Somewhere deep inside my broken soul, I couldn’t blame her. She had every right to. “The night of the prom,” I replied. “He came home drunk and kissed me—”
“Oh, my God,” she cut me off with a snort. “I wondered why Shay seemed distracted while he fucked my mouth that night then instead of fucking me, he ran to save your sorry ass. Figures.” She glared daggers at me.
My heart further plummeted. Her divulgence scouring its valves connected to my chest, leaving it hanging from mere threads. “He passed out before anything further could happen,” I added numbly.
“And what? You think that makes it better? He probably fucked you the morning after—”
