Page 98 of Married to the Devil

“Are those roses?” June asks, sounding surprised.

“They are. Pretty, right?” I lean forward and smell one. “I haven’t come here in a while.”

June’s quiet a moment. “It looks different. Most of the woods areas are pretty wild, but this⁠—“

“It’s usually cleared. I’ve been a little lax in my duties. I hope she’ll forgive me.”

“She?”

“My sister.”

I brush my fingers down a blossom. It’s the end of the season and it won’t last much longer. Beauty comes, it fades, and it falls apart. But the nice thing about plants is they grow back. The cycle continues, stretching long into the distance.

“Her name was Leanna. She looked so much like Hattie it would take your breath away.” I don’t look at June as I talk. It’s hard, speaking of my baby sister at all, but it’s important. I want her to know this part of me. “She was young when the fire took her. Much, much too young. I think that’s why she didn’t make it out. The smoke was heavy and her little body couldn’t handle it. Sometimes I wake sweating and crying with the vague hint of terrible dreams. Leanna begging for my help. Leanna whispering how much burning hurts. That sort of thing.”

“Oh, Rafe, I’m so sorry.” Tears fill her eyes. “It’s awful, what happened. Is she… buried here…?”

I shake my head. “No, she’s with my parents in a graveyard in the city. But this was her bush.” I touch my thumb to a vine. “She was odd for a little kid. I always loved that about her. Unapologetic. She liked the thorns. She said the roses are super pretty but she liked that they could cut you too. That was Leanna. Always adorable and ruthless.”

“She sounds amazing. Like Hattie.”

“This bush was Leanna’s. I had it dug out a few days after the fire. Wasn’t easy taking care of it, but I’ve worked my ass off to keep it alive in her memory.”

“That’s amazing, honestly.”

“I don’t have much left of her except for memories and these flowers. But I wanted you to see them so you understand how important family is to me.”

“I know that. I’ve heard what you did with your brothers. You raised them, didn’t you?”

“I tried my best. I was never their father though. We were all wounded and ruined kids. Fucked up at best. Monsters most of the time. But we survived.”

“And here you are.” She stands on her toes to kiss me. “Thank you for showing me this.”

“I love you, June. That’s what I brought you out here to say. I’ve known for a long time how I feel, but love doesn’t come easy to a man like me. Love has always felt like a chain. Or worse, like a rope around your neck. But it doesn’t have to be, does it?”

“Not at all,” she whispers. Tears roll down her cheeks. “I love you too, you know. I didn’t know I would. I thought I’d always despise you… but that’s not what happened. It scares me, letting you in.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“But you almost did.” She touches my chest, tears falling faster. “What would Hattie do if we lost you? What would I do?”

“My brothers⁠—“

“Aren’t you.” She kisses me again and this isn’t how I thought this would go. “I love you, Rafe, and that’s what scares me the most. That I could love you and risk so much.”

“June—“

“It’s okay. It really is. I’m so happy you showed me this, and I’m so sorry about what happened to your family and your little sister. I wish I could take that hurt away. I would if I could. But all I can do is say I’m here now and so is Hattie, and we don’t plan on going anywhere else.”

I hold her tight. I wish I felt more settled, but what more could I have asked for? She’s afraid and I can’t blame her, not after everything.

But I know for certain now. Like back when I first swore I’d give my life for my brothers, I have purpose, and it’s bigger than me. It’s darker and stronger. There’s Hattie now, and June, and I can’t only win for myself.

It has to be them too. It has to be for them.

29

RAFE