Page 54 of Before We Were Us

Sebastian has been watching me with curiosity since the moment I joined them. He’s yet to say anything but I swear I can feel his judgments. If Ciara wasn’t sitting at his side, I am sure he would have already started questioning me.

We are gathering to celebrate the announcement of my niece or nephew and to enjoy a nice family dinner prior to going into full wedding mode. Ciara hasn’t been feeling the greatest. Morning sickness has finally arrived and from what Seb said it’s been a vengeful bitch.

“Like just walked out,” Taylor adds and I’m reminded that I have yet to respond to her first question.

“I said we needed time,” I whisper in return and hope that she doesn’t continue to poke. Of course she does.

“Time for what?”

“Can we talk about this later?” I narrow my eyes at her and she scans over the table, understanding my need to drop it.

Taylor has always been my plus one. Having Taylor was a given. Anything family related and she was there, as my honorary sister. My parents treated her like she was one of theirs.

I grab my water, needing to rid myself of the dryness in my mouth when I see once again Sebastian watching me. I arch a brow, he narrows his eyes and I continue to stare.

“How was your day?” my mother interrupts the tense filled stare down my brother and I share like she feels it herself. Most likely she does, I swear she has a sixth sense for that kind of thing. She is the peacekeeper, always trying to ensure we are all happy and smiling.

“It was good,” I lied. I’ve spent the last twenty-four hours, maybe more, second-guessing everything I’ve said and down over the last few weeks. My head is not in the game and my brother may have picked up on that when I missed my meeting with him this morning.

Which may be why he’s glared at me since the moment I sat down.

Our waiter brings our entrees and I see Ciara bring her hand to her nose.

“Are you okay?” I ask and notice how she breathes slowly, blowing it out equally as slow.

“I’ve taken my medication, which helps, but the initial impact of certain smells still takes a few minutes of adjustment.”

“So this little one is already creating havoc,” I smile, “just like their daddy.”

I say the last part lower for only her to hear and she snickers. If anyone knows how difficult Seb can be it's her.

“He cares, he just doesn’t always go about it the right way.”

“You see the good in him, when I can’t. To me it's his way of controlling my life.” Which he has no right to do.

“That or it's his way of being a big brother and trying to protect you.” I know she is trying to help, so sweet and polite. She is the complete opposite of my brother and I find myself wondering often how he persuaded Ciara to give him a shot.

thirty-four

. . .

Jensen

“I’m half tempted to give her every fucking thing and start over.”

“You will not!” Jenna almost comes out of the recliner. “That bitch will not get your house and everything that dad left you. She will not live off of you for years to come and continue to drag you through hell.”

“I’m not sure how much longer I can fight this out. I’m exhausted, Jen. I’m tired of waking up each day wondering what the fuck else could happen.”

“How about I off her and then when you are assigned the case you can pretend not to know it’s me and tamper with all the evidence?” I chuckle. I’d worry if my sister was a mean person, but I know she’s only trying to lighten the situation.

“How are things with Brynn?”

“They aren’t.”

“I met her, ya know.” She smiles when I wrinkle my forehead in confusion.

“What?”

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