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Grasping her chin, I lifted her face so I could skim my lips over hers. I ached to deepen the kiss but didn’t trust myself. I was an idiot for promising her dad we would wait, but I wouldn’t break it.
“Sleep.” I kissed her once more and rolled onto my back, taking her with me. One of her legs lifted over mine, and I was thankful for having enough brain power to keep the blanket over her earlier. She pillowed her head on my shoulder and placed her hand right over my heart. “We’ll talk more about the wedding in the morning.”
It was less than a minute before her breathing evened out and she fell asleep. My eyes were already growing heavy, the feel of her in my arms quickly luring me to sleep…
A loud crashing sound startled me awake. Nova gasped and jerked upright, one of her hands clutching at mine. “What was that?” she whispered.
“I don’t know.” The noise came again, followed by a vicious curse. Whoever it was wasn’t being stealthy, but that didn’t mean they weren’t dangerous. “Stay here,” I commanded, getting out of bed.
“Be careful.”
I made my way to the door in the dark. Cautiously, I cracked it open, my hand going for my gun, only to remember I’d taken off my holster as soon as I got home. My gun was in the living room, where I’d dropped it on the couch. Silently cursing myself, I stepped out of the bedroom and quietly walked toward the noise.
Another curse reached me, and I realized it was Garret. By the slur of his words, I knew he was drunk. Relaxing, I reached the living room to find him destroying everything that was unfortunate enough to be in his path.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Nova’s voice filled the room.
I spun around, surprised that she had not only followed me, but that I hadn’t sensed her behind me. For the first time, I noticed what she’d been wearing, and I was thankful it was only her brother in the apartment with us, because if anyone else saw her in those tiny shorts and tank top without a bra, I would have lost my fucking mind. “I told you to stay in bed.”
She rolled her eyes at me before turning her glare back on her brother.
Garret blinked at his sister, trying to focus on her. “You…” He took a stumbling step toward her. “You knew, didn’t you?”
“Knew what?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
“About Lis…Cali. Whatever the fuck her name is.” He stumbled into a side table. Cursing, he picked up the lamp and threw it, causing it to shatter against the wall. It was still plugged in and began to spark. “You knew who she really was, didn’t you?”
“Garret…” Nova’s voice turned from hard to soothing in a heartbeat. “Are you really going to tell me you didn’t know who she is? How many hours did you spend looking at all of her pictures? Don’t lie to me and say you had no clue that Lis was Calista.”
“I didn’t,” he shouted, spittle flying out of his mouth. “She lied to me. For months. I bet you and she had a real good laugh, playing me along.” He let out a pained sound, like a wounded animal, before he slammed his fist down on the side table that was still in his way. “No wonder that bastard Ramirez is in the city. He’s here to take her away from me.”
“No one was laughing at you, dumbass. And if you had no clue who she really was, then that is completely on you. Do you even remember how you were back then, Garret? The way you would bully her?” Nova shook her head in disgust. “You were a monster at times.”
“No,” he denied, shaking his head, his eyes filling with tears. “I wasn’t like that—”
“You were.” When he tried to argue, Nova stomped up to him and slapped him across the face so hard his head snapped back, causing me to tense. I hadn’t seen the Hannigan siblings get physical since the one and only time Nova had kicked Garret that first day we met. The rage that filled his eyes had me ready to intervene in case he struck her back. “You told her she deserved to be raped!”
His legs seemed to give out, and he dropped to his knees. “I said that,” he whispered. “I really said that to her.” He lifted stricken eyes to his sister. “I told her that and so much more, but I never meant it, Nova. I was a bastard to her. How…” His face turned green, and he swallowed convulsively before he was able to speak again. “How could she possibly love me when I treated her like that back then?”
“I don’t know, but she does.” Nova touched his face, wiping away one of his tears. “Please tell me you didn’t spew more stupid shit when she told you the truth.”
“No,” he panted, shaking his head adamantly. “I didn’t say anything. I just let her talk, and then I left.”
“Idiot,” she muttered.
He dropped his head until his chin was touching his chest. “I know. I’m an idiot who doesn’t deserve her.” He snapped his head up, his eyes pleading. “But I love her.”
“I’m not the one you should be saying that to, stupid.”
Garret got unsteadily to his feet. “You’re right. I have to talk to her.” He turned toward the elevator but nearly tripped over his own feet. “I have to tell her how sorry I am, and that I love her. I have to—”
“You have to go to bed and sleep off whatever you took a bath in,” Nova told him, grabbing one of his arms and turning him toward his bedroom, her face scrunching up when she got up close with his breath. “You’re in no condition to tell her anything right now. And even if you tried, she probably wouldn’t believe you when you smell like tequila.”
I stood there and watched as she guided him into the bedroom. She kept the door open, and I could hear her talking to him in a soothing voice, getting him into bed and tucking him in. While I listened, I replayed the entire scene in my head over and over again.
Lis was Calista…
Calista Ramirez?
