“Fuck,” I breathed out.
Her car was in the driveway, there was no hiding she was there with me.
“Autumn?” Christian called out, and her eyes went wide.
Neither one of us moved, but the second we heard his footsteps coming toward my room we both stood up. Once he stopped in front of my door, his stare shifted back and forth between us until he focused on me.
“What is my little sister doing in your room?”
“Christian, I was looking for you,” she replied, bringing his gaze to her.
“In Julian’s room?”
“No.” She smiled. “He was just showing me his new TV.”
His eyebrows pinched together. “Mom says you’ve been hanging out here a lot, and I haven’t been here much, so explain that one to me?”
“Christian, just ask what you want to know,” I snapped, unable to bite my tongue.
“I just did. What’s my little sister doing here all the time if I’m not here, Julian?”
“Stop calling me your little sister, I’m not a child.”
“That doesn’t answer my question, Autumn. What are you doing with Julian?”
“We’re just hanging out. He’s my friend too.”
“Since when?”
“What are you insinuating?” Autumn asked, not backing down. “I’ve known him all of my life, Christian. It’s no different than coming here to hang out with you.”
“I’m your brother.”
“Most of the time I’m looking for you.”
“You can text me, and I can tell you if I’m here or at Kinley’s.”
“I will next time.”
That response seemed to appease him, and I could see it in his eyes—
he definitely suspected what was going on.
“Anyway, it’s getting late. I’m going to head home.” Autumn glanced back at me as she was leaving. “Good choice on the new TV. It’s awesome.” She hugged her brother. “I’ll see you at dinner tomorrow.”
Once we heard the front door close, Christian didn’t waver. Not that I expected him to. “What the fuck was that?”
“I don’t know what—”
“Don’t give me that shit. You know exactly what I’m talking about. Why are you hanging out with my little sister?”
“You don’t have to keep calling her that. I know what she is to you.”
“Doesn’t look like that to me.”
“You need to relax. I was just showing her my new TV.”
“What about all the other times she’s been here? What were you doing then?”
“What are you insinuating, Christian?”
“You fuck anything that walks, Julian. I don’t need to remind you Autumn’s off limits, do I?”
I shook my head. There was no need for the reminder. I thought about it every time we were together, and when I was inside of her.
He nodded, slowly backing away, never taking his intense stare off of me. I knew what he wanted to ask…
Are you fucking my little sister?
He just couldn’t bring himself to say it, and to be completely honest, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to look him in the face and lie to him. He was my best friend, my brother, and I was fucking it all up by betraying his trust.
“Great, keep it that way.” He turned and left.
For the rest of the night, I thought about what I was putting on the line for Autumn. His bachelor party was coming up, and I was going to have to prove to him one way or another that there was nothing going on behind his back.
My phone dinged with a text message, and I didn’t have to wonder who it was. Grabbing my phone from the nightstand, I read it.
Please don’t push me away again.
I didn’t reply. I couldn’t. Unable to lie to her.
Although, her text didn’t matter. I knew deep down in every fiber of my being…
This was the beginning of the end for Autumn and me.
Chapter THIRTY
—Autumn—
Now
Julian wasn’t working, and neither was I. After the afternoon in his office last week, things had taken a turn for us. We started doing things as a family. Eating all our meals together, taking Capri to all of Julian’s favorite places, and showing her a bit of our history. My favorite day was today—we took her to her first rodeo.
“Capri, your momma had a first here too.”
“Julian…”
He leaned into her ear. “You want to know what it was?”
“Yesssss!”
Julian didn’t heed my warning, simply stating, “She got her first kiss here.”
I groaned, leaning against my seat.
“What?! Momma, who was your first kiss?”
“You’re looking at him,” he casually replied.
“Oh my God! Daddy was your first kiss? That’s so romantic.”
“Romantic isn’t the word I’d use for it.”
“Kid, I almost beat up your date for you. I think that classifies as romantic.”
“You did?” Capri asked, completely enthralled and amazed that her father was suddenly Prince Charming.
“Your mom tried to make me jealous with a boy who was half my size.”
“He was not half your size.”
“The boy was a wimp. I would have swept the floor with him. It’s the only reason I didn’t. He would have wound up in the hospital, and everyone would have learned about us.”
“What do you mean ‘learn about you,’ Daddy?”
“Your mom and I were secretly seeing each other without your grandparents and uncle knowing.”
“Julian!” I scolded. “You did not just tell her that!”
“You want me to lie to our daughter?”
“Yeah, Momma, you want him to lie to your daughter?”
I laughed, it had become two against one.
“Tell me more, Daddy. Why did you have to hide?”
“Well, your uncle was very protective of your mom.”
“Oh yeah,” Capri agreed, nodding. “He’s like that with me too.”
Julian smiled. It was obvious he appreciated Christian looking out for our baby girl.”
“So what happened?”
“It’s a long story,” I stated, not wanting to talk about this anymore.
“It’s okay. We’re in the intermission. Tell me, Daddy. I want to know.”
Of course, he gave her what she wanted. “Your uncle used to be my best friend.”
“Oh,” Capri breathed out. “I didn’t know that. He’s never talked about you before. Is that why you left, Momma?”
“Something like that.”
She scratched her head. “Do Grammy and Grampy know who you are?”
“They do. Your grandparents did a lot for me back then. I didn’t have a family.”
“What do you mean you didn’t have a family?”
“My parents gave me up when I was born, and I was raised in foster homes.”
Her mouth parted. “They gave you up? Daddy, I’m so sorry.”