“Sure.” I reluctantly agree because, well, I feel partially responsible for the mess we currently find ourselves in, and it’s only right that I help clean it up. “He livesin Village Green. You know where that is?” I ask Kai because one, he’s driving, and two, he knows this area better than most because, like me, he grew up not fifteen minutes from campus.
“I do.”
“Okay, we will meet you there,” I tell him before turning to Lyric. I give her a reassuring smile and reach out to squeeze her hand, my way of telling her I’ll be fine. “I’ll see you there.” She nods once.
“I’m coming with you two,” Jackson announces, gesturing to Mac’s car.
“There isn’t any room for you. Unless you’re planning on sitting on top of Joey.”
“I’m not letting my baby sister get into a car with two guys I don’t know.”
“Now is not the time to press play on your overprotective brother routine.” I groan.
“I disagree. Now seems like the perfect time.”
I stare at my brother for a long moment, contemplating jabbing my hand into his throat.
“One, I am not a baby. Two, you don’t need to know them because I do. And three, you’ll be right behind us in Kai’s car. Now go. You’re wasting time.”
He looks over my head at where Mac is waiting just outside the driver’s door.
“Anything happens to her, I’ll break both of your fucking legs and you can kiss your football career goodbye.”
I gape openly at my brother, appalled and yet a little impressed too.
“Understood,” Macallan agrees without hesitation.
Jackson looks between me and Macallan for another long moment before finally conceding with along exhale.
“I’ll see you there,” he says before spinning on his heel to follow after Kai and Lyric, who have already started up the sidewalk toward Kai’s car.
I wait until he’s out of earshot before turning back to Macallan.
“Sorry about him.” I tug open the passenger door and quickly slide into the car.
“Don’t be. I get it. If I had a sister, I’d probably do the same.”
“You’re an only child?” Weirdly, it’s not something we ever discussed, not that we spent a whole lot of time talking during the short time we werehanging out.
“I wish. I have three brothers, all younger than me.”
“Three?” My eyes widen. “God, I can barely deal with one.” I snap my seatbelt into place just as Mac starts the car, quickly pulling out onto the street. “How old are they?”
“Maxton just turned sixteen. Mason is fourteen. And Midas is ten.”
“All Ms.”
He nods slowly. “What about you? Is Jackson your only sibling?”
“Yes. Well, no. I mean, he’s my only living sibling. I had a sister once...” I want to take the words back instantly, silently cursing myself for letting them slip.
“What happened to her?”
“I, uh... She died when she was two. It was a long time ago, and no, I don’t want to talk about it.” I try to push past the guilt that slides through my stomach, but it’s no use. It settles into my gut like drying cement.
I know what happened to Lily wasn’t my fault. Rationally, I know that no five-year-old should ever be made responsible for a toddler in a bathtub, but that doesn’tmake me feel any less to blame. The sad thing is, I don’t even know why I left that bathroom. Why I walked away and left my baby sister unattended long enough for her to... I shake off the thought, refusing to go there right now.
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry,” Macallan says, clearly reading something on my face that I didn’t want him to see.
