Page 95 of When Hearts Awaken

“Her favorite time isn’t Christmas. It’s after New Year’s. Everyone fucking hates that time because all the festivities are over, but she loves it. She once told me January symbolized new beginnings. She loves the fresh snow.” An anguished smile appears on his face.

Hearing him talk about Firefly makes me feel shittier as an older brother.

He’s using present tense.

“Maybe this will be the year when she wakes up,” he adds before taking a sip of alcohol.

“You’ve never given up hope?” A thousand pound weight sits on my chest.

“Never.” He turns and stares at me, and I see the determination in his gray eyes, the same dark eyes of the woman who’s constantly in my mind. “Don’t beat yourself up for it, Charles. We all grieve differently. Perhaps I’m the one who isn’t facing reality.”

I’ve always wondered why Ethan hasn’t gone after Firefly—it’s obvious he cares for her a lot, but he’ll deny it if I ask. I wonder if it has anything to do with Liam being his best friend. Him and I aren’t as close—I hung out more with Maxwell and Ryland whereas he spent his time with Liam when they were growing up.

In times like these, I wonder if his feelings run deeper than I originally thought. But Ethan Anderson, despite being the youngest son of the family, reminds me of his oldest brother Maxwell. Quiet. Holding all his cards close against his chest.

“If I took her seriously all those years ago, she probably wouldn’t have gotten into the car. That’s the reality I face every day.” I toss back the whiskey.

“We all make mistakes, Charles. She wouldn’t want you beating yourself up. She’d hate it.”

I know she would. But that doesn’t lessen the guilt.

“Did you ever find out what she wanted to talk to you about that day?” he asks as he sits down in front of the fireplace.

It’s one mystery that has been nagging me ever since her accident. All I knew was, it was an emergency, but it wasn’t life-threatening. She wanted to talk in person.

I never knew why she wanted to meet.

And to this day, other than the guilt of putting her in the position she’s in right now, I also feel I’ve failed her as a brother.

She needed me, and I wasn’t there.

“Charles, you have a moment?” A low voice startles me and I turn toward the doorway, finding it propped open. Elias Kent is leaning against the doorframe.

The man moves without a sound. I suppose that makes him good at whatever he does in his criminal activities.

He smirks as he straightens up and tugs on the lapel of his expensive suit before he nods to Ethan. He motions outside and slips away.

I take it as a sign to follow him.

I find him in a hidden alcove around the corner. The small space is lit up by a few flameless candles, which only draw attention to his dark hair and the long scar spanning his face. He turns toward me before I reach him.

“I have news,” he murmurs.

My pulse ratchets up. “Ian?”

He nods. “Before I tell you, I have to let you know there are other interested parties. It’s a race out there.”

“What do you mean?”

He takes out the lighter I’ve never seen him use again and stares at the gold chain attached to it. “There are people who are very interested in the same thing you’re after. Have you heard of The Association?”

I freeze at the name of the organization, the hairs on the back of my arms rising. “An elite network of powerful people, something like that right? I’ve been warned to stay away from it.”

Elias’s eyes search mine, as if checking to see if I’m telling the truth. Unease slithers up my spine.

Something is very, very wrong here.

“Whoever warned you is wise.” He snaps shut his lighter. “And it’s something like that. I won’t go into the details with you, but it’s an organization of concentrated power—politicians, scientists, billionaires who thirst to dominate their markets. Once you’re in, you can control whatever realm you want to dominate—get into the Senate? Done. Lead the World Bank? Done.”

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