AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I hand him the scroll. “Want me to go with? This isn’t your fight, although I appreciate you havin’ my back.”
Lords gives me a very long look with those Captain America blues. “This never should have been your fight. But if you’re going to fight it, I absolutely have your back.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Lords turns on his heel and leaves with the scroll.
Darwin nudges my hip with his bare foot. “No more calling him sir.”
Seriously? “What do you want me to call him?”
“Anything other than sir.”
“Master?”
“Ha-ha.” Darwin glowers at me. “No.”
“Spoil sport.”
“Baby girl,” Gabe says softly, handing me the other scroll. “Your mom would also like to see you.”
“Ex-mum.”
I read the scroll, which is actually from Harriet’s new “lord,” like that’s not fucking creepy, inviting me to “a private dinner” at my convenience.
“It’s not convenient,” I say, tossing the scroll back to Gabe.
He pulls my feet across his thigh and begins rubbing. I melt back against Charlie’s shins.
“D’you not want to see her at all, bean?” Charlie asks, stroking my hair.
I lean my cheek on his knee. “What’s the point? She don’t know me anymore. What I know of her, I don’t right like. I severed the connection that might have helped me overcome those feelings. I don’t think there’s much left for us.”
“Teddy.” Darwin leans forward and offers me a bite of scone. “Will you regret it if we go back to Bevvy and you don’t hear what she has to say? If you don’t even meet your sister?”
I chew and swallow before I shrug. “Thing is, she’s not my sister. Not even my half-sister. I don’t know her any more’n I know Harriet. Do I want to spend the nine days we got left here listenin’ to her excuses and tryin’ to get to know three strangers just because we had shared blood? I’m not feelin’ it. I’d rather spend time with the people who’ve been there for me. Yule’s a time for family. They’re not my family.”
“Could be.” Charlie rubs my shoulder.
“I found my family,” I say, placing my hand over his.
“I just don’t want you to have any regrets, teddy bear,” Darwin says before offering me another bite of scone.
Before he leans back, I hook his pinkie finger with mine. “Do you have any regrets?”
“About you? You know I did everything wrong—”
I shake my head. “About your mum? About her family?”
“Oh.” He tangles our other fingers together and gives me a warm squeeze. “Yes, I guess I do. I know it’s not possible for us to have contact. It’s not safe for any of us. But I wish I could have known her.”
“Your dad seems to think you’re still in touch with your mum,” I say, remembering what Callan said to me in our flat.
Darwin shakes his head. “She sent me birthday presents, you know, secretly, for a couple of years. The twins, too. But after we did the ritual and chose our fae side, she stopped. I haven’t heard from her since my eleventh birthday.”
I pull his hand to my face and rub his knuckles against my cheek. “I’m sorry, Dar.”
“If she showed up today, Teddy, I don’t know if I’d forgive her, but I would give her a chance.”
