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Nothing she’s saying makes sense, but I want someone to look into her accusations. What if those restraining orders have more foundation than he wanted me to know?
“Hey, why don’t we go outside and enjoy the evening.”
ChapterThirty
Iskander
I spendthe evening at my brother’s bar, Too Far From a Bar. Since he and his friends won’t be in town, they need someone to oversee the operation. Tomorrow, one of Grace’s uncles will be here to take it over. In the meantime, I made sure everything was working properly.
When I arrive at the house, I find Siobhan alone by the fire pit. I grab one of the throw blankets from the closet before heading out. I place it on her legs before sitting on the chair next to her.“Are you okay?”
“There’s something wrong with Anya,” she mutters, staring at her tablet.
From the sound of her voice, I don’t think she means her current illness. “How can I help you?”
“I spoke to Mitch, her husband.”
Anger and bile rise in the back of my throat. “You know the asshole?”
She finally moves her gaze from the screen toward me. The glare she sends my way almost makes me shiver. “Can you lower your volume a little bit? I’m sure everyone in town heard you.”
“Sorry,” I whisper. This woman has the power to put me in my place without having to yell at me. “It wasn’t my intention, but just thinking about him upsets me. When did you meet him?”
“He’s one of Mom’s foster children.”
I dare to ask, “Where’s your mother?”
Her head moves slightly, and her eyes stare at the lake. “She died during my senior year of high school. Mom was one of those people who only worried about others and never about herself. When we went to the doctor to see what was wrong with her, it was too late. I tried, but…”
I stand up from the lounge chair, pick her up, and sit her on my lap. She rests her head on my chest, letting me hold her while she cries.
“She can’t die,” Siobhan sobs. “Rumi can’t lose her mom, and neither can I. She’s the last person I have in my life. My family.”
I want to remind her that she has a family in Luna Harbor that adores her. I don’t think she needs to hear that right now, though.
“We’ll do our best to ensure that she sticks around for a long time.”
She mumbles something I can’t understand and cries some more. Once she’s calm, I ask, “How about your dad?” I want to know more about her family. Maybe today is a good day to learn everything she hid from me.
“I never met him. He left Mom before I was born.”
“And maybe it was a good thing,” I mutter, thinking about my mother and how sometimes I wish she had just left me with Dad instead of trying to work things out.
“Probably. I didn’t have to see him reject me. Mom was enough for me and her foster children. Well, they were mostly teenagers who couldn’t find a home and needed a safe place. In a way, I liked having siblings, but it was sad when they left.”
“Getting attached and then losing that person is jarring,” I agree.
She looks up, finding my gaze. “Is that why you keep yourself at arm’s length from everyone, including your brothers?”
“I don’t—”
“You so do. Myka is the only person who’s close to you. The rest is out of your circle of trust. There’s no point denying it. You’re always in the corner, just watching them interact. Sometimes I wonder if you judge them, or if you just wish you could be a part of them. Nando was almost the same, but since he and Brianna got together, he’s changed. What gives?”
I shrug, not surprised that she sees me. “Sometimes I feel like I don’t fit. Ever since we moved to Seattle, my role was to watch them and ensure they were taken care of. I didn’t have time to play or be close to them.”
She caresses my jaw. “That’s so sad. You feel like an outcast, don’t you? The resentment isn’t exactly against them, but everything that happened after your parents’ divorce.”
“That’s nonsense.”
