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“I…Ileft the door unlocked,” she whispered, as though making a terrible confession. “Atleast,IthinkIdid.Iwas looking for our cat,Dinky.Hegoes out during the day and then sometimes he doesn’t come in ‘till late, you know?”
Inodded silently, waiting for her to go on.
“SoIwas looking for him andIthinkIleft it unlocked,” she said, staring down at her hands again. “Andthat’s how the bad men got in.I…Iheard the sound when they shot my mom and dad,” she went on, shocking me.Ihadn’t known the details of her parents’ murder up until then.
“Youdid?”Icouldn’t help asking.
Delilahnodded.
“Itsounded really loud—like a really big balloon popping.Bang!Bang!Itscared me so badIhid under my bed.ButIshouldn’t have—Ishould have stayed in bed and let…let them shoot me too!”
Herface was a mask of misery andIhad the feeling she’d been keeping these thoughts bottled up inside like some kind of toxin that was slowly poisoning her.
“No, you shouldn’t,”Isaid firmly. “Look, the bad guys didn’t even get in through the door.Iheard my dad talking about it—they got in through a window they broke.”
Thiswas a lie—Ihad no idea how the burglars who had shot her parents had gotten into their house.ButIunderstood instinctively that it was a lie she needed to hear.
Delilahlooked up at me, her mismatched eyes filled with hope.
“Really?Youmean…itwasn’tmy fault?”
“No, baby,”Isaid, the endearment slipping out somehow.Ishook my head firmly. “Noneof it was your fault.”
“Notmy fault.Notmy fault.”Hereyes overflowed then but some of the misery was gone from her little freckled face.Guiltcan be a fucking heavy burden to bear—Iwas gladI’dbeen able to lift some of it off her.
“Iknow it’s hard, but we’re your family now,”Isaid softly, reminding her again. “I’myour big brother and my mom and dad areyourmom and dad.”
“You’reall so…so nice to me,” she said again, swiping at her eyes. “ButCole…”
“Yeah?”Iasked, looking down at her.
“Whatif…what if they come back?Thebad men?”Hereyes were filled with fear. “Whatif they break a window and come back and hurt my new family too?Andwhat if this time they kill me, like they should have before.I’mscared!”
Itwas the fear in her eyes that finally got me.Iwanted sobadlyto comfort her—to take away the pain and anxietyIsaw in those mismatched eyes.Idon’t know why she affected me that way.LikeIsaid before—Iwas a teenager and if there’s a more selfish form of life on the planet,Idon’t know what the fuck it is.ButDelilahjust seemed to have a direct line to my heart, right from the very beginning.
Ifelt helpless, watching her cry.Ithought of how my dad comforted my mom—how he would wrap his big arms around her and just hug her when she was upset.Iwanted to do that for my new little sister—Iwanted to give her what she needed.
Itugged at her shoulder and pulled her into my arms.Shewas hesitant at first, but then she flowed to me like water running downhill.Shewrapped her skinny little arms around my waist and pressed her hot face to my chest.Icould feel her tears seeping through my cotton t-shirt.
“I’mscared!” she whispered again. “Whatif they come back?”
“They’renotcoming back,”Isaid firmly. “Listen,Lilah, this house is thePackmaster’sresidence.Thatmeans we have alarms and armed guards outside atall times.”Whichwas true—my dad didn’t fuck around when it came to security.
“Really?”Shelooked up at me uncertainly.
“Really.”Ibrushed some of her long, curly hair out of her flushed face. “Plus, you’ve got a big brother to protect you now,”Ireminded her. “I’mnevergoing to let anyone hurt you.”
“Doyou promise,Cole?” she asked. “Doyou really,reallypromise?”
“Ireally,reallypromise,”Isaid and gave her a comforting squeeze. “Nobody’sgoing to lay a finger on you as long asI’maround.”
“Thankyou.”Shehugged me again and then sat back, putting a little distance between us.
Ilet her go, thoughIwouldn’t have minded holding her a little longer.Sheseemed so little and lost—like a kitten caught out in a rainstorm.Ican’t explain it—Ijust wanted to protect her—to shelter and care for her.Evenback then, she had me wrapped around her little finger.
“Thankyou…big brother,” she said, looking up at me. “Thankyou so much.”
“You’rewelcome, little sister,”Isaid, smiling at her. “Youfeel a little better now?Thinkyou can sleep?”
