She laughs it off uncomfortably. Embarrassed that I would reject something that she obviously deems important as nothing.
Fuck.
“I was happy to do it. It’s important you get to be a kid, that you can binge-watch trashy TV and talk my ear off about it, even though I have no idea what you’re talkin’ about.”
Her smile starts off small. The sides of her mouth tipping upward before moving into a fully formed grin; lips stretched wide, teeth on show, dimples present. “Ha. I knew it.” She laughs. “You secretly love my recaps.”
“I don’t,” I assure her.
“You do, don’t worry, Uncle Park and I won’t hold it against you.”
Uncle Park, but I’m still Rocco. Like that doesn’t hurt like a serrated knife to the throat.
“Just like hearin’ you talk.”
Every delicate feature on her face softens, the chip on her shoulder she gets around with disappearing like a puff of smoke.
“Any idea where your brother has gone?”
Moving into the kitchen, she opens the fridge, grabbing a carrot out to bite it. We watch her chew, her focus never leaving the orange vegetable.
“I know where he is.” She finishes her mouthful. “I followed him one day. You’ll find he does this a few times a week.”
“So?” Parker prompts.
“Oh.” She giggles. “I’m not going to tell you. I’d have to kill you. Twin code and all.”
She winks as she walks past us, that chip having found her once again.
“Dinner is at six tonight,” I yell to her retreating back.
She lifts her thumb up over her head.
“Why is it so annoying that your kids are so much like us?”
Talk about nature over nurture. Jesse and Blake have less than nothing to do with us growing up. They were shaped well before they’d heard our names, but here they are, so much like Parker and I, you’d think someone had cloned us into smaller versions.
“How are you doin’ with all this?” I ask my brother. “First time we’ve had a chance to chat since the bombshell of the twins was dropped.”
Grabbing his shirt from his duffle, he slides it over his head. “I’m confused as to why you never told me Kendall was pregnant, that you thought you had a kid.”
I should apologize, but I know my brother, he doesn’t expect it.
“I could’ve helped you.”
“Kendall told me she was gettin’ rid of the kid. Could’a been a wild fuckin’ goose chase, doll face. Why get your hopes up that we had family if it weren’t true. You’d lost enough, I didn’t want that hope in your eyes to cut me open whenever we came up empty-handed.”
“What about you though?” he argues. “What about your hope? You’ve lost just as much, if not more than I have, Rocco. I’m sick and tired of you balancing the burden of our lives by yourself. I ain’t a kid. Let me fuckin’ help you. Show me you fuckin’ trust me.”
“I do trust you,” I combat defensively.
“Do you? Really? Look me in the eye and tell me you aren’t keepin’ anything else from me.”
Lips pursed, I can’t bring myself to look at him.
“I fuckin’ knew it. Tell me.”
Hand reaching up, I scratch at the back of my neck in discomfort.
“You’re a real prick.” He slings his duffle over his shoulder. “You know that right? God forbid anyone do anything without your permission, but you’re a law unto your own, ain’t that right, brother?”
Showing me his back, he moves toward my door, shoulders clenched in disappointment, the stench of bad blood widening the gap between us.
“I’m workin’ with Dominic,” I call out. “To find Sarah.”
Feet paused, he doesn’t turn.
“I found her,” I confess to his back. “Well, Rein found her. He sent me to bring her home.”
He turns slowly. “And?”
“Bitch tasered me and shot Tivoli in the leg.”
“Who else knows?”
“Camryn.”
“Are you fuckin’ her?” he accuses.
“It ain’t like that.”
Quiet hangs between us. “Where is she now?”
I swallow. “Contacts of Rein have spotted her in town.”
“What the fuck is she doing?”
“We don’t know,” I answer truthfully. “But it’s set Dominic on edge. He thinks she’s planning something.”
“Jesus fucking Christ,” he spits. “You don’t think Codi and I should’ve been made aware of this. Fuck, Rocco. My wife could be in danger and you’re keepin’ secrets.”
“She has people watchin’ her,” I vow.
He has to know that Dominic would never leave Codi unprotected. That I would never leave him unprotected.
Arms outstretched, he looks at me with disgust. “I don’t give a fuckin’ shit about people. I keep her safe. Me. Her fucking husband. Her security ain’t your responsibility.”
With that he slams the door, exiting the loft with the fight of a man whose family is at risk.
Fuck.
It’s not lost on me that we’re back here again. Me forcing my brother into a situation he wants no part in. One that threatens the lives of those he holds most dear.
“That was awkward.”
I startle at Blake’s voice, watching her closely to determine how much she actually heard.
She’s good though. Not just a closed book. She’s one that’s padlocked shut and twisted up in chains, not letting a single thought escape from her eyes.
“You know, Jesse and I lived with one unhinged psycho for too long. One hellbent on making everyone pay for his stupid mistakes over and over again.”
I take the insult in her words without judgment.
“We won’t do it again,” she declares.
“I’m tryn’a fix it all,” I tell her. “I’m tryn’a make sure Marcus’ stain or Sarah’s vendetta can’t hurt the people I love. They took my mom, which lost me my dad. Then they stole my aunt.”
The padlock pops open on her consent, sympathy clouding her eyes.
“I won’t let them touch you or Jesse any longer. I won’t let her close to Camryn, Codi, or Parker. I’m fucking petrified of the damage she can inflict. I’m tryn’a stop it before it blows up in our faces.”
“Why can’t you just leave it?” she questions, trying to understand.
“You told me you knew Sarah. You knew Marcus. Do you think she’ll stop? Do you think she’ll rest until the threat of any of us is extinct from her life?”
She doesn’t even pause to consider my question. “No.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Camryn
“You’re restless,” I tell him. Watching his leg bounce up and down in agitation.
He stops the incessant movement, pausing to look at me. “I haven’t fought in months.”
I can’t decide if he seems relieved or pained by the thought.
“Do you miss it?”
“Yes,” he answers immediately. “No,” he corrects. “Fuck. I don’t know.”