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“She abandoned our sister when she needed her the most.”

“You know that’s not what happened, Sin. Don’t you dare start re-writing the past. Tessa had no hand in what happened to Sienna. You know that. We know who was responsible for her death, Sin and we’ve taken care of that.” Cut defends Tessa.

Sin turns towards me. “Why, after all this time, is she back?”

Before I can answer, the screech of the backdoor and Tessa’s voice breaks through the tension.

“Because I’m sick.”

I turn around and see her standing at the top of the steps. Her face is void of emotion. The words she said aren’t registering. Her eyes are trained on Sin as she continues down the steps. When she reaches Sin, she lifts her chin and straightens her back.

“I have leukemia, and I need Hawk to take my son if anything should happen to me. That’s why I’m back. That’s why I came back to the one place that destroyed me. It took more from me than just my best friend. It ripped Sienna from me, shattered my spirit, and shredded my family so much that they turned their backs on me, leaving me with no one. I ran all those years ago because I had more than her death chasing me. More than you know right now. If you take the time and pull your head out of your ass and ask me what I mean, then I’ll tell you. Until that time comes, grow the hell up.”

She turns her back on Sin, and I watch her go. Before she reaches the steps that lead back to the house, she makes her way towards Dyke and throws her arms around his waist. He closes his eyes and hugs her back. She steps away from him, wipes her eyes, and heads back inside the house.

“Did you know?” Sin asks me.

“No.” my voice breaks so I clear my throat. “I didn’t. We ended things months ago because she didn’t want to move back here, and I couldn’t stay in Los Angeles. This is my home, the club is my family, and it was never an issue of me having to choose between the two.”

“So she came back here because she’s dying? Sin asks.”

“I don’t know.”

“She’s home where she belongs,” Bianca adds.

“But she’s here and not with her family.” Sin’s tone is harsh.

“That is where you’re wrong, mijo.” Bianca looks at me and takes my hand in hers. “She is with her family.”

Hawk

As soon as I make my way into the house, I spot Tessa sitting alone on the couch with her arms wrapped around a pillow. She has her head resting on the back with her eyes closed. She jumps when I place my hands on her thighs after I kneel down in front of her.

“You dropped quite a bombshell back there.”

“I didn’t mean for it to come out like that. It just happened. Funny how after all these years, Sin still riles me up.”

I’m hoping that I’m wrong and she didn’t keep this from me on purpose, so I ask the question that’s burning in my mind. “Did you know all along? The entire time I was in Los Angeles, did you know that you were sick?”

She shakes her head then takes a deep breath. “A few days ago I passed out at the bar. This past month has been stressful. My complex was being sold, and they were making us all vacate. I’ve been working extra shifts trying to save little extra money for a deposit on a little apartment I had found. I’ve been feeling off for a couple of weeks, but I thought it was stress. From what I was told, Croy called nine-one-one, and they rushed me to the hospital.” She pulls out the plastic card. “But you knew that, didn’t you? You were there? You came to me.”

I nod.

“Why didn’t you stay?”

“The nurse was going on and on about how Croy was the best boyfriend, and how he was hovering over you the entire time when he wasn’t at home checking on your son. I didn’t want to see him. I couldn’t see him with you. So I went there, saw you, and left.”

She gives me a slight nod and wipes the tears from her eyes. “My blood work came back abnormal, and after further testing, they told me it’s cancer. I don’t know any more details. I’m supposed to make an appointment with a primary doctor, one that I don’t have since I normally go to the local clinic. They want me to start seeing an oncologist as well. They’re calling it secondary cancer since I had it when I was born.” She takes another breath. “This is the last place I want to be, you know that, but this is the only place I can be. I know I have a few people in Los Angeles who can help. Croy told me he would, but that isn’t fair to him. He wasn’t who I wanted.”

“You made the right choice, Tessa.” I smile. “You know that I’ll do anything you need me to.”

She closes her eyes, and I watch as the tears start to fall. I brush the tears away with my thumb, and she leans into my touch. “I should have come with you when you asked. I should have faced this place before I became too weak to fight past the nightmares that being here will bring up.”

“You aren’t alone in this battle, Tessa. You aren’t alone anymore.”

She places her hand on mine, squeezing it. I keep my eyes on her when I hear the front door opening and heavy boots hit the wood floors.

“Everyone in the back?” Cruise asks.