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Sadly, he shakes his head. “You’ve got Trey, and besides, sister or not, you’re not part of my circle anymore. All you’ve done is push yourself out of the nest, making room for our new brother.”
The color drains from her face.
“Winter is tangled up in all our hearts. And you’re frozen out. How can we ever trust you again?”
“No offense,” Roo murmurs to Laurent. “This is a huge shock, but we’re not mad at you.” He turns to Sienna. “Just her.” He looks at Balthazar. “And maybe him.”
Bolting to her feet, Sienna storms from the room, doors banging somewhere in the lodge. Meanwhile, Balthazar looks utterly crestfallen. I elbow Reuben in his side, glaring at him.
“What?” he murmurs.
“Don’t be a dick,” I murmur back. “He loves you. Look at how he welcomes and includes Laurent. You were—are—no different.”
Swallowing, Roo’s eyes flit uneasily toward his father.
“We’ll return to Lampson Field,” Balthazar confirms, standing.
My face twists with grief at how destroyed he looks. And while he might be unhappy with the difficulties this news brings us, Reuben’s reaction doesn’t help.
“We’ll talk soon.”
Luca nods, everyone getting to their feet and filing out towards the hallway. I run a hand across Luca’s shoulders, knowing tonight’s revelations will have cost him more than he’s let on.
Despite the distressing news, there is hopefully some good that will come from it. There is another brother to get acquainted with, and while we can’t know yet how he’ll impact our lives, we can be cordial.
Politely, Laurent gets a series of handshakes. Edging closer to Balthazar, I throw my arms around him. “You have my support,” I tell him quietly. “Your sons will get over this. I’ll help them.”
Grateful, he nods as we separate. “Thank you, Winter. I’m so happy you’re here.”
“We’ll touch base soon,” Roo tells his new sibling as Balthazar hastily opens the front door. Casting a worried look towards his father’s back, perhaps regretful of the way he spoke to him, he adds, “We’ll see you when we’re back in Aspen.”
Realizing Roo’s speaking to him, Balthazar turns, offering his son a tight smile.
“We’ll find a way to get to know each other despite the distance,” Luca tells Laurent.
Laurent’s lips hitch fractionally. “I would like that.”
They head out to the car, Sienna brushing past as we loiter by the door. In stunned silence, we watch the car disappear down the drive.
One day, we’ll get to the bottom of Laurent’s story, learning about his mother and his upbringing in France. And we’ll know just what Sienna has been up to.
But not today. Not tonight.
Tonight, I just want to sleep. I don’t even want to know more about Balthazar Wolfford’s wedding plans.
That can wait until Aspen.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
Brecken
Accordingto the latest blood tests carried out by the family doctor, Sienna is not our sister.
After everything, it shouldn’t surprise me, but after believing our blood bond for the past two decades, it’s a devastating shock. And while I hate her right now, I did like her as a sister, annoying brat that she was. Coming to terms with her lies and manipulation will take time.
The day we found out the results she called me close to twenty times. Eventually, I picked up, her sobs and tears masking her words.
But I knew what she wanted to tell me.
