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“It’s okay,” I say softly. “It’s not your fault.”

Hudson nods once, but his eyes don’t leave Bennett’s face. “Good. Thank you for telling me. Anything else? Did he threaten you?”

Bennett shakes his head quickly. “No. But he said… he said that West isn’t a good person and doesn’t deserve to have nice things.” His eyes flick to me, then down to the floor.

I squeeze his hand tighter. My stomach twists so hard it hurts.

“Asher?” Hudson turns to him, and the air in the room sharpens like a blade being unsheathed.

“I’ve already messaged my office in New York,” Asher replies immediately. “I’ll get a location on Marchetti’s apartment and get eyes on the place. If West is there, I’ll know within the hour.” His gaze flicks to me. “Eden, I promise I’ll keep him safe.”

Safe. The word makes my throat burn. I want to believe it, but all I can picture is West alone in some glass-and-gold apartment with Vin breathing threats down his neck.

Hudson’s eyes soften as he looks back at me. “We’ll get him home, Eden. I promise.”

My voice cracks when I answer. “Thank you.” And then it hits me again. Just how much they all care about me. How they’ve put everything aside to help me – and West. How they’ve worked so hard to rebuild the family I’m responsible for tearing apart.

“There’s something else,” I say, my voice thin. “Not about West, but about me.”

“Please tell me you’re pregnant,” Autumn says, clasping her hands together.

I roll my eyes at her. “No. Definitely not that.”

The words start to stick in my throat, but I force them out anyway. “It’s about Dad. About the house. The island. About how we lost it.”

Hudson frowns. “Eden…”

“It was me,” I blurt. My chest is tight, my hands clammy. “That night, when he was playing cards. He asked me to help. To count the cards. I told him I would, but I always planned to get it wrong. To teach him a lesson that he shouldn’t cheat.” I look over, out of the window, to the hotel grounds. “I didn’t know he was gambling everything he owned. I didn’t know he was about to lose our home.”

The silence that follows is deafening. I want to disappear into a hole.

“You were a kid,” Hudson says. “It wasn’t your fault. Is this really why you’ve stayed away for so long?”

“We lost everything because of me,” I whisper, the words scratching my throat. “I could have easily helped him. But I had to take the high road.”

“It isn’t your fault. It’s mine,” Asher says, letting out an annoyed grunt. “I knew what he was like. And I just let him do it to you, too.”

His eyes meet mine. They’re tired, shadowed, but steady. “He had me doing the same shit when I was barely a teenager. Counting cards, memorizing hands. I hated it, Eden. I hated him. But I still sat there like some good little soldier. I should’ve stopped him before he ever pulled you in.”

The air between us thickens, heavy with everything we never said. Asher and I were always the math geniuses. I used to be excited we had that in common. I guess Dad did, too, in a whole other way.

“You were a kid too,” I murmur.

“Doesn’t matter.” His jaw flexes. Then softer, “I carry it every day. But I’m done letting him win. Done letting his poison touch us.”

Something in my chest cracks open. “Asher…”

He shakes his head and closes the distance, pulling me into his arms. His hug is fierce, almost too tight, but I melt into it anyway. And all I can think is that I wish West was here to see this. He’d be proud of me, I think.

No, hewillbe proud of me. When I tell him. Tonight.

“You’re my sister,” Asher murmurs, his arms still keeping me close. “And I love you. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. Even if that means helping West.”

My breath stutters. “You mean it?”

He leans back enough to look me in the eye. “I don’t like this whole situation. But I can see you love him. And I do too.” He takes a breath. “I was wrong the other day. I need him to know that.”

Hudson nods from the desk, his voice gruff. “Then it’s settled. Whatever’s coming, we face it together.”