“Where the fuck are you, anyway? Some fancy ass hotel? Those ceilings look high as fuck.”
Then Rowan appears.
I take another deep breath.
“Nice to see you’re alive,” he says, tone sharp.
I bite my tongue.Remember, they’ve probably been worried sick. “Yes, I’m alive. Yes, I’ve been a shit sister. I handled blackmail very badly, and I’m sure both of you would have done a much better job. I’m sorry for making you worry. I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch. But I rang as soon as I could.” I give them a limp smile. “Look, here I am.”
“You’re with Kaiden and his pack,” Rowan states, rather than a question, his expression otherwise blank.
“Yes...” I frown. “I’m sorry, wasn’t that already made clear with Rue’s rant?”
Rue scoffs. “He means are youwiththem?”
I scowl. “Stop speaking in fucking riddles—”
“Dating, courting, whatever the fuck you wanna call it, just...” He takes a deep breath. “If you are, that’s... fine. Good. I guess.”
“Oh, I amsoglad you approve of youradultsister’s possible romantic partners.”
“That’s not what—” Rue shuts himself up, for once. “What I mean is… they’re good guys. Even before all of…this. If you are with them then… I’m happy for you.”
“Kaiden is a good man. I’m sure his pack is too,” Rowan adds. “They found you when we couldn’t. You’ll be safe with them.”
My cheeks heat as I shift on the sofa. “Well... good. That’s good to know...ifI was dating them, which of course has nothing to do with you—”
“And why the fuck are you living in those shitty flats?”
I guess the sweet sibling moment is over.
“Again, dear brother, that has nothing to do with you—”
“Your safety does, Revea,” Rowan interrupts. “When Mum and our dads went on this trip, we promised to look after each other, and you’re making that very hard to do.”
I grit my jaw. “I needed money, okay? No, listen!” Rowan’s open mouth shuts. “Just for a few months. Taking on Serena was an extra cost I hadn’t accounted for, so I rented out my house, got a cheap flat. I wasn’t even staying there much. Most of the time, I slept in the salon.”
“Why thefuckdidn’t you tell us?” Rue shouts, because his worries always come out in him yelling. “You could have stayed with us! We could have given you some money!”
“Because... Because...” I close my eyes. “Because, clearly, I have a problem with asking for help. I’d rather suffer in silence than hinder anyone. So I put my house up for temporary rent online rather than telling you guys so you wouldn’t think I was a failure.”
There’s a pause as I peel my eyes open, one at a time.
“Re-Re.” Rue sighs. “You know we’d never think that.”
“Never,” Rowan confirms in a firm tone but with a soft gaze that makes my eyes water.
“You’ll come stay with us,” he abruptly adds.
“Erm, no. No way. I’m a grown woman. I amnotstaying with my brothers.”
“You arenotgoing back to that flat,” Ro counters. “I know your courting pack will agree to that too.”
I fight the butterflies in my stomach at that title.
“I also agree with that, just so you know.” I roll my eyes, but deep down, I battle the horror curdling inside me.
There’s no way I’d ever go back to that place. The images of me asleep flash through my mind… I shake them away.
