Page 109 of This Reckless Home

I see them scan the car park that we’re just in front of. Feel the moment when they spot us, because everything just stops.

Justin doesn’t wait. He crosses the small distance between us at a run and crashes into Ant who catches him without hesitation, going down to his knees right there on the pavement, both arms tightly wrapped around his brother.

Jus is crying, my chest tight as I watch the tears stream down his face despite the fact I know he hates it.

“I thought—I thought they were gonna keep you forever⁠—”

Ant holds him tighter, his own eyes glassy. “I know, Jus. I know. I’m here. I’m not fucking leaving you ever again.”

A lump forms in my throat as I watch them, knowing that their separation this time was all my fault.

“Petal?” Nox voice washes over me, and it soothes and stings at the same time because I don’t deserve it.

I look up to find his emerald eyes on me, full of intensity.

My lips part, I’ve been rehearsing this moment for weeks. What I’d say. How I’d be. But that damn lump makes it almost impossible to speak. I clear my throat, and like a damn breaking, suddenly all the guilt, the fear, the weeks of not being able to reach them — it all comes pouring out.

“I’m so sorry. I didn't know he would—I tried everything but he blocked me at every turn and I couldn't get to you to explain and I know this is all my fault because he's my father and I understand if you never want to see me again⁠—”

My hand goes to my jeans pocket then I step closer, pulling out the paper from Marie, though I fumble and almost drop it my hands are shaking so badly. I turn to Ant, holding it out to him like a prayer. He rises, Jus still glued to his side.

“Marie, she gave me this to give to you — well I asked for it really — but anyway, the kinship application went through. With your jobs and I secured you a large apartment, Justin is free for you to take him… home.” The last word comes out broken, tears filling my eyes at the prospect of losing them.

Silence.

Justin goes very still, his gaze darting from the paper in my hand, to me, to his brother’s face.

Ant takes the paperwork from me, looks down at it as his jaw works, his eyes tracing the text. Then he folds it, tucking it in his sweats pocket, his ice blue eyes coming to land on me.

His gaze makes me shiver, the blue almost burning.

“You don’t want us?” His words are quiet, dangerously so. Almost gentle in their delivery but they still make my pulse rush in my ears.

“What? No, I—How can you want me after⁠—”

One stride is all it takes for him to reach me, his hand coming up and wrapping around the front of my throat, halting me mid sentence. He doesn’t squeeze, doesn’t restrict. Just holds me, grounding me. And something loosens in my chest allowing me to take a full breath in what feels like weeks.

“Bloom, stop.”

I freeze, staring into the blue of his eyes and letting him hold me.

“Now baby, the only fucking home we have is with you in that big fuck off mansion and with that rabble of kids. Understood?”

“Y-you want to come back? With me? After everything?” My voice breaks, the tears falling hot down my cheeks as I dare to hope.

His face softens, his thumb stroking my pulse point. “Your father’s sins are not yours, Bloom.”

Faint rain on pavement and coconut washes over me as Nox steps into my side.

“You think we blame you?” He scoffs as I drown in emerald as I stare into his eyes. “Princess, you went to war for us. You burned your relationship with your father to ash. You exposed yourself publicly. You fought every single fucking day to get us out.”

I blink as more tears fall, and he uses his thumb to brush them away.

Steele comes up on my other side, caging me in and my entire body relaxes at having them surrounding me. “We heard it, in there. Your interview. You claimed us, Flower. You didn’t abandon us.”

I’m properly crying now, the kind that takes your whole face and doesn’t give a monkey’s whether you want to look pretty or not.

“I was s—so scared you’d think I didn’t care. That I’d given up⁠—”