Seth stood and walked over to her. Wrapped her up in his arms and pulled her to his chest. His insides burned like someone had set a lit match to them. What’d happened? The thought that anything or anyone had dared to hurt his little sister made his fists curl in on themselves.
Kayla didn’t need his anger though, and he couldn’t let his mounting temper prevent his ears from hearing what she needed to say next. No matter how her words would shred him.
He gentled his tone, fear and helplessness clogging his throat. “Kayla, did someone hurt you? Because if they did, I’ll kill them.”
A humorless laugh muffled against his chest. “You can’t, you see.” Her face brushed across his shirt, leaving damp streaks. “Because you went and made another decision without me. Left me behind, yet again.” She stepped out of his arms, her eyes over-bright. “You chose football over me. Religion over me. And now you’ve chosen Amber over me.” She sniffed and studied the night-blooming flower bushes as if she’d suddenly decided to become a botanist.
Jesus, help. He half teased about killing someone, but if Kaylahadbeen hurt, he wasn’t sure he’d have the self-control not to do some bodily harm.
He gripped her upper arms and waited until she met his gaze. “First, I need to know you’re okay. For you, I just might kill first and ask for forgiveness after. Vengeance is God’s be hanged.”
A corner of her mouth ticked upward.
Some of the tension drained from Seth’s shoulder blades. Small smiles were good. “Kayla?”
He felt her unstiffening beneath his hold. “I’m glad to see you would still murder for me.” She paused and his muscles tightened again, bracing against whatever she had to say next. “But it’s not necessary. I just had to learn early on that no one was really interested in me so much as they were interested in using me to get to you.”
Another price tagged to celebrity status and wealth. “I’m sorry you were hurt because of me. That you were used. That wasn’t right.”
She shrugged like it was no big deal, but he wouldn’t believe that lie. She’d been hurt, but the greatest damage had been done by him. Now that she’d voiced what had been bothering her, it made sense. Kind of dumb of him not to figure it out before. Would she let him back in, though? Could they be as close as they once had been, or had too much water flowed under that bridge?
Maybe if he explained he wasn’t choosing something or someone over her…
“Do you want me to breach my contract with the club? Give up football?”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be a complete eejit. Asking you to give up football is akin to asking you to stop breathing.”
“There’s always pick-up games in the park. Kayla, I’m serious. I never want you to think I’m choosing a sport over my own sister.”
She punched him in the shoulder. “Tosser.”
He grinned. Was that thawing from the Ice Queen? She cared enough to call him names instead of giving him a calloused cold shoulder. “Okay, let me ask you this. If I had come to you for advice when the clubs offered a contract, what would you have told me to do?”
She didn’t even blink. “I would have told you the same thing you would have told me. To follow your dream. To be the best you could be. To show the world who you are and what you have and never back down from the challenge or opportunity presented to you.”
He nodded.
“But you didn’t ask. One day I came home from painting—”
He pinned her with a look.
She grinned. “Fine. I’d been tagging a building. But spray paint is still paint and can make pretty art. Anyway, the point is that I came home, and you were gone. Mum said you’d finally found a way out of our rat hole and I should be happy for you.” She stuffed her hands into her pockets. “I was ten and thought you’d left. That you wouldn’t look back and I’d never see you again.”
He tugged her close and squeezed. “Now who’s the eejit. Like I could ever do something like that.”
She shrugged. It was her go-to motion when words failed.
They were on good ground. Dare he press for more? He sighed. A game was never won by backing off.
“What about...”Words, please, Lord.“What about when I started to learn about Jesus and accepted Him as my Lord and Savior? If I had invited you along on that journey, what would you have said?”
She shook her head. “I guess we’ll never know now, will we?” That shrug again.
He put his hands on her shoulders so she couldn’t make them rise and fall anymore. No brushing off the hurt. No more hiding it beneath a layer of chill. “What if I asked you now?”
“To what? Become a Christian?” Since she couldn’t lift her shoulders, she raised her eyebrows. “Like little miss goodie-two-shoes you’re all mooney-eyed over? I’m sorry, Seth, but I live in the real world, not some naïve fantasy where elves and unicorns skip and frolic and play.”
His first reaction was to defend Amber. Just because she’d been sheltered most of her life didn’t mean she had unrealistic views of the world. But Kayla knew how to bait him, and he wouldn’t get caught on her hook. “I mean, what if I invited you to come to church with me?”
