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“I have two brothers and two sisters, and do you know what they do?”
“No. What?”
“My oldest sister, Zoe, is a defense attorney. She made partner at her firm last year. She’s the youngest partner there.”
“Wow.”
“Yep. Then there’s Cy. He’s a doctor. Orthopedic surgeon.”
Okay, she was starting to see where he was going with this.
“My next brother, Theo, he’s basically a genius. Works for some hush-hush think tank. Even we’re not allowed to know what exactly he does.”
“Wow.”
“My next sister, Ana, she’s a teacher.”
“Well, that’s something more normal, right?”
“Professor of physics at Harvard.”
“Nico,” she said quietly.
“Do you know what I’ve done with my life, pretty girl? Absolutely nothing. I’m ten years younger than Ana. A surprise baby. My oldest sister was already in college when I was born. I’ve never fit in with my family. I was unexpected and unwanted.”
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
“I guess not. But it’s what I told myself. I acted out. That’s what led to me taking off with the jerk and his band of other jerks. I would do these crazy, dangerous things because I told myself that no one cared if I died. Wasn’t until I met Liam that I saw how self-destructive I was.”
“What sorts of dangerous things?”
“You name it, I’ve probably done it, pretty girl. Liam helped me. Cleaned me up. Made me see that I had worth.”
“Are you telling me this because you think he can help me?”
“I know we both can.”
“But you and Liam love each other. Where would I fit in?”
“Right in the middle,” he told her. “You’re the missing piece of us, Lottie. Neither of us are complete with you. We both love you.”
She sucked in a breath. Should she believe him? But why would he lie? There were easier women they could be with. They had each other. They had no need for her.
Unless they really did want her. And the idea of that was both terrifying and exhilarating.
“I’m so lost, Nico. I’m stuck in nothingness. No way forward, no way back, scared to move.”
“Do you want to move?” he asked gently.
“I didn’t think I did. I thought I was happy where I was. Until I did this.” She moved her hand and placed it over her bruised arm. “I was so angry at myself because I wanted to go. I wanted to see my cousin get married. I wanted to not be this mess. Poor Lottie, so traumatized that she can’t even leave the house. Poor Lottie, who has to be sheltered and protected and babied.”
“Hey. There’s nothing wrong with needing to be protected.”
“I’m not strong.”
“You are strong, Lottie. You survived. You get up each day and you keep going. What happened to you was horrific, but you are here. Fighting.”
“I’m not, though, Nico. That’s the whole fucking point.” She stood up and strode up and down the room. “I’m not fighting. I’m stagnant.”
