I opened the door and stepped inside. Fury was lounging against the wall near the entrance, looking casual at first glance. But I’d spent enough time around the Redline Kings now to recognize the subtle tension in his body. He was ready to move in a heartbeat if Sutton tried anything stupid.
Fury’s eyes softened when he saw me. “You good, Saylor? Want me to stay?”
Sutton immediately scoffed from where she sat. “I’m not going to hurt my own sister.”
Fury gave her a dark, unimpressed look. “Recent events have proven otherwise.”
I huffed out a breath in agreement.
He glanced back at me, the corner of his mouth twitching. “Besides, I wasn’t worried about her hurting you. I was more concerned about you needing an alibi and someone to help you dispose of the body.”
I tried to smother my laugh but ended up smirking at him anyway. The tension in my chest loosened just a little. His dry humor helped make this horrible moment feel survivable.
“I’m fine,” I assured him. “Thank you.”
Fury nodded and pushed off the wall. As he passed me on his way to the door, he winked. I heard Wrench mutter something from the hallway about Fury not letting Century catch him winking at his woman unless he wanted to keep his eyeballs in a jar. Fury laughed, and the door clicked shut behind them before I could hear whatever smart-alec response he gave.
The banter helped me steady myself. I took a slow breath and finally turned fully toward Sutton.
I was still angry, but standing in front of her now, I couldn’t help but notice that she looked smaller than usual. Her shoulders were hunched like she was waiting for an actual physical blow.
A wave of sadness hit me. This was my twin, the sister I had once loved so fiercely, yet she kept choosing to be the worst version of herself.
I looked at her for a moment, then spoke quietly. “I don’t want to fight, Sutton. I don’t want to lecture you, yell at you, or even have a long conversation. I just want to tell you one thing, then I’m going to take a shower, go to bed, and wait for my man to come home.”
She stayed silent, watching me warily.
“I still love you.” Even after everything, I meant it. “That’s never going to completely go away. We’re twins. We were each other’s everything once. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you keep destroying my life.”
“You wanted me to betray Levi and the Redline Kings, but it’s because of them that you have a second chance.” Her only reaction was a small sniff, so I took a steadying breath and kept going. “Don’t come back into my life until you get your head on straight. If you clean up your act, stop using people and lying, and want nothing from me except a real relationship as sisters…then I’ll welcome you with open arms. Until then, you need to stay away.”
Her expression turned bitter. “You always thought you were better than me.”
I knew the accusation was meant to drag me back into our old pattern where she got to play the misunderstood victim and I got blamed for surviving the damage. But the words didn’t land like they used to.
I didn’t feel that old gnawing desperation to keep the love of my twin that only grew after the deaths of our parents. Being with Levi, welcomed with open arms by the Redline Kings…Sutton wasn’t my only family anymore.
My shoulders dropped a little, sadness weighing them down. “Goodbye, Sutton.”
I turned toward the door, reaching for the handle, when she whispered my name.
“Saylor.”
There was something different in her voice this time. No manipulation or accusation. Just Sutton, stripped down for one rare second.
I turned back slowly.
For the first time in years, I saw my sister without her mask. She showed me the twisted mess of insecurity, fear, resentment, and hurt that fed every one of her worst choices.
And in her eyes was the little girl I used to love so fiercely, the twin I had protected, the sister I had missed for so long.
Sutton held my gaze for a moment. Then, in a voice softer and more honest than I had heard from her in years, she whispered, “I’m honestly glad to see you so happy.”
But the mask slipped back into place, and she didn’t say anything else.
I didn’t push for more. Maybe that one honest sentence was all she could give right now.
I left Kane’s office without another word.
