Love and kisses,
Dee
I reread the email again twice, wondering how the hell she even found me. I kept my location a secret on purpose. The last thing I needed was Cameron finding me. The socials for the shop never showed my face, even our website barely mentioned me, per my request. Taryn and Dani were the face of the business. I had to be a background character, and they respected that.
Now it seemed my secret was out.
The door was opening before I could shake my mood, Dani walking in with her usual burst of curly red hair and smiles. She looked like her old self more and more now that Wrigley was sleeping through the night.
“I take it you had another good night’s sleep?” I questioned, forcing a smile.
She flashed me a grin as she shoved her purse under the desk. “Sure did. Being a mom is the best, but some days I really miss sleep,” she admitted. “We’re on a streak right now.”
As she rambled on about her night, I gave her a half-hearted smile and nodded along, trying to be supportive and hide how shaken I was.
Of course, she saw right through it. Her eyes narrowed and she cut herself off. “What’s going on?”
I sighed, knowing there was no chance of me keeping this to myself for long.
“So, I don’t talk about her often, but I’ve got a sister,” I admitted. Just like I suspected, her eyes widened in shock.
“What? Really? I thought you didn’t have any close family.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “I’ve been closer to acquaintances than I ever was with her. My parents are just as bad as she is. They were huge enablers who never thought twice about my feelings. She’s my twin, but we are not the kind that you read about. We can’t stand each other. We’venevergotten along. She’s manipulative, lies, and she makes everything about her.”
“Ouch,” Dani said. “That’s awful.”
If anybody knew what it felt like to have a family that didn’t really care about you, or at least didn’t act like it, was Dani. Hers was not far off from mine. They didn’t know what to do with an omega and she learned to handle it all herself.
Maybe that’s why my friends and I got along so well. All three of us had toxic families, and as a result were fiercely independent.
“Was she the golden child?” Dani asked as she started to clean up the desk.
“Pretty much. And it’s not like my parents encouraged any kind of peace between us. She was diagnosed with bipolar in high school, and I’ll just say that it was rough. She wouldn’t stay in counseling, refused to take her meds, and she was a pathological liar. Anything she could blame me for, she would, and everybody went along with it because it was easier than having to deal with her crashing out.”
“That’s bullshit,” Dani said, angry on my behalf. My chest warmed. It was honestly nice to have people in my corner.
“When she got pregnant in high school, I distanced myself as much as I could and threw myself into finding friends. That’s how I ended up with my ex.”
“Sometimes, we just really need someone to help us escape,” Dani said gently. “You can’t blame yourself for that.”
“I’m working on that.” I let out a shaky breath and waved the air between us to clear it, getting myself back on track. “Anyway, she just sent an email to the company, so, apparently, someone’s found me. Which is scary in its own way because I told no one that I work here. My parents don’t even know what I’ve been doing or where I went. I’m careful.”
“You are,” Dani agreed. “We haven’t even posted your face on our private socials.”
“I know,” I said, shaking my head and fighting tears. “Knowing her, she probably hired someone to track me down. That, or I’m not as hidden here as I think.”
“Well, I can tell you that you’re not alone here,” Dani said firmly. “You guys stuck by my side with all the Henry drama, and I will be right by your side through this, no matter what.”
“Thanks,” I said, swiping angrily at a stray tear. I hated crying. I’d been a mess since finding my mates. I don’t know if it messed with my hormones or something, but going through that heat has been nothing but trouble.
We were quiet for several minutes, going about our work as I tried to wade through the emotions and issues piling up one by one.
“We’ve never really broached this topic,” Dani said, breaking the silence. “I know that I’m probably overstepping, and you can tell me to fuck off and I won’t be offended, but I found a really great counselor in town. She’s an omega. She’s very professional, and she makes you feel safe. It might not hurt to talk with someone. We’ve been worried about you.”
I guess I haven’t been as good at hiding all this as I liked to think.
Honestly, I know I’ve needed to talk to someone for a long time. Cameron fucked me up in so many ways, one of them was by constructing walls to protect myself. But, it was no way to live.
