Page 64 of It's Not Home Without You

“Juliet.” I tried to pull my little sister into a hug. Every instinct in my body was telling me I needed to protect her, but she shook her head.

“I thought I was doing the right thing… I thought Mom knew because Dadalwaysdoes the right thing for our family.” Juliet’s voice was shaky. My blood ran cold.

“What did you do?” My hands trembled. I feared what she would say.

“You remember the last time you brought Freya to our house?”

I could never forget that day. It was the last time she was stillmine.

My Freya before things changed between us. Before she left me.

“What about it?” My rough voice made Juliet flinch.

“That day I overheard Dad talking to Freya... He threatened her. He told her if she didn’t leave, he would make sure her grandfather lost everything. He told her she was ruining your life, that she would never be good enough for you. Dad offered her money—”

“Stop,” I seethed.

My fucking father.

My fucking sister.

“Freya didn’t take a dime, Max.”

There were tears in Juliet’s eyes, but I didn’t give a shit. Juliet knew how much it hurt me when Freya left. She knew that I lost my shit and was drowning without her. Juliet saw the money our parents threw around after my drunken accident. Worst of all, Julietknewhow devastated I was because I thought Freya cheated on me.

“Does Prescott know?”

Juliet shook her head. My father was there for me after Freya left. He told me he was sorry and that he liked Freya. He could see we were right for each other. When my father found out I was paying Tim to look for her, he hired a P.I. tolook up Freya for me, and when I got the news she was fine without me, I stopped my search for her.My father lied.I was drowning in alcohol, and I couldn’t see the truth was right in front of me.

This changed everything.

Freya never left me.

She left to protect her family.

She left to protect me.

AndIdid not protect her.

“I’m so sorry, Max.I thought I was doing the right thing.”

“Yeah.” I laughed bitterly. “And this whole time I thought the womanIloved left me!” I roared, not caring if the people inside heard me. Freya’s words rang in my mind.Yes, I left you, Max, but you let me go.I felt like such an idiot for believing the lie. Dammit, she was mine, and I was hers. All the time wasted because of a stupid lie.

“Why didn’t she say anything?” I almost crumbled to the floor.

“Because Dad told her she wasn’t good enough for you. That you would throw it all away for her. You loved her so much, you would have, and she knew that.”

Fuck, she loved me. She loved me so much she believed I would be better without her.

“Get. Out,” I barked at my sister.

“I’m so s-sorry, Max. I thought I was doing the right thing. You were ready to leave everything for her. You’re my brother, and the last thing I wanted was to see you struggle,” my sister pleaded.

“Get the fuck out, Juliet.” I seethed. My sister was silently crying, but she still didn’t leave.

“I couldn’t let you get married if your heart wasn’t in it. I’m so, so sorry, Max.” When she finally turned around and left, she was a mess. I didn’t follow her.

Beneath the dark sky, I knew what I had to do. Honestly, I knew it from the moment I stared into Freya’s eyes, but I was scared to get hurt again.

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