Page 109 of Stolen Moments

I fly out of bed with a scream like my ass is on fire. Grabbing my black stiletto off the floor, I hold it overhead like a knife ready to plunge into the creep-ass motherfucker in my bed. “What the f—”

“Emmy.” Chris cackles. “It’s just me, relax.”

“You almost gave me a heart attack, you needle dick.”

My brother only laughs harder. “Put down the shoe, you crazy woman. What can that shoe do if I really was some perv trying to sneak into your bed?”

I look at the shoe still raised over my head. “I was thinking I would use this pointy part right here to stab said perv and run away.” I throw the shoe at him, and he falls over laughing, tears wetting his lashes. “You suck.”

“I do.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me and pats the bed.

I roll my eyes at him and climb back in beside him. Now that my heart rate has returned to normal, I’m shocked to see Chris.

“Why are you here? Don’t you have work?”

“Nope. If you had picked up the phone, you would know last night’swrapparty was to celebrate the end of my internship.School starts next week, so I thought I would come visit my favorite sister.”

“I’m your only sister.” I drop my head on his shoulder.

I have no idea what I’m going to do. I have enough money set aside for his tuition, but I don’t have enough for his books or incidentals, at least not until next month when I get my trust stipend.

Buying this house depleted my savings. I figured, in the long run, it would pay off to have a lower mortgage, and the bank offered me a great interest rate for a larger cash sum as the down payment. Then Chris ruined it by moving to California for college.

“Tell me what’s going on.” Chris leans his head on mine and throws his arm over my shoulder, hugging me tight as he waits for me to speak.

When did Chris’s arms get so … big and muscular? I can still remember him having scrawny teen arms just a few months ago.Right?But now, sitting next to my little brother, he’s not so little. He’s a man. He’s all grown up.

Chris is an adult. He’s about to graduate from college, and he received an amazing internship this past summer, putting him closer to his dreams of directing films. He’s perfectly capable of taking care of himself.

Why do I still look at him like he’s a helpless kid? Chris has been there, urging me to cut ties with our parents for so long, and I kept making excuses because I wanted him to have the best.

“Chrisy, how did you get here?” I ask.

“I took a plane. You know, those big metal tubes that defy all logic.”

“Jerk. No, really. Why are you here?”

“I could hear it in your voice, sis. I know you’re not okay. You need me. So I figured the only way I was going to get your stubborn ass to talk was to get up here as soon as possible.”

My little brother flew to me because he knew I needed him. He’s here to takecare of me.

Tears flood my eyes. Rylann’s right. I’ve been blind to the people who have been here, silently supporting me. Waiting for me to ask for help. I’m not alone and never have been. I have people to help me get through this.

“Mason broke up with me,” I confess.

“Oh, babe. I’m so sorry. That sucks.”

“You’re telling me.” I rub my sternum, the ache of his loss still sharp as a knife.

I’m not alone.

“It’s my fault. But the good news is I finally divorced Cybil and Sinclair,” I croak out, my voice thick with emotion as tears tingle my nose.

“You did what now? And can youpleasestart from the beginning? It seems you’ve kept a lot of information from me these last couple of weeks,” he says, his breath fanning across my hair.

I have been keeping things from him, but no more. I’m done holding it all in.

“Fine.” Sitting up, I twist around and cross my legs, wiping the tears from my cheeks.

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