“Rex can’t know, Lana.” I jump at the sound of Slater’s stern voice.
I glance over my shoulder and see all the Kings and Piper standing around the doorway.
“Welcome to my world, there’s no such thing as privacy with these guys,” Della states and I don’t have to look back at her to see the exasperation I hear in her voice.
“Why? He won’t hurt her. I can promise you that.” I direct my question and statement to Slater, and he kicks his foot out and stares at the ground, but I don’t miss the quick look he gives Mackson as well.
There’s something they won’t tell me.
“What aren’t you telling me?” This time, my eyes are on Mack when I speak.
Slater’s phone rings and everyone in the room tenses as if there’s a call they’re all waiting on.
Has Rex contacted Slater and they haven’t told me?
“Got it,” Slater murmurs into the phone and hangs up.
Slater looks to me and says, “We have to go. Brett spotted Corey coming into the hospital.”
“Did they contact you? Did my brother ask to talk?” Hope soars into my soul. My brother does love me enough to put me first.
“No,” Slater informs me gently. “However, we know Rex has people watching us because the minute we left Portland, Corey’s car was following us, out in the open, not hiding at all. If Corey wants to talk to us or if Rex is on his way, that can’t happen here, in a hospital full of innocent people. We need to leave now, veer off to a secluded spot on the way home and see if they follow to talk.”
I nod in understanding and turn back to Della. The guilt shining in her eyes should never have been her burden. My father died the way a man like him should have—bloody and painful. It was his destiny. I wish it wasn’t Della’s. Words, there’s nothing I can say to make her nightmares go away. So I hope Della can see the forgiveness I openly offer her in my smile and glassy eyes.
Mackson, Slater, and Pacer walk to Della and say a quick goodbye. Slater whispers to Piper and she nods and sits on the bed with Della while Kelso steps up to the door and waits there.
Slater is the first to walk out of the room and then Pacer gently gives me a push to follow. Again I find myself walking behind Slater with Pacer on my left and Mack to my right. Glancing over my shoulder, I watch Kelso close the door behind us and give me a cheeky wink.
A grin tugs at the corner of my mouth and I hear Mackson sigh loudly. I don’t bother to look up. Instead, something strange happens—warmth flows through me and I feel lightness in my limbs. I recognize this sensation, it’s how I felt when Rex taught me how to ride my bike, and when I’d wake up on my birthdays to presents surrounding me. Rex would stay up late and wait until I’d fallen asleep and then he’d fill my bed with gifts.
Love. Family. Safety.
Watching the Kings, I crave the past. I want my big brother back. Grief and vengeance have destroyed all our traditions over the past five years. I used to hate his over-protectiveness and how nosey he would be, but now that I’m invisible to him, I desperately wish for those days back.
Rex always came home spewing hate and ranting how Slater disrespected and lied to him again. Viewing the Kings now—working as a family with a solid foundation and having each other’s backs—I feel a pang of jealousy. Rex and I fought so often these last few years over his vicious ways and his on again and off again drug use. I love my brother, so much, yet I stand here and I’m struggling to remember a week where we worked together, toward something happy and good for the both of us.
I should have tried harder. Been a stronger sister for him.
I will. Things will change from this point on. When Rex chooses me, I’m not going to stop until I have my real brother back.
Slater stops us near the entrance and takes Pacer with him to check the parking lot first, making sure no surprises are waiting for us.
Mackson and I stand awkwardly together. He angles his body toward me and I give him my back letting him know I don’t want to talk. As