Page 4 of Unleash You

“The jungle?” This was crazy.

“That’s where we were hiding before we were rescued.”

“Evacuated or rescued?” I got the feeling Wesley wasn’t being completely honest with me.

“Rescued.” He met my gaze, shifting his weight away from me. “The less you know, the better. You should’ve stayed in New York.”

“Don’t you ever say that to me again. I’ve been gone for too long. I put up with it because I had school and Charlie asked me not to come back. But all that is over. I’m home. And I want my family back.” My chest tightened. Was that even possible? To have Charlie back with me so things could be as they were before our parents died, before he sent me away.

Wesley rubbed the side of his face. “There’s also the matter of the Copenhaver estate.”

“What about it? My brother manages it.”

“As stipulated in your parents’ will, before we were deployed to Venezuela, he signed a power of attorney over to Mom’s company, Cole Investment Research Advisors, Inc.” He inhaled. “To me. Anabelle, until we find Charlie, you’re my responsibility.”

“I don’t need a babysitter.”

What the hell was Charlie thinking? I was an adult. I didn’t need anyone telling me what to do or how to manage my money.

“Executor. And you do need one to access your family’s fortune. Your parents wanted you to be under advisement until you were twenty-five.”

“So you’ll be my babysitter for the next four years? No.” I jerked to my feet. The idea of being under Wesley’s anything, like I was some small child, made me want to punch Charlie. I got why our parents didn’t trust a thirteen-year-old to take care of herself, but Charlie knew better.

“Until Charlie is found one way or another, yes. He was only following your parents’ wishes.”

My eyes filled with tears. “What happens to me if he’s really gone?”

“As his only surviving family member, you’ll inherit everything. But until then, I’m responsible for you.”

What was I supposed to do? Wait at home like a good girl and maybe get my family back? No fucking way. I’d been playing the good sister for eight years, and that got me nothing but lonely nights and sad holidays. I’d been alone for too long. I wanted more. I couldn’t live with this bullshit of an arrangement while my brother was lost in some jungle.

Charlie needed me. I had to find him.

2

Anabelle's Letters

Wesley

“Wes, Charlie needs us.”

When was the last time Anabelle said my name? I shoved the thought away, along with the rest of the images in my head. Things like Anabelle falling at my feet with her long blond hair curled around the fabric of my pants, her blue gaze on me as if I had all the answers in the world. What the hell was wrong with me? This was my best friend’s sister. The last thing she needed was me messing with her head and her feelings.

“I’m doing everything I can to get him out.” I stood and made my way back behind my desk and the safety of my chair.

She sat on the white leather couch in her pink skirt and blushing cheeks, looking so alone and fragile. In her letters to Charlie, she’d written how much she missed family. I opened her file as she stared out the window. No doubt that beautiful mind of hers was spinning out of control trying to figure out how to help her brother. If the chances of finding Charlie alive were any good, I’d be right there with her. But at this point, my team of former marines was more on a retrieval mission rather than a rescue.

Dear Charlie,

How are you? By now, I’ve come to accept that you’ll never answer any of my letters. I wish I had your number or an email address. Then I could bug you properly. Anyway, tomorrow is my first day at Barnard College. If we were a little closer in age, we would be in the same city right now. Any advice for a fellow Columbia student?

I miss you brother, always.

Anabelle

“Which is exactly what?” Anabelle rose and stalked over to me.

My body jerked at her words. I’d already gone back to the day Charlie received yet another letter from Anabelle. She’d been writing to him on and off for so long that by then I recognized her writing. We had been in the kitchen, a few weeks before being deployed the first time.

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