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“I’m sorry, Lukas. Amir…” I began.
“He used me. He fucking used me. How do you think that makes me feel? I was nothing to him except a bargaining chip.” He spat bitterly. “I loved that man. He wasn’t easy to love…but I fell for every word he said. I must be the most gullible man alive. He had me cock whipped.”
I had to bite the inside of my cheek to not laugh. Even in his moment of angst, Lukas still managed to make me chuckle with his over the top antics and dramatics.
“You had no reason to believe anything different. He had me fooled as well,” Stefan muttered. His large hand patted Lukas on the shoulder. “You had to watch me murder the man you love.”
Lukas smiled and he and Stefan exchanged a look. No words were exchanged, but their silent communication brought Stefan relief. The heavy shadows of his face lifted and he managed a small smile.
Lukas fixed his icy eyes on me. “And you. You are a bigger bullshitter than me. You can ramble on when you need to.”
Shrugging, I smiled crookedly. “It worked with Derek. I figured it would work with Amir.”
I noticed that Lukas cringed when I said Amir’s name. Lukas was angry and hurt, but he had lost a lover. It would take time to heal those wounds.
Stefan’s deep voice was soft as he spoke. “Enough of this. We need to get back to Garrett’s house. It is time to go home.”
***
I’d zipped up my suitcase and I gave the house a final walk through. I didn’t know if I’d be back. There was really no reason. I’d come to terms with my past and had only my future to look forward to discovering with Stefan.
I slipped out onto the wrap around porch and was surprised to see Fletcher lounging in one of the Adirondack chairs. His long legs were stretched out in front of him, a large duffel bag at his feet.
My hand flew to my chest. If I were still human, my heart would have been racing. “Fletcher?”
“You have room for one more?” Fletcher asked meekly. He pulled off his Ray Bans and balanced them on his knee.
Smiling, I nodded and crossed my arms. “Of course. You’ve decided to come back with us then.”
“There’s nothing here for me anymore. I figured I’d be better off with my sister,” he admitted. His hand reached up to stroke his scruffy goatee. “You’re the first real family I’ve had in a long time.”
We were so similar. We may have different mothers, but we were both new to discovering what it meant to have a family. It was a foreign concept to us; hard to swallow when you’ve been deprived of it for so long.
I sat in the chair next to him. “Fletcher, I didn’t go through what you did. But I’ve seen first hand what Kian is capable of. I’ve read his sick journals. What we have back in New York is the closest thing to a family I’ve had since Garrett and Meredith. And even then, I never felt like I fit in. But now…now I have someplace I belong. And for the record, I’m glad you’re coming with us.”
He nodded and fiddled with his glasses. Lukas and Stefan began carrying luggage to our rental car, stacking the luggage inside. Fletcher hoisted his duffle bag over his shoulder and sauntered towards them. I couldn’t hide my smile when I watched Stefan’s quiet acceptance of my brother. Lukas simply eyed him in silence, undoubtedly trying to figure out how best to annoy him.
Getting to my feet, I pulled the front door closed and locked the deadbolt. My fingers brushed over the brass doorknocker. I was saying goodbye again, only this time, I wasn’t alone.
Bounding down the steps, I joined them at the edge of the car. Grabbing the keys from Stefan’s fingers, I headed towards the driver seat. I ignored his protests and simply got in, adjusting the seat and fixing the mirrors. Stefan sulked as he folded his tall frame into the passenger seat.
“Don’t worry, we’re not going far. I decided to take advantage of the credit cards in my wallet and chartered a private plane out of the University Airport.” I glanced at Lukas in the rearview mirror. “We won’t be flying commercial anymore, sweet cheeks.”
Cranking the engine, I sped down the gravel driveway, leaving a cloud of fine dust in the air behind me. As I watched the farmhouse grow smaller in the mirror, I could have sworn I saw Garrett on the porch, waving goodbye.
***
Our arrival in New York brought back the apprehension of Kian lurking around every corner. I could sense he would be making an unwelcome appearance in our lives. It was a feeling deep in my gut, heavy and nagging at me for attention.
We’d hailed a cab and headed for the Flatiron District in Manhattan. This would be our new home; yet another property that Stefan owned. He felt the other address in Chelsea was too well known and was a risk for us.
The taxi slid to a stop in front of a 12 story, limestone building on E 22 Street. My eyes widened as I looked up at the building. This building made the other pale in comparison.
I felt Stefan’s warm breath on my neck. “Come, my beautiful wife. It is time to see your new home.”
Stefan greeted the doorman with an incline of his head and we headed towards the elevator. He extended a long finger and pressed the up arrow on the panel.
“You don’t do anything half way, do you?” I questioned. I looked up into his handsome face and saw a glimpse of the jovial Stefan peeking through the gloom that had surrounded us all for the last day. He was still carrying guilt, yet I could see his charming arrogance fighting to break free.
