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Wolf was present for all these exchanges, but I noticed he remained quiet during it all. He’d just been watching Sloane like he himself couldn’t believe it.
“Still trying to wrap my head around it,” he said before glancing over the group. His sight fell on me, and when Wells noticed, he tapped Thatcher’s shoulder.
“Maybe we should give them all the room,” he announced, but if they were, they didn’t need to give me any allowances. If Wolf and his sister needed a moment, they should have that, and the way Bru was keeping a watchful eye over the situation, he’d probably be a part of it too. He should get time.
That was his sister too.
Regardless, none of this had anything to do with me, and I tried to make myself believe that as I approached. I noticed Sloane hug herself when I did. She got all locked up.
She got tense.
I tried not to let myself feel anything about that when I stared down at her. I nodded. “Yeah. We probably should. The guys and I can wait outside. Give you three time. You, Bru, and Wolf.” Each word tore at me, fucking aching inside me. I swallowed. “I’m glad you’re back too.”
I was glad, and to the point where I thought I’d physically crumble if one more moment went by where she was in one place and I was another. I’d been drowning before she walked through that door and on the verge of killing Bru for what he’d done by going off with her. I’d been about to kill Thatcher for keeping the secret, and he was my goddamn friend. I’d felt like I was dying before Wolf sent his text that he’d found her.
I still felt that way.
I almost felt worse, and seeing her lock up tighter after what I said didn’t help.
“Thanks.” The word tight on her lips, she dismissed me to speak to Wolf. “I need to talk to Bru about what we talked about anyway.”
I didn’t know what they spoke about, but I’d definitely been dismissed.
You did it first.
I hadn’t wanted to, but I didn’t want to stand in the way either. The three should have time, and it was too late to take it all back when she walked away.
She took Bru with her, the two going off in the direction of her room, and right away, the four of us shifted. Wolf started to go that way, but I waved Thatcher and Wells in that direction.
“Keep watch,” I told them. There was no way out of Sloane’s room, but I think an eye on her would give us all peace of mind.
The two nodded, leaving, and though they followed, Wolf continued to stare that way. I didn’t blame him. I was fighting the urge myself.
“Where did you find her?” I asked, trying not to fidget, but madness was brewing inside me.
Why did you say that shit to her?
I thought I’d bleed out my heart to her when I saw her but ended up saying all that stupid shit.
“Remember how I told you I took her to that graffiti wall?” Wolf said, his focus still in the direction of the hall. They’d all disappeared down it, but that didn’t seem to matter. “How I took her there to tag that one time.”
He’d mentioned it to our parents and with good reason. It, along with her home, had been one of the places searched the most after she’d gone missing. There were lots of pipes there that someone could lay low in and searching places Sloane was familiar with made sense.
“Well, that’s where I found her.” Wolf grabbed his legs, releasing a breath. I wondered if my buddy had been holding it the whole time. He stood up. “I thought about where I’d go if I needed a place to disappear quick. She ended up being there.”
I guess he’d been right about the twin link thing. Damn. “What did you guys talk about?”
“A lot.” He swallowed. “I told her everything and how I found out who she was. Told her why I kept things from her too. That didn’t really go over well, and I think she might have run because of that. Because of us?” His eyes lifted. “Sounds like your grandpa actually told her the truth about everything. He didn’t lie to her about, well, anything.”
The dread hit me. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, she knows what he’s done and the Mallicks’ place in it.” He glanced back toward the hall. “He told her the truth, D. She knows who he is.”
“And that he’s my grandfather.”
My buddy swung his eyes in my direction, his nod firm. “Yes, but I explained why you kept that from her. I explained your relationship with him is fucked, and you couldn’t trust him, and because of that, we weren’t sure if we could trust her. Until I could, I had to keep all that under wraps too. Who she was and all that.”
I had a feeling that was why he hadn’t told anyone about her.
