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I blurted, “They’re Weston Wolfe’s kids.”
He stopped rocking the swing and turned his gaze on me. “Why are Weston Wolfe’s kids at your house?”
I sat up tall, unaffected by his firm tone. “West is my boyfriend now. I love both him and his kids.”
Why I’d added that second part, I didn’t know. But Rafe needed to know this was serious and not some fling.
He searched my gaze, sighed, and looked away. “It’s not like I can say one thing or the other about it. I lost that right when I gave up custody of you.”
“Why did you do it, Rafe? Why did you stay away? For so many years, all I wanted was for you to come back. But you never did.” I paused, the swing creaked a few times, and I added softly, “I thought it was because you blamed me for the accident.”
Surprise flashed in his eyes. “What? Why the fuck would you think that?”
Anger flared inside me. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because my brother wouldn’t even look at me at the funeral, let alone hug me. Or the fact you walked away and never even sent cards or called. Nothing, Rafe. For all these years, I thought you hated me so much that you washed your hands of me, couldn’t stand the sight of me. And, and…”
To my horror, I lost control of my emotions and started crying and couldn’t stop.
No matter what I realized now, for more than a decade, I’d believed my brother hated me for killing our parents. All those years of guilt and shame and sadness rushed forth, only making me cry harder.
At some point, my brother’s arms awkwardly wrapped around me. But not for long, because the front door opened, and West looked at me and then Rafe.
His gaze turned furious. He walked up, plucked me up and against him, and growled, “What the fuck did you say to her?”
I tried to calm down, but couldn’t manage it before Rafe replied, “It’s none of your fucking business, Wolfe.”
“It damn well is my business, Mendoza. Emmy’s my girl, and anyone who makes her cry is going to answer to me.”
As they glared daggers at each other, I sniffled and did my best to stop crying. Because if I didn’t get myself together, my brother and West might do something stupid, like hit each other.
I finally pushed against West’s chest, and he reluctantly released me. After threading my fingers through his, I turned back toward my brother. “Forget your dick-swinging contest with West. I just want to know why you stayed away all this time.” Rafe hesitated, and I asked, “Is it because you blamed yourself?”
Rafe’s eyes widened a fraction before his expression became unreadable. “My reasons don’t matter. I’m so sorry I hurt you, Emmy. That was never my intention. I thought you would be better off with the Wolfe family.” He glanced at West. “I just didn’t think you’d end up fucking one of them.”
West growled, and I stepped between them. “That’s enough, Rafe. This conversation is long from over, but it’s probably best if you go for now. Well, after you give me your phone number because I’ll be texting you. Once you cool down, we’ll talk some more.”
My brother studied me and then finally nodded. “Fine. Tell me your number, and I’ll send you a text.” I did. And once he was done, Rafe added, “I have to go back to England tomorrow, though.”
“Tomorrow? So soon?”
“Yes. I’m still technically on the team back in the UK, for now. Once my contract with them is formally dissolved, I’ll be dividing my time between Manchester and here.”
Part of worried he’d never come back. “When will you be back in Starry Hills?”
Rafe shrugged. “I can’t give a date just yet. But I promise I will be back, and when I am, we’ll talk again. I hope.”
Releasing West’s hand, I went to my brother and hugged him. He froze a second before wrapping his arms around me. “You’d better come see me, or I’ll have the entire Wolfe family hunt you down.”
West grunted. “If I have to do that, then I might have to kick his ass.”
Rafe released me. “I’d like to see you try. You lost the last time you challenged me.”
“Only because you cheated.”
Rafe rolled his eyes. “This again. It wasn’t cheating. It was stealth.”
“Whatever. If you hurt Emmy, I promise you’ll regret it.”
Rafe growled, and I bit back a smile. Even if they were posturing, their attitudes revealed a little of their former friendship when they were kids.
