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I sit straight up on full alert. I blow out a breath of relief when I see Storm. He's got his laptop with him, and he looks serious as hell. It ratchets my anxiety back up.
"What's the emergency?" Pops grumbles, sitting up in his chair.
Vince's grandpa is cranky at the best of times, but he's part of the family.
"Where's Dexter?" Storm asks, coming to sit on the coffee table near me and Love.
"Probably in the gym with Vince and Issac," Love says, stretching forward. "Why? What's going on?"
"Fuck, I don't even know how to handle this," Storm says, opening his laptop and messing around with it. "Do you know what Dexter's mom looks like?"
Love nods. "I've seen pictures, but it was years ago."
"It's pretty gruesome," Storm warns.
"What the hell is going on?" Love whispers.
"Can you handle it?" he asks.
"Yes, if it's for Dexter. I can handle anything." She swipes a hand, asking for the laptop.
Storm flips it around, and Love sucks in a sharp breath.
"I'd say that's her," Love says, still studying the photo. The woman is obviously deceased, but it's impossible to tell from what.
"She's dead. Has been for three days." Storm swallows thickly. "I've got my system set to ping me with anything related to any of us. I'm pretty fucking sure Dexter has a little brother. He's currently in social services custody in Kentucky."
"Holy fuck," Love whispers. "Oh my God, that vile bitch reproducedagainafter abandoning Dexter? He's all alone? We've got to go."
"I'm coming," Pops says, heaving himself off the couch. "Have you called them to let them know the kid has family coming to claim him?"
Storm shakes his head. "I needed to verify the information first. I'm not even sure if he knows she's gone or if they haven't told him. She was found in North Carolina. He was reported by a teacher who was concerned with his well-being."
"This is going to be a major trigger for relapse," I say, shaking my head.
"Life happens," Pops grumbles. "We'll get him through it."
Dexter doesn't shed a tear when we tell him his mom is gone. He asks to see the picture to verify it's her and immediately starts packing.
Storm contacts CPS and lets them know Dexter will be coming to claim his little brother. Jamen finds a family law specialist to meet us there.
Issac and Vince take the front seats, Pops and Bellamy are in the middle row, and I'm squished in the back with Love and Dexter.
"Are you okay?" I murmur a few hours later when we're well into the drive. Love is snoozing, curled up to my side.
Dexter stares out the window, but he nods at my words. "I can't believe she left me and had another kid. I know what she put me through. I can only imagine how fucked up the kid is going to be."
"His name is Declan," I say, stretching a hand around Love and grabbing Dexter's. I need to humanize the situation and ensure Dex knows he's not alone. "He's going to need all of us. But life will only get better for him once he's with us."
"Did you see how old he is?" Dexter asks.
"He's nine and a half," I whisper to keep from waking Love.
"Jesus fucking Christ," Dex says, sighing heavily. "So within a year of abandoning me, she was popping the poor kid out a few states away."
My heart aches for him. I'm purring softly since Love is on my chest, but I wrap my hand around Dex's shoulder, pulling him closer.
"Don't let this break you," I murmur, trying to catch his eyes.
