Page 108 of The Keeper

Winston trotted around oblivious with a toy in his mouth. Killian tucked a few strands of my hair behind my ear. “We’re listening.”

I knotted my fingers together and sighed. “I started to read Charlotte’s diary.”

Max rushed over and sat on the other side of me. Both of them placed their hands on my legs. I wet my lips and continued.

“The stuff I’ve read so far isn’t from our last summer in England. It’s from the one before.”

Killian’s quizzical expression matched the one on Maxim’s face.

“She obviously didn’t tell me everything.” I slouched. “I think she witnessed the night Xavier was beaten and scarred.”

“What?” Max and Killian exclaimed in unison.

“She wrote about going to some party near London.” I lifted a hand to stop Killian from interrupting. “I know, I know. It sounds out of character but…anyway. She went with this girl she’d become friendly with. Millie. I didn’t know her very well. And there was a boy Charlotte had been spending time with named Adam. Apparently she had her first kiss that summer.”

“Okay, okay, wait.” Killian jumped in. “Boys, parties, kissing, fights. This is so not the Charlotte I knew sophomore year.” He glanced at me. “Sounds more like you.”

“Hey.” My tone sharpened. “Yes, I went to parties but I never witnessed any violence. And I wasn’t kissing random boys until junior year.”

Killian cradled my face before leaving a soft kiss on my cheek. “I’m sorry. I was only teasing.”

“I know.” Tears welled in my eyes. “The worst part is she got threatened by someone. Some guy threatened her because she witnessed the fight. He put his hands on her, Killian. I don’t know why she didn’t talk to me about it.”

“Oh sweetie.” He pulled me into a hug. “Maybe she didn’t know how to tell you.”

I exhaled harshly. “He said he knew our family and knew we had money. He told her if he ever saw her at a party again he’d teach her a lesson she wouldn’t forget.” My throat burned. “What if he did something to her at the bonfire? She didn’t want to go. I made her. What if I led her right to this guy without realizing it?”

My body shuddered into quiet sobs. I let Killian keep me in his embrace while Max caressed my back in gentle strokes. The guilt is overwhelming. All the fears I’ve tried to dismiss over the years paled in comparison to what I learned. Maybe my mother was right all along. I did this. I ruined everything.

The boys let me grieve for quite a while. When I finally lifted my head, I noticed the giant wet spot on Killian’s shirt.

“Sorry.”

“Please. If I were to allow any girl to leave a wet spot on me, it’s you.”

I snort-laughed. “Thanks.”

“Can I ask you something, Victoria?” Maxim sounded unsure of himself.

“Of course.”

“How do you know it was a fight involving Xavier?”

I wiped my eyes. “He has a scar over his eye. I asked him how he got it and he told me he was jumped when he was a teenager.” I shrugged. “I don’t know if it’s him but the stories sound similar.”

“Let me get this straight.” Killian shoved a hand through his hair. “Your sister spent time with Xavier when she was fifteen?”

“No. But I think she spent time with his brother.”

“What the motherfu— what? What?” Killian yelled, standing up. “I can’t wrap my head around this, Tori.”

“Does Xavier have a brother?” Maxim draped his arm over my shoulders.

“I have no idea. He told me his mother died shortly after he was born. He mentioned having a step-mother but never said anything about a brother or any siblings for that matter.” I stood up and started pacing. “I don’t know anything anymore.” I threw my arms up. “All we did was have sex. A lot of really great sex. We shared some stuff about one another but…” I paused. “I told him about Charlotte. I told him she was my twin. I told him how she died. He was so…so comforting and kind about it. But he never gave off any inkling he knew her.”

“Are you sure?” Killian’s skeptical tone irked me.

“Yes.”

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