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I wrap my arm around her and press my lips to her forehead. "Sleep, princess."
ChapterSixty-Seven
Camden's town car service drops me off on Fifth Avenue, by theCrawfords’s. He makes his driver remain at thecurb until they buzz me up. I wave at his dark window before heading inside the high-walled entry hall, covered in marble and illuminated by a chandelier worthy of an opera house.
Willow doesn't wait for me to take the elevator up to the penthouse: she rushes through the hall screaming, and runs right into my open arms.
My eyes water and ease shut as I take a moment to just be. She's here. She's fine. We both are. In fact, if I compare our lives now to what they were last year, it's a drastic improvement, all due to the psychotic asshole who sent my mother to prison and my sister to the end of the country, before proceeding to fuck me six ways to Sunday.
I chuckle against Willow's chest.
"Nocomment about the braces," she demands.
"I wouldn't dare." I let go, to get a good look at my sister. "You're so much taller!" The last time I hugged her, she reached my chest—now she's almost at my chin.
She looks exasperated. "It's only been five months."
I've never really seen her change. We were both growing together, and I saw her every day. One day, she was a baby and the next, she talked back to me and demanded I paint her nails black like mine. After not seeing her in person for months, the difference is striking.
"You've gained at least three inches. Five months isfar too long.We're never staying apart that long again."
"Elle and John are giving me an allowance. I'm saving up so I can come back home to see you in the summer."
I feel terrible that she considers it her duty to pay for her own transport. She's just fourteen. At least for another month. "No need. I'll get your ticket. Spend your allowance."
I don't even hesitate, certain that I can order it with Camden's card. I'll even tell him about it, though he likely won't care.
Then I pause, realizing that I'm counting on still having that card in the summer.
I bite my tongue, willing myself to stop thinking about the all-consuming guy for one damn evening.
Willow leads me to her new home and introduces me to the elegant, fashionable couple who care for her. They're as nice as they were by video call. Tonight is about my sister.
"You won't mind if we head to bed, do you?" Elle soon asks. "I know you just arrived, but tomorrow's going to be intense."
"Of course!" I arrived right before Thanksgiving. "Can I help with anything? I'm not bad at pies."
She waves away my offer. "Oh, don't worry, the caterer is taking care of all that. John and I just need to drive all over the place, to pick up his mother and our children—they're flying in the morning."
"Would you prefer if Willow and I did Thanksgiving elsewhere? If you have a lot of people coming.” I don't know what Camden's doing, but I likely could ask to intrude—except I'm not sure I'd want to spend time with him and Willow in the same room.
I doubt the man knows how to behave in front of a young girl.
"None of that, darling. Willow is a part of this family, and therefore, so are you."
They're so freaking warm and welcoming.
We bid them good night and head to Willow's enormous room. I was given a guest bedroom, but I spend hours chatting with my sister, about everything and anything. I lie a lot—and crash in her bed, well past three in the morning.
No one wakes us up, so I emerge around ten, and head to Willow's en suite, trying to make as little noise as possible, but she's awake by the time I come back.
She coos over the clothes packed in my brand-new, super lightweight pink suitcase, and I let her borrow a blue shift dress I was going to wear later. When she gets changed, I'm yet again struck by all the changes in her. It is a little big around her middle, and longer than it would have been on me, but the dress fits all the same.
"You're growing so fast," I pout.
"You sound like a mom." She rolls her eyes, then frown. "Speaking of which—"
I groan. "Do we have to speak of her at all?"
