His forehead is creased, but I can tell he’s considering the possibility of what I’ve offered him.
“No pressure,” I say softly. “It’s just that I’d like some company.” And family needs to stick together. What’s left of it, anyway, a painful thought reminds me.
He looks up at me and I can see him considering his options. I know he’s been sleeping on couches, skipping classes, just so he could spend time with me. And I want to help. All I’ve ever wanted was to help them.
“Okay,” he says quietly and my heart skips a beat. “I’ll stay here for a while.”
I can’t help it – I rush from my side of the couch and envelop him in a bear hug. “Thank you,” I say sincerely, and for once in the past few weeks, I’m genuinely happy. We’re what’s left of this broken family, and we’ll carry on the legacy.
With or without Blane.
Chapter 5
It’s a few days later and I’m fast asleep when I hear a commotion outside.
Sleepily, I get up from my queen-sized bed and push the silk sheets off of me. My eyes are bleary and I feel so sleepy I can barely stand, but as I get up, the noises get even louder, even more aggressive.
I quickly grab my robe from the closet and wrap myself in its silky softness before softly opening the door and emerging into the hallway.
As I’m making my way down the stairs, Aiden’s door opens with a thud and we exchange sleepy, confused glances.
He’s been here for a few days, and I’m so thankful. I don’t have to stay in the enormous house all alone and it’s probably the first time in a year and a half that I’ve had a few peaceful nights of sleep, instead of waking up every half an hour, plagued by nightmares.
It’s always the same – a masked man has me tied up, torturing me. I never see his face.
I focus on Aiden.
“What’s going on?” he asks me, ruffling his dark hair with his hand. He looks disoriented, and I do too, I’m sure – so we make our way down the stairwell together, and the banging and yelling gets louder and louder.
“What is that?” I wonder out loud as we come to the front door. “Sounds like we’re being attacked by Vikings.”
Aiden smirks and steps in front of me protectively before reaching for the door knob. I can’t help but smile, because he still treats me like I need protection – and honestly, I love it.
He flings the door open and is immediately tackled by his brother.
It’s a repeat of the scene from a few weeks ago. Blane and Aiden fighting as I scream my head off in terror.
But this time, it’s not Aiden who’s got the upper hand.
Blane is driven by r
age, and he hits him so hard blood spurts my soft pink silk robe.
I scream.
“Get out!” I yell at Blane, tears already obscuring my vision. “You have no right to be here. None! Just leave, right now!”
He looks at me. He actually has the nerve to look me in the eye.
“So he lives here now?” he asks bitterly, stepping closer to me as I shiver from the night’s breeze coming in through the still open door. “You should be careful who you trust, Emme,” he snarls.
And it’s so wrong, but all I want is for him to take me into his arms and carry me away from all this ugliness that he’s caused. Take me away, comfort me, kiss it all better.
Because if he’s done it once, he can surely do it again, right?
“I agree,” I say coldly. “My judgement must be impaired, because for a while, I thought you were trustworthy.” I can see my words hurt him, because he steps back. Aiden is moaning on the floor, wiping away the blood from his face, dealt by Blane’s blow.
“Leave, Blane,” I say softly, the tears pricking my eyes.
He doesn’t move.
I step closer. “Didn’t you hear me?” I poke a finger into his chest and even though it’s meant to be a threatening gesture, it still feels me with so much need, so much wanting. “Just leave us alone. You’ve hurt me, you’ve hurt your brother. You’re not welcome here.”
I move my hand away from him and press it to my chest. “You’re not welcome here, either,” I whisper softly, and as soon as the words are out, the silence that follows is deafening.
Blane stares at me hard, as if wishing I’d take the words back, but I’m standing my ground this time. He can’t just barge in and hurt us like this. He’s done enough.
Finally, he turns around, tucks his hands in the pockets of his coat and walks away. My eyes are on him until he rounds the corner, and only Aiden’s cry of pain reminds me I have other priorities now.
So I kneel down next to me stepbrother. I clean his wound, ask him to get stitches for his lip, try to convince him it’s necessary as he refuses time and time again.
I tuck him in and I even sleep next to him, because I’m too afraid, too broken to be by myself.
That night, the nightmares come back in full form.
But this time, the man who is torturing me isn’t wearing a mask. He has that familiar face, the well-known dark mess of hair, those steely eyes.
The problem is this – I don’t know whether my tormentor is Aiden or Blane …
Chapter 6
2 years ago
It’s my nineteenth birthday. There’s cake. There’s a party. There are presents.
Yet I’m sitting on the floor in my closet, bawling my eyes out.
I know they’re looking for me, but I’m too upset to let anyone know I’m hiding from my own friends. And it’s all because of Blane, just like it always is.
Because he didn’t show up. He didn’t even have enough sense to come to his own stepsister’s party, and once again, I feel like he’s pushing me away right along with the rest of the family.
“Emme?” I hear someone call out and I whimper, not sure whether I want them to find me or leave me alone in my misery. I know it’s stupid I’m this upset over one person, especially when everyone else has been trying so hard to make this day special for me. But still, as my tears fall, I can’t help but feel sorry for myself – all the while knowing my anger should be directed at my stepbrother.