ChapterSix
Killian
Cora bounced along to pass in front of me, and I shook my head, knowing that she was just anxious since I hadn’t slept the night before.
I was so tired of nightmares. They just didn’t seem to have any point, but it wasn’t like I could stop them.
My phone buzzed again and I looked down at the readout, knowing if I didn’t answer now, my sister was never going to give up. In fact, she would probably fly up from Texas right now just to check on me.
And I didn’t want to have her see me face to face.
I answered the phone and scowled at her face on my screen. I hadn’t realized it was a video call, and there was no going back now.
“You look wonderful. I love the little scowl for me. It makes me feel at home.”
She fluttered her eyelashes, and I held back a growl.
“Hi, Ann.”
“Hello, big brother. I love you.”
“Is there a reason that you’re calling?” I asked, and she sighed.
“I just wanted to check on you because you’re my big brother. And I kind of like you.”
“That makes one of us,” I growled.
“Good to know you’re still your usual self.”
“Well, you must like my usual self since you keep calling.”
“You’re my brother. Of course, I’m going to call you.”
“What is it, Ann? Everything okay down in the hellhole of Texas?”
“Stop calling it a hellhole. I like my little area.”
“I’m just saying. They have hill country there that looks like the hill in my backyard rather than an actual range.”
“Not everybody can be blessed with living in the Rocky Mountains. The elevation’s too high for me anyway. You know my lungs don’t like it.”
I nodded, feeling a bit annoyed with myself for forgetting. Ann had terrible asthma, and while the high elevation and thin air might work for some people, it didn’t for my sister. It was another reason why she didn’t visit often and why I didn’t want her to come. I didn’t want my little sister to get hurt. Not because she was checking on my grumpy ass.
“Well, how is the hill country? Enjoying the mountainous peaks?”
She flipped me off, but I couldn’t help but smile.
“Things are going okay here. I’m just working.”
“I hope not too hard.”
“I probably work less than you do, and you don’t even need to work.”
“I think building this house is work enough.”
Other things were left unsaid. Like why I didn’t need to work anymore, and why the settlement that I hadn’t even asked for had made it so I would never have to lift a finger another day for the rest of my life.
No amount of money would change things, would make things better or make the money worth it. I would give it all up to have my old life back, but that wasn’t happening any time soon.