Page 92 of Anton

Why am I being harassed by children?

Thora purses her lips, trying not to laugh, but I catch it anyway. That almost-smile, a tiny crack in the coldness she’s been giving me since we locked eyes.

I miss her laugh. I miss a lot of things.

The second Thora spots me staring at her mouth, the not-quite-a-smile disappears, and whatever tiny opening I thought I had with her closes again.

“Is he the reason you’re sad?” Rue asks.

My body goes still.

Sad? Because of me? Does she not realize by now I’m not worth it?

“I’m not sad.” Thora’s smile strains as she widens her eyes at Rue, silently warning her to zip it, which is good advice for that one. Then her gaze cuts back to me. “We’re going now.”

She takes a step toward me, and every instinct I have tells me to wrap an arm around her, pull her against me, and keep her there until I figure out how to fix what I broke.

But then what? What the hell can I give her? Nothing.

It’s better if she walks away from me. Safer. For her, at least.

I’ll handle the shit with Konstantin. I don’t know how yet, but no one is touching a hair on her head unless they want to die slowly for the privilege.

Her expression cracks, and the coldness slips just enough for the hurt underneath to cut straight through me. And I feel it. This bitterness, this pain lodged in the center of my chest.

“Bye, Anton.” Her hand lifts like she might touch me, but then she pulls it back and reaches for Rue instead.

The girl glares at me over her shoulder, shaking her head. “If you’re her boyfriend, you’re doing a bad job.”

“Rue!” Thora whisper-shouts.

I stare after them, my teeth clenched as they head inside.

Well, isn’t she fucking delightful?

CHAPTER THIRTY

THORA

ONE WEEK LATER

I miss him.

It doesn’t matter that I logically know I need to get over him, or that he was wrong for me from the start. I can’t help it. That broody, lost little boy was mine for as long as he allowed himself to be.

But every time I remember what he said to his brother, the wound opens all over again.

I’ve gotten very good at pretending it doesn’t bother me. I show up at the farm, tend to the animals, bring meals to the shelter, and even laugh at the right moments when my family is around. But the whole time, there’s this hollow space sitting in the middle of my chest that I can’t seem to fill, no matter how busy I keep myself.

Which is exactly why I’ve been avoiding any one-on-one time with my sister. If Greer gets her claws in me, I know I’ll spill everything, and that can’t happen. She’s like a human lie detector without even trying, so it’s no wonder Daddy likes to use her for interrogations.

And yes, I know all about that because I’ve seen her in action. Purely by accident, obviously. I once walked into the barn back in Texas and found a man tied to a chair with my sister standing in front of him, holding a knife like it was just a normal Tuesday afternoon. That was when she told me she was the one they brought in when someone needed to talk. When she’s not handling the books, of course. A woman of many talents.

Out in the paddock, Charlie and I are tending to Cider and the new horse when…speak of the devil. Charlie notices Greer too, and one look at her serious expression tells me she’s all business.

“Uh-oh.” He snickers. “She’s heading our way. Duck for cover.”

A nervous giggle slips out of me even as my stomach drops.