Page 366 of Wicked Brutal

“Obviously. My mistake.”

“I turned Xander into one.”

“I can see that.”

Xander gets to his feet — green-faced, grass-stained, completely unbothered.

“We visited Mom and Adeena this morning,” Penny says quietly as she reaches us.

My smile softens. Tobias had wanted to go, and Xander offered to take him when I told them we had court.

“Did you bring Mom something?” I ask.

Tobias nods. “A flower. And I told her Xander’s mom is there too.”

My throat tightens. Xander looks away. Penny reaches for his hand.

“I told your mom she’d better keep an eye on mine,” Xander says. I look at him. He shrugs. “Someone has to.”

My eyes burn. “Thank you.”

Tobias looks between all of us, then down at the papers still clutched in my hand. “What happened?”

I kneel, carefully. Ryan stays beside me but doesn’t speak. Neither do Walter and Cassandra. Nobody explains for me. Nobody makes this theirs. This is mine and Tobias’s.

I take my brother’s hands. “Remember how I told you the judge was deciding where you get to live?” His smile disappears. He nods. “And remember I promised I’d do everything I could to make sure nobody took you away from me?” Another nod. His fingers tighten around mine. I smile. “You get to stay with me.”

He stares at me. “Here?”

“Here.”

“With you?”

“Yes.”

“For how long?”

My heart cracks. “Forever, Toby.”

His eyes get huge. “Forever forever?”

“Forever forever.”

Behind him, Cassandra makes a broken sound. Tobias launches himself at me and I laugh as I catch him, Ryan’s hand going to my back to steady us both.

Tobias squeezes my neck. “Nobody can make me go?”

“Nobody can make you go.”

Over his shoulder, I watch Walter pull Cassandra against him. They’re both crying. I don’t think any of us have anything left today but tears.

Tobias pulls back suddenly. “But when the baby comes?”

I frown. “What about when the baby comes?”

“Do I still stay with you?”

Oh. Roman. Victor. All that poison they put in his head. Cassandra’s face crumples. Walter closes his eyes.