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“Nothing,”I snapped, grabbing a towel, and stilled.
I gripped the vanity, staring at myself in the misted reflection. It wasn’t just Natalie. Wasn’t just my father. Wasn’t just these fucking lies I told them and my own damn self. I was unraveling on the inside, hating how fast panic rushed to the surface when it came to Ryth.
I was scared when it came to her.
So fucking scared.
I didn’t want to lose her.
“Nick?” Tobias called from the shower.
I shook my head, staring at my reflection. The lies were for myself…
I closed my eyes and all I saw was that goddamn birthmark on her cheek, and that vulnerable fucking stare. Christ, she was like a flower blooming for the first time. The shower switched off behind me and my brother stepped out. The weight of his hand on my shoulder forced me to open my eyes.
I lifted my gaze to his.
He knew.
He fucking knew.
Those cold, dark eyes glinted in the mirror. We were fucking falling for her. Thatkidwho'd invaded our fucking life with her downcast eyes and quiet, barely controlled existence. She wasn’t the aftershock of our pain…she was the catalyst.
The one who'd changed everything.
I looked down at the towel in my hand, suddenly remembering Natalie bleeding on my damn floor. “Shit,” I snarled, and strode away, leaving Tobias standing there, butt-fucking-naked.
“Here.” I shoved open the door and stepped back inside my room.
But Natalie wasn’t standing where I'd left her moments ago. She was kneeling, her head lowered and her shoulders curled. I glanced at my phone, not far from her. I grabbed it and shoved it into my pocket before pressing the towel against her hand.
“Your father’s getting married,” she said quietly. There was something a little unhinged in her gaze when she looked at me. Pain flickered, carving deeper than the gash on her hand. “That’s what you told me, right? That your father’s getting married. Tell me…who was she again?”
I flinched, looking down at her hand. “Elle Castlemaine.”
“Elle…” she repeated, her voice empty. “So, you’ll have a whole new family, a new sister, too…”
I didn’t like this. “Press it against the cut, Nat.”
She didn’t move. “I want to come,” she declared.
“What?” I leaned closer, pressing the damn towel to her hand, then turned to survey the mess on the floor behind me.
“I…want to come. I think I deserved that, don’t you? After all, I’ve been part of your family for the last five years.”
It was four…but I wasn’t about to argue.
“Invite me, Nick,” she demanded.
“Fine,” I snapped, panicking inside. If I brought her to the wedding, at least it’d look like everything was back to normal. I’d end it after, whatever this was—I looked into her eyes—I’d tell her to leave me the fuck alone. “If you want to come to the damn wedding, then come.”
She nodded, pressed the towel to her hand, and rose from the floor. “Thank you.”
Then she walked out like nothing had happened, leaving the damn broken glass behind. I stared at the mess, listening to her footsteps thudding on the stairs.
The front door opened, then closed with abang. I strode to the window and watched her climb back into her car. But she didn’t start the engine, not for ages…until finally the faint growl of the Nissan came and she left.
“What the fuck was that about?” Tobias inquired from the doorway.
