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Both of them tensed by her side. “He was good at hiding it when it happened. He threatened me if I told, no one would believe me. And that he’d hurt you all. It escalated over the years. Then . . . Mom found us . . . She walked away. She left me with him and killed herself. I felt like it was my fault that she died. I never said anything because I thought I deserved it.” The words rushed out of her. Her brothers needed to hear this, if only to clear their consciences.
“I’m sorry I didn’t see it sooner,” Bently said defeatedly.
“You were a kid. You had enough to worry about. I remember how many times you stepped in to save me or Mikel from his fists. So I know there were countless times I can’t remember because I was so young. You kept me safe when I needed it most. You saved me. Both of you.”
Bently wiped a tear from his eye, sniffling. Mikel cleared his throat and pinched his nose.
“Do you regret it?” Jasmine asked Mikel.
“Not for one second.”
“We made it through a horrible situation. We all survived the way we could. And we beat the system. We broke the cycle. We won’t be anything like them. We’ll make sure our kids have the best lives, filled with love and laughter. You both inspire me,” she said.
“You too, sis.” Mikel kissed her forehead.
“To the reconstruction of us. We broke the cycle so our kids don’t have to,” Bently agreed.
“I’m sorry I took so much of my anger out on you.” She shifted to face Mikel.
He shook his head. “I should have told you all what was going on with me.”
“We all should have talked more instead of bottling it up and pretending we were okay,” Bently added.
“Let’s make a promise that we’ll be honest with each other from here on in. When one of us is struggling, we can reach out,” Jasmine proposed.
“Okay,” Mikel agreed.
Bently hesitated and sighed. “I’ll try.”
She smiled, her broken, tattered heart stuttering to life.
“When are we leaving for New York?” Bently asked.
“Tuesday.”
“Let’s go up Monday, rent some rooms, take the kids to a museum or something,” Mikel suggested.
“You’d do that?” Jasmine asked.
“We got your back. Always. I know you want to go in alone, but we’ll be outside waiting,” Bently said.
The well of gratitude in her rib cage overflowed. “I don’t know what I did to deserve such a great family.”
“You’re you. That’s more than enough. Don’t ever doubt yourself, Jaz,” Mikel said.
“What do you hope will happen with Oliver?” Bently asked.
Jasmine ran a hand through her hair. “I want Zoey to have a father in her life who loves her and treats her right. If he isn’t willing to do that, I just want him to leave us alone. He didn’t seem anything like Atlas. The way he spoke to me and looked at me.” She shivered.
“You could still get some financial support,” Bently suggested.
She shook her head. “If he doesn’t want to be a dad, I don’t want anything from him.”
“No matter what you decide or what happens in there, we got your back,” Bently promised.
“Thank you. I love you guys so much.” She stood, reaching out a hand to each brother. They took them and got to their feet. Jasmine wrapped them both in a group hug.
Two men who’d loved her since birth, even though she only shared half their DNA. Two brothers who’d risked everything to protect her. Two men who’d walked through hell with her, and showed her what it was to be a man, a husband, and a father. She wouldn’t settle for any less for herself or Zoey.
Jasmine was going to face her fears and do it with the confidence that she’d fought so hard to gain. Bently was right; she was a fucking warrior. And it was time she believed it too.
