I almost took us to the ground with the force that I crashed into him.
“Back off. Harper says he stays, so he stays.” I heard Benny’s voice, firm and threatening, but I couldn’t pay attention to our surroundings anymore. Because I had my brother back.
“I didn’t send that, Harpy. I promise you. I’d never say anything like that.” My brother’s eyes met mine, and I knew without a doubt he was telling the truth.
The message sent to me from what seemed to be his number only weeks after he’d “left.” The main reason I hadn’t tried to seek him out further. It was just another lie.
I thought of how Leon had taken my phone from me on that trip so I wouldn’t “be distracted.” So I could focus on “networking.”
I’d been a fool. He’d clearly changed the number so it looked like Logan had messaged me, then sent Logan a similar message from me, making him think I wanted him gone too. But it was all Leon.
The truth had come out only moments before Leon’s death. My brother had never left. He’d finally gone to our father for help. He’d told Leon about Tristan, about the way he’d been hurt. Instead of helping him, Leon had been disgusted that he had a son “so weak,” and had sent him away. Had stripped him of everything. Even his name.
My brother had been buried while he still breathed, for the crime of asking for help.
It made me want to bring Leon back just so I could kill him all over again. Slower. I wanted to hurt him so much deeper than we’d been able to.
Logan had been forced to take on a new identity. He’d had to start life again on his own, with nothing and no one.
Logan’s name was Rook now. Rook Reign. And he was in a band that he told me was his new family.
“I killed them,” I told him, unable to offer him any comfort beyond the fact that he was free now. Free of the men who’d hurt him while he was Logan.
“Killed… Dad?” he’d asked.
It had been nine years since I’d seen him last, but I still trusted him with what I’d done. “Yes. And Tristan.”
Rook paled. “I… I saw that Tristan was missing on the news… but… that was you?”
I nodded.
His eyes filled with tears. “Did he hurt you?”
That took more out of me to confess. “He… tried.”
“I’m so sorry.” Rook’s arms wrapped around me, the long crimson bell-sleeves of his cardigan draping over my back like a blanket. “I should have told you, should have warned you.”
I held him back just as tight. “I’m sorry no one protected you.”
“You did.”
“Too late.”
“It’s never too late, Harpy.” He pulled back to smile at me, his tears having smudged his purple eyeliner. “You’re so much stronger than me. I’m so proud of you.”
I pulled him into another hug.
We were sitting in the snake room, formerly known as Benny’s office. We’d been given time to catch up alone, but I knew Matthew wanted time with Rook too. So, after we’d talked for a while longer, and Rook had cried over how big Celestine had gotten, and I’d introduced him to the others, we went back down to the living room where everyone was waiting for us.
Ma was all too happy to have “another son” join us for dinner, and Rook was far better at playing with the boys than I was. He’d always been louder, brighter. Fun to be around.
He’d found us after Leon’s death had been on the news. The details of the funeral were public, and despite believing that I might not want to see him, he’d taken the chance to find me anyway.
I had no regrets about what we’d done to Leon, but knowing it had given us back to each other, no matter what happened, I wouldn’t have changed the outcome.
Rook was free now, and so was I.
Epilogue 1
