know if you can ever really, truly know someone,” he says, kissing my hair. “But you know if people love you, and have your back, and are loyal to you, and those things all mean something. Friendship and love mean something. Family is everything, the type made from blood or forged in loyalty. I’m really close with my sister, even though she’s a pain in my ass. I’d do anything for her.”
“Heidi,” I say, feeling a little sheepish. “I thought she was your girlfriend or booty call or something.”
“I guessed as much, but no, she’s just my little sister, who was drunk and asking if I could give her a ride home,” he explains. “Our parents live overseas, and we rarely get to see them. So it’s just us here, and we look out for each other.”
“That sounds nice. I always wanted a sibling,” I admit, closing my eyes, my head fuzzy, my body warm. “I lost my mom when I was a kid, and now my dad. Maybe if I had a sibling it wouldn’t be so bad.”
“You have us,” is the last thing I hear before I fall asleep.
Chapter Nine
“Hey,” I say as Abbie and Sky walk into the café. I messaged them both and asked if they would meet me here. I wanted to have a private chat with them about everything that has been going on.
“How are you doing?” Abbie asks, concern and worry in her eyes. “We’ve all been so worried about you.”
“I’m okay,” I reply, shrugging. I mean, I’m not, but what can I say? No one would want to hear the depressing truth.
“Crow has been keeping us all updated,” Sky adds. Not too updated, because they obviously don’t know that I know the truth about everything yet.
“I went and spoke to Uncle Neville,” I say, and with those words, I think they both know why we are all here right now. It’s not to discuss my father’s death, or how I’m doing—it’s to discuss why the hell no one thought it would have been a good idea to tell me the truth about my own family.
“He told me everything,” I continue, swallowing hard. “And I guess I just wanted to tell you both how damn upsetting it is to find out that everyone you care about knew things about your life, yet they didn’t bother to tell you. You all knew that I didn’t know, right?”
“Yeah,” Skylar admits, her green eyes filled with regret. “We did, and we’re sorry, Bronte. I mean, we didn’t know about your dad and his involvement. But we definitely knew about Neville.”
“She’s right,” Abbie murmurs, reaching out and touching my hand. “I know exactly where you are right now because I felt the same. And you’re right, we should have told you.”
Sky nods. “I guess I personally felt like it wasn’t my business, and that it was between you and your dad and uncle, but you’re right. If I was in your situation right now, I would feel completely betrayed.”
“We’re sorry, Bronte,” Abbie adds, frowning. “I’ve only just met you and have you in my life, and I don’t want to lose you. In my defense, I don’t know how I could have dropped that bomb on you after us only just connecting. But I know how I felt when I found out, so I recognize how confused, hurt and angry you are probably feeling right now.”
I appreciate their apology. It doesn’t change how this has all played out, but it’s something.
“You can’t choose your family, or what they’ve done or how they choose to live their life. I’ve learned that you can just go by how they treat you, though. And I know from what Dad said they were on their way out of the business,” Abbie says.
“I know, which must have pissed some people off, right?” I ask, biting the inside of my cheek. “I just have this feeling there’s more to this, and I need to know. I need to know everything.”
For the first time they don’t look at me like I’m going to break.
“This whole thing is a really hard pill to swallow by itself, and then knowing everyone was aware except me also makes me feel so stupid,” I admit.
They both hug me and assure me that isn’t the case. Sky tells me a little about her mother, Georgia, who I personally never liked, and her involvement with Uncle Neville and the Knights of Fury. She also explains her own relationship with Uncle