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“Of what?” she screamed. “Because the only thing I’m scared of is that you’re going to start lying and keeping shit from me again.”
Frustrated, I raked my fingers through my hair. “Eden always seemed to hate Kassa because I showed her more attention, but I loved both my sisters equally when we were all together. Kas was just a baby, though, and she needed taking care of. That sure as hell wasn’t going to be done by our mom. Eden was older than me, but she didn’t understand that we needed to have each other’s backs and take care of our little sister.”
“How old were you?”
“I was eight when social services stepped in and took Eden. By then, I was relieved she wasn’t around. She’d started acting weird around Kassa, and I didn’t trust her. Then one night I woke up because I kept hearing something coming from the room Eden and Kassa shared. When I got in there, I saw Mom and Eden fighting over a pillow. I thought Eden was trying to smother Kas and Mom was trying to fight her off. But after Eden and I met again and we started talking, I realized it was the other way around. Eden saved Kassa that night.”
“Oh my God.” Kin’s face was pale, her eyes full of horror. “How could she do that?”
I caught her hand and kissed her palm, needing to touch her as I relived the nightmares of my childhood. “Our mom was a drug addict, baby. She wasn’t in her right mind half the time. Eden told me Kas woke up crying that night, and Mom was high off her ass.”
“I’m so sorry the three of you had to go through that. You and Kassa are so well adjusted, it’s hard to imagine that was your childhood.”
“Alicia helped us a lot once she adopted us. She put us in therapy and did everything she could to reassure us we were safe and she loved us.” I closed my eyes, shaking my head. “But Eden didn’t get that same treatment. She lived with her dad and ended up on drugs just like our mom. Her life was spiraling out of control when I met her again. I felt guilty that she hadn’t been raised like Kassa and me, and I wanted to help her. But at the same time, I was still afraid of her. In the years since I last saw her, I had built her up as this monster in my head, and I couldn’t trust her around those I loved the most.”
“Jace…”
I leaned in, pressing my forehead into hers. “I love you so fucking much, Kin. And if I let Eden fully into my life and she suddenly turned back into the monster I remembered—if she hurt you or Kassa because I brought her into our lives—it would have killed me.”
She wrapped her arms around me, pulling my head down to her chest. “You were really that scared for us?”
“You and Kassa are my life. All I could think about was protecting you, but the guilt was choking me and I needed to help Eden out as much as I could. It was driving me crazy keeping her a secret, but I honestly thought I was doing the right thing.” Her fingers combed through my hair, and I closed my eyes, savoring her touch. “She told me she was pregnant and wanted to get clean for the baby’s sake. I got her into a rehab and kept up with her progress. I love my sister, Kin. Really, I do. But you have my full loyalty, you own my heart. I only wanted to protect you.”
She was quiet for a moment before releasing a heavy sigh. “I get it,” she muttered. “I just wish you would have said something. You didn’t have to lie to me about her. I would have understood if you’d just told me, Jace.”
I straightened and cupped her face in my hands. “I’m so sorry. I swear to you, it won’t ever happen again. I won’t do anything to make you doubt your place in my life.”
She covered my hands, leaning into my touch. “Can I meet her?” she asked hesitantly. “You don’t seem to be afraid of her now.”
“You want to?” She nodded, the expression on her face determined. “She wants to have dinner with me. I guess we could meet her.”
“You guess?” Kin lifted a brow at me.
I kissed the tip of her nose. “Are you sure you want to? We don’t have to go.”
“Yes, I’m sure. She’s important to you. I think you owe it to me to introduce us, don’t you think?” She kissed me, just a light brush of her lips over mine, then sat back in her seat and pulled her seat belt on.
I just sat there, watching her, thankful she wasn’t walking away from me again.
“Well?” she grumbled when I didn’t start the car. “Let’s go. I need to change and get ready if we’re having dinner with your sister.”
Sighing, I pushed my phone into her hands. “Text her back. Tell her we’ll meet her at seven.”
--
The restaurant was crowded when we walked in a few minutes before seven. I was surprised we weren’t late since Kassa and Gray
had come home early. When Kin told them what we were doing for dinner, Kassa decided they were coming too.
I’d wanted to protest. I felt like I was panicking enough with introducing Kin to Eden; to have Kassa with us too was making my heart pound so hard, it was shaking my chest.
Eden wouldn’t hurt either of them, I knew that now, but that old fear was hard to overcome.
Kin and Kassa walked over to the hostess’s podium, arm in arm. I couldn’t get the reservation I’d wanted, so I’d ended up calling Emmie to have her work her magic. The initial reservation was for four, but Kin had texted Emmie on the way to ask her to add Gray and Kassa. When Kin gave our name, there weren’t any issues about the addition to our party, and the hostess took us straight back to our table.
Gray stayed beside me as we walked. “You sure this is cool?” my brother-in-law asked in a low voice. “Kassa will be okay?”
Fuck, I hoped so.
