Page 67 of About Love and Revenge

She sits up on the bed. "What? How did it happen? Does Theo know?"

Her reaction makes me realize two things at once: she truly believed he was gone, and despite never talking about her brother or any family member other than her parents, she does care for Theodoro.

"Yeah. I went to Boston to talk to him yesterday."

“God, I need to call my brother. I'm not sure he'll want to talk to me, but I need to know how he's doing. Theo adored Orien."

"Are you two fighting?"

“We haven’t really spoken much since he left. I haven’t told him that I’ve come to live . . .uh. . . that I'm here with you."

“I know you haven’t told him or your sisters, which is why I didn't say anything to him yesterday either. It's just that at some point, they'll need to know. Don't your sisters talk to your parents often?"

"No. Once a month tops. I'll call them next week, but I'll talk to Theo first." She pauses, looking unsure about continuing, until she finally makes up her mind. "Was it in Athens? Orien's death, I mean."

"No. He never left the island."

She opens her mouth in shock, and I know she wants to ask more questions, but instead she says, “I'm sorry."

“I don't want to talk about it anymore."

Elina looks ready to argue, but then she lies down on my chest. “It's okay if you don't want to talk about it anymore. Everyone has secrets."

Elina

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

My hand shakesas my finger hovers over the number that will complete the call to my brother. Closing my eyes, I finally touch the phone screen.

The phone rings a few times, and each time I feel like hanging up, but I won't. I'm not a coward.

"Hello?"

“Theo, it's me."

"Elina?"

"I don't want to fight."

“I didn't say anything."His voice sounds calm, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

“It's just that we always end up arguing."

"Because of me?"

“No, you're right, I was really upset when you left. You didn't even say goodbye to me."

“You didn't give a shit about me anymore. Nobody in that house did."

“Theo, there's a lot you don't understand, but that's notwhy I called."

“Wait, this number you’re calling from has the United States area code. Where are you?"

“In New York . . . with Odin."

"What?"

It takes me a few minutes to give a summary of the story, omitting the part about the sheik and the kidnapping attempt. I don't want to give him anything to worry about the first time we manage to talk without hiding our true selves.

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