Chapter 21: Ours: Chapter 21

Nick!

NICK!

NO!

I wrenched open my eyes. My panic thundered, booming in my ears as I took in the murky darkness of the room and the woman beside me. But inside my head, I was still trapped in that warehouse, controlled by the events that had rippled from that moment. I looked down, found Ryth sleeping soundly beside me, and a wave of relief slammed into me, hitting me so damn hard my body shuddered.

Princess.

Her screams faded in my mind, but my body still responded, hardening, aching. Needing to fuck her once more, to remind myself that she was here and real, and not just a figment of my imagination. We’d almost lost her. I lifted my gaze to my brother on the other side, curled around her. We’d almost lost everyone. Tobias was deep asleep, his lips parted, an arm wrapped around her waist. He needed rest and her, now more than ever.

But sleep was now gone for me, fading with her screams in my head. I rolled over and climbed out of bed, then grabbed a pair of sweats and a t-shirt before heading for the door.

It was still dark when I stepped out. The only sounds were the crackling of the fire and the faint growl of an engine fading away. I headed along the hall, glancing around the murky gloom and finding the faintest trace of sunlight through the kitchen window as I yawned.

“They’re gone.”

Caleb moved, standing near the fire, wearing the same clothes from yesterday. A scan of the sofa and I found the comforter still neatly folded, lying across the arm. Looked like he hadn’t slept at all.

“You don’t seem surprised about that.”

I met his stare and raked my hair back from my face. “I’m not.”

“So you knew they were leaving?”

“Yeah.”

“Which is why you said to leash it until today.” I didn’t answer, because I didn’t need to. “There’s fresh coffee in the pot.”

“Thanks.” I headed for the kitchen, hating how it felt like we were strangers.

Blood or not, it meant nothing when it came to betrayal.

“Nick.” He stopped me.

“Yeah?”

“Are we ever going to move past this?”

I stopped in the middle of the kitchen, unable to look at him. “I hope so, for Ryth’s sake.”

He left me to pour a cup and stare out the window, wondering how this all had gone so wrong. It wasn’t just betrayal here. It was the secrets I couldn’t get past. So many fucking secrets, too many. It made it hard to trust and this couldn’t work without trust, no matter whose heart was on the line.

I turned around, staring at Caleb as he watched the fire and drank his own coffee. The meeting with Benjamin Rossi was in two days. Two days until we got answers, real answers. Only answers wouldn’t keep us safe, if anything, they’d be more like a target on our backs.

I thought of running, really running, leaving all of this behind. I had enough money to make it happen. Maybe it wouldn’t last forever, but it’d carry us through until we made a new plan.

A plan that would keep us together.

I stared at my brother…

If we made it through this.

Movement from the hallway caught my focus. Tobias glanced toward Caleb, then headed for the kitchen.

“T,” I muttered, motioning to the half-filled pot.

He wasn’t limping as much today, which surprised me after the workout he’d had yesterday beating the shit out of our brother. But he held back. I knew that. I’d seen T consumed with rage and for a second, when we’d rounded the driveway yesterday, I’d thought for sure the Doc was going to add one more dead body to our cold pile.

But as I’d climbed out of the Range Rover and headed their way, I knew that wasn’t going to happen. Not then, at least. I knew that because of who’d stood in his way.

Our sister.

She’d never let that happen, not to them…or because of her.

All three of us turned now as Ryth came out of the hallway, yawning, then stopped halfway between the kitchen and the living room, looking at each of us intently. A blush crept into her cheeks as she looked around and headed for the kitchen.

“Morning,” she mumbled.

“Morning.” T turned and handed her the freshly poured cup he’d just taken a sip from.

I stared at the offering, then him. He looked the same and even moved the same. But the man standing in front of me wasn’t the brother I knew. He was different, older and rawer than I’d ever thought possible. I glanced at Caleb as he watched them together with an aching fucking look in his eyes.

Christ, our little sister had changed us all.

She took a sip, wrapped her hands around the mug, and turned around. “Any sign of the others?”

“They’re gone,” I answered.

“Gone?” T glanced my way.

I gave a nod. “Gone.”

“Where?” Ryth looked nervous.

I pushed off the counter. “Back home. He said he had some things to take care of and preferred not to be around when Benjamin Rossi came.”

“Oh, is there bad blood?” she asked.

“More like a misunderstanding,” I answered, focusing on her. “Which leaves us two days before the meet.”

“Two days?” she whispered.

“Two days,” T repeated as he leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Let’s hope we all survive, huh?”

She paled, the birthmark blushing before she covered it while taking another sip. But then she lowered the cup and found his stare. “If we don’t, brother, then you’ll be the first one I take out.”

“Sibling rivalry, huh?” he bit back.

“No.” She shook her head. “You’re just the asshole of the family.”

“Ouch.” He feigned a blow, jerking his head to the side and rubbing his jaw. “That one hurt.”

It was strained, but fuck, it was nice to feel even a little of the light-hearted banter we’d had before our lives went to hell.

“In that case,” she muttered, “I’d better feed you.”

“I’ll help.” Caleb headed toward us, and instantly T went cold, that laughter now a cruel glint in his stare.

“And suddenly, I’m not hungry.” Tobias placed his cup down on the counter and turned, striding away without a glance in our brother’s direction.

“Tobias,” Ryth called.

But it was too late, he was gone, his heavy limping thud echoing down the hall.

“I’ll go after him.” Ryth took a step.

“No.” I stopped her. “Let him go, he’ll come to you in his own time.”

“As long as he comes to me.”

“Oh, he will.” I sighed, knowing when he did, she’d better be prepared.

We cooked and ate, then I walked out, checked the sedan, and made plans on how far and how long we could run. I spent the day thinking about that, taking the car into town to refuel and gather supplies before I returned.

When I did, the tension was palpable.

I strode into the cabin to find Tobias standing in front of Caleb with a cold, hard look in his eyes. “You want to do this, brother? So let’s do it. Let’s have it all out in the open…let’s hear exactly how you fucking saved her. But I swear to you, if you hold back or lie, then I’ll cut you out of my life…and you’ll never see me again.”

Oh shit…

This was going to be fucking messy.