Page 108 of Miss Trust

Chance

Iwasn’t an emotional man, but walking into the room, and seeing my younger sister in the hospital bed about broke me. I didn’t bother to hide the tears in my eyes as I scooted a chair up to her bed. Wordlessly, I took her hand in mine.

Once I did speak it wasn’t about Joel, or about her being here. Instead, I told her how much I loved her and how it would be okay. Once Reid arrived, Kelsey opened up about what had led to the breakup. She talked about the spiral in her relationship and the verbal abuse she’d endured at the hands of a narcissist. I listened despite my temptation to rage. I didn’t threaten Joel despite wanting to ruin the man within an inch of his life. He’d undermined her self-esteem, twisted things to make it seem she was always to blame, and made her think she was nothing without him. That changed now.

“You can move here, and we’ll ensure you never have to see him again,” I offered and watched Reid’s head nod. He too was struggling for words.

“What about my job?”

“Send your resignation in and find a better firm here. You can work with me.”

She was already shaking her head. “No offense, but I’m not working for you. I’ll find another job though.” She paused as if thinking through everything. “I still have to get my things from the apartment.”

A plan formed in my mind. “I’ll take care of it. Do you think you can make a list of the items you want? And make sure it’s everything. Furniture, clothes, dishes. Whatever is yours.” I’d ensure she didn’t have to abandon a single thing she owned.

“I can make a list, but Joel isn’t even going to let you into his apartment, let alone move my things out. He’s the only name on the lease, unfortunately. I have no idea what to do.”

“Leave the details to me. How do you feel about a little vacation at a Malibu spa? Some place where you can concentrate on yourself but still have your brothers visit.”

She let out a long sigh. “Does this place have counselors and other people ‘vacationing’?” She used air quotes.

“Would it be okay if it did?” She needed help to work out whatever Joel had taken from her in the form of a professional to talk to. As much as I’d have loved to be able to fix everything for her, I was at a loss in this area.

“Yeah. I suppose I could use some counseling. And maybe some yoga.”

An hour later and after a few phone calls, I had Kelsey set for transfer to a wellness center in Malibu that evening. It was an inpatient facility with trained counselors where she could concentrate on herself for as long as she needed. And she was close enough to the house, she could come by as much or as little as she liked.

When I finished up, I went out to the lobby. Only Reid and Malik were sitting there. “I called Joel and he’s on his way here.”

Reid’s eyes bulged. “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me. After everything our sister just said—”

I held up my hand, hating the way he didn’t trust me. “He won’t ever see her. But telling him to come here gets him out of New York. His flight is in two hours, which gives us plenty of time to have Malik board a plane and retrieve her things from the apartment. Tory was smart enough to grab Kelsey’s purse as they left in the ambulance, and her keys are in it, so we’re set.” Another item Kelsey had given me was her engagement ring. It would be on the counter along with the key.

Reid immediately relaxed. “Are you going to New York too?”

“No, I plan on having some words with Joel.”

“You’re not the only one. I’ll stay with you.”

Two hours later, Malik was in the air with a list from Kelsey of what he should collect, movers were ready to meet him at the apartment, and Kelsey was being transferred to the treatment facility.

Reid and I were at the Newport Beach house waiting.

“It’s a good plan,” he murmured taking the glass of bourbon I offered before sitting at the small kitchen table with me.

“Thanks.”

His somber eyes met mine. “Do I need to be worried about what you’ll do to Joel once you see him?”

“If you did, I would’ve insisted I come alone.”

“He’s an abusive narcissist. I never saw it. But you did.”

“Did I? I knew he showered her with attention in front of others and worried he didn’t act the same in private, but I hadn’t realized how bad it was, with verbal abuse and a systematic teardown of her self-esteem. I should’ve paid more attention.”

He shook his head. “At a certain point, we all have to make our own mistakes. You can’t fault yourself for not knowing. She’s a grown woman.”

And he was a grown man. Also capable of making his own mistakes. “I owe you an apology for what I did with your ex-fiancée.”