Page 49 of My Summer Girl

“This is unacceptable,” Di growls, taking the reins. “She’s been gone for days prior to this, and while I wanted to give her space, I’m not okay now.”

Xó wraps her arm around her sister’s shoulder, offering a semblance of comfort. Di can’t hide the flinch in her response and Val isn’t one for affection, so he just taps his foot. “Ya estás,” she whispers to both of her siblings. It makes me flinch. This is on me, not her, and she’s still trying to soothe the ache.

“She disappeared during a scene,” I softly mutter, knowing what will happen next. Before Val can take a swing, his husband clasps his arms and holds them behind his back.

“They didn’t know what to do,” Pyro consoles Val, leaving a brief kiss on his jaw. “They sought answers before wanting to worry everyone. For all they knew, she planned this disappearing act.”

While I didn’t and still don’t believe that for even a second, I can understand why he used the excuse to placate his husband.

“Well, where is she?” Di heatedly huffs, hands on her hips and strain marring her forehead. She sidesteps her sibling, pointing a finger at my chest. “If you had anything—”

“Enough!” Arson grumbles, cutting the air with his glare. He looks down at Rómán and walks toward me. Rómán is red like his dad, his hair curly like his mom’s and nearly a black shade of red. He’s a little cherub with dimples already like Dulce and Xó. Already, he has them wrapped around his little finger. “If you wake him, you have to deal with him. And he’s grumpy as Hades.”

They all soften, seeing the baby boy in Arson’s arms, suckling the air as if he’s feeding. Xó’s face is the most drastic in change when she leans forward and inhales him. Like he has some magical baby scent to calm her down.

“She’s in Solera,” I explain. Pyro and Arson both balk, their faces scrutinizing.

“Interesting that you mention that,” Pyro bites out. “Our baby brother has an Orukna connection—like I tried telling you—and he’s from there.”

I narrow my eyes, wondering if, somehow, this all ties together. I wouldn’t put it past the troublesome Cinder Santana to cause a stir for whatever wild plot he has going.

“So, your dodgy brother is probably part of this,” I mock, anger rising within me again. “He’s just taking the piss with me?”

Pyro runs a hand through his hair, the bags under his eyes very apparent. “Probably. He’s been acting weird the last two years.”

“What does that even mean?” Di huffs, turning to her brother’s mate.

Pyro shrugs but Arson’s jaw tics as he closes his eyes. “Cin seems to do chaotic things for his own benefit. It wouldn’t surprise me if he gave this Orukna Dulce in trade for something.”

Everyone looks to Pyro now with the same animosity they just offered me. He closes his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. There’s no doubt he’ll have Val to talk down later when they’re gone.

“Is she safe?”

As I’m about to answer, another letter pops up, but this one has a trinket. One that tells me it’s a port-path. “Hate to cut this short,” I half-arse a joking tone, “but I’m off to see my mate.”

Several gasps and bellows of “Mate?!” ring out before fading as I disappear into the port and to Solera.

---