Page 65 of Unleash You

He rubbed his forehead, then his temple. “How do you know Rebecca?”

“Um, she came to Atlanta, looking for Wesley.”

He pursed his lips. “She’s not someone to be trusted. If you really care about Wesley, you’d keep her away from him.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Would you take me to her, sister?” he asked. “I just have to finish this one thing, and then, I don’t know. Fox’s Bank sounds like a good idea.”

I covered my mouth to stifle my grin. Was he serious? “Charlie, I would do anything for you. You’re my only brother. The only family I have left. I came here for you.”

“Good. Then it’s settled. You can stay here. We’ll leave at first light. Sooner if the storm lets up.” He offered me the only chair in the room, then sat on the ground to tinker with his dinner. “Are you and Wesley a thing these days?”

“Um. Yes.” I wanted to tell him that Wesley loved me, and I loved him, but somehow the news felt out of place, given our circumstances. I pulled up the chair closer to the fire. Even in the warm weather, my wet pants had created a cold layer over my skin.

His unfocused gaze stayed on the animal. I racked my brain for something else to say, something to make him smile again. I tried not to think of our last time together when I was thirteen—the year our lives changed forever. That was the year he’d yelled at me for killing my parents, and then wished I’d died too.

“How’s Rebecca doing in Atlanta?”

The change in conversation threw me off, but his features relaxed when he spoke her name, so I played along. “She’s happy. Derek’s a billionaire these days so his home is a fortress. Did I tell you that...” I swallowed the rest of my words because Charlie and I had never exchanged letters. “I mean, did Wesley tell you that Derek renovated the Cole estate?”

“I didn’t think that dump could be salvaged.”

“He did it. It’s so beautiful now. It even has a pool house and a soccer field. But I think they use it to play baseball instead.”

He chuckled, pulling a piece of meat off the skewer. “I haven’t seen Derek in ages.”

“He’s getting married soon. That’s how I met Rebecca. She came to the engagement party.” There it was again. Every time I said her name, he would lean forward and smile, as if a sense of calm had washed over him. “She looked beautiful that night.”

“Tell me.”

I scrambled with the words and what to tell him. Did he want to know about how scared she was of that guy who grabbed her in New York or the bruises on her back? Wesley had said Charlie had struck some kind of deal with the new cartel boss, that part of the deal was getting Rebecca back to Venezuela. But looking at Charlie, I didn’t think he meant to harm her. He was in love with her.

“She wore a red dress. She helped me pick mine. Her style is impeccable.”

“Yeah, she likes clothes.” He nodded, staring into the fire. “She’s different, the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

“Right.” I wiped my hands on my pants.

Yeah, Rebecca was gorgeous. Even Zack had starry eyes for her. But the tone in Charlie’s voice told me there was more to it. Were they actually together before she had to flee for betraying her boss? I wanted to ask him, but even though we were brother and sister, we didn’t have that kind of relationship. I wasn’t his confidant. I wasn’t much for him.

“You get to see her tomorrow. We chartered a plane to get here. We can go back anytime. Actually, we have to leave the day after tomorrow before our visas expire. I don’t know what they’ll do to us if we stay, but Wesley made it sound like it wouldn’t be a good thing.” I rambled on for another minute before he stood. “Maybe we can go look for Wesley later? He doesn’t know where I am.”

“Maybe.” He turned and left with an even deeper scowl across his forehead.

This was progress, sort of. Charlie was coming home with me. All we had to do now was find Wesley and Mack. By this time tomorrow, we’d be a family again.

My belly rumbled. I reached for the rabbit’s leg, ignoring the head and what looked like browning teeth. I touched it and recoiled. Charlie had made it look delicious when he ate it, but I couldn’t stomach the feel of it on my fingers. I could go a day without food. How many days would have to go by before I caved in? How long did it take Charlie?

I drummed my fingers on my leg, with my gaze fixed on the tarp that served as a door. Suddenly, panic took over me. Charlie wouldn’t leave me here. Would he? I shot to my feet and rushed to the flap. Outside, Charlie stood next to a man, his forehead almost touching his as they discussed something on a folded map. Charlie pointed at it while the man shook his head.

Not wanting to test his patience, I decided to leave him alone. The camp and the men didn’t look as scary anymore. I let out a breath and stepped out of the hut. Several tents dotted the area around me. But only Charlie’s place had electricity and a fire going.

“Far enough,” a man said in a deep voice.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I was just looking for the bathroom.”

He pointed to a spot behind a few thick tree trunks and walked off back to a chair near Charlie’s tent. I peered down the path ahead, then down at the wet ground. Was that the way we’d come in? Wesley must be worried sick looking for me. I ventured a few feet down the trail, wishing there was a way to reach him or send him a message.

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