breeze blowing her hair back from her face. It was only then I realized she’d been wearing it down more, something she rarely ever did before. For Talon, maybe?
“I guess I’m just waiting for a lecture,” she answered.
I chuckled. “No lecture. You’re a big girl and you can make your own decisions. I actually wanted to talk about the job offer Talon made me.”
“It’s a good one,” she said, although she didn’t exactly sound supportive.
“It is. Better than anything I’ve had before and likely anything I’ll have again.”
Her eyes were sad when she peered up at me.
“I didn’t mean it like that, Brae.”
I knew my sister had always felt guilty, believing she had somehow become my burden. The truth was, I wouldn’t change a single thing. She was the one who’d made my life complete. She was my family.
“The job. Is it what you want?” she asked, kicking off her sandals and carrying them as we moved down to the sand.
“Is it what you want?” I countered. “It’s my fault we’re here in the first place. The only thing that matters to me is your happiness.”
She was quiet for a minute before she stopped and turned toward me. “I’ve always been happy. You’ve made sure I was.”
I studied her face. “I’m not going to pretend I don’t see what’s going on with you and Talon. Or that it looks serious to me. Is it serious?”
Another shrug.
“Okay, how about this: do you want it to be serious?”
“Yes.”
I was surprised by how easily she answered but not so much by her answer.
I’d sensed their attraction from the beginning, knew they were getting closer. Before today, I wouldn’t have been able to say whether they’d acted on it or not. After they’d spent the morning sharing those longing glances, I knew they had.
Part of me was tempted to threaten Talon away from her, to insist he keep his paws off my baby sister simply because that was what an overprotective brother was supposed to do. The other part actually wanted the two of them to pursue whatever this was, because I knew ultimately that Braelyn would be safe with Talon. And if Talon let himself love her, he would love deeply and forever. Of that I had no doubt.
Did I think she’d be happy immersed in a world where he had seven male possessions and indulged whenever he wanted? I honestly didn’t know the answer to that. She did not seem turned off by the notion, and if she’d spent any time wandering around inside this compound, she knew he was indulging. Hell, I’d witnessed it the first night when he was down by the pool. Surely Braelyn knew.
I couldn’t deny there was guilt that plagued me. I’d witnessed the tears when Braelyn learned I’d set our old lives on fire, literally. Ransom and Braelyn Bishop no longer existed as far as the world was concerned. And hopefully that meant our parents believed Salvatore and Teresa Bianchi were dead, too. If they didn’t, then it had all been for nothing.
Regardless, there was no going back for us.
I hated it, but I needed for it to be real, for those closest to me to believe that I was dead and gone. Perhaps someday I could reemerge with a new identity, but I would never be able to resume the life I’d once lived. Only Talon and those he trusted most knew what really happened and they were sworn to uphold my secret.
“The only thing I’ve ever wanted is for you to be happy,” I told her. “Genuinely happy, Brae. And if you don’t think you can find that happiness here, I understand.”
“Can you?” she asked, watching me closely. “I’ve seen the way you look at Jasper. I know he’s from your past.”
I hadn’t realized she’d remembered him.
“Do you still love him?”
“I do,” I admitted, because lying to my sister wasn’t something I could do. “Doesn’t mean anything’s going to come of it.”
“Do you want it to?”
I was as honest as she had been when I said, “Yes.”
“You sound certain.”
I smiled because she always managed to lighten my mood. “I am. But Jasper and I have a ways to go before we figure it all out.”
“I know the feeling.” Braelyn sighed, turned to continue down the beach.
We walked for a few minutes before Braelyn turned toward me. “Does Trent Ramsey know what’s really going on?”
I frowned. “Why would he?”
“He was at TJ’s that night. Talon told him he was bringing us here. To the island.”