I shook my head. “Maybe it was because it was where everyone could find me that they did. It no longer became a sanctuary. Later, I’d hide in the stacks but the bigger I got, the harder that became.”

He didn’t say anything right away. “Can I ask you a question? Well, if I’m being honest, I have many. You can answer them or not, it’s up to you.”

“If I have a way out, there’s no harm in asking.” I was nervous. Saros wanted to know a lot about me, and I wasn’t sure I had the information he wanted or needed.

“Your first name is November. Do you have a last name?”

Fairly innocuous question. “Banks.”

“November Banks.” He hummed. “I agree with Martha. While the reason behind it is ugly, it’s a beautiful name.”

I’d never thought anything good about November, but what reason had there been until now?

“Thanks.”

“Harder question, ready?”

I chuckled. “Go for it.”

“You said your parents named you November because they didn’t want you, that they named you it because it was the month you were born, correct?”

“Yeah, but that’s not a hard question.”

Saros smirked. “Because that’s not the question. What I want to know is, do you know who your parents are?”

It was a very interesting question. I had my suspicions but they had never been validated.

“As long as I can remember, I’ve been in Ramsey’s house. That’s all I know for certain. I asked sometimes when RJ would call Ramsey Dad and Shyla Mom if I could call them that, but they said no. So I asked who my parents were, but they never answered me.”

Saros’s nostrils flared. “I really hate the Brookes family, Em.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“You can try.”

Fair enough. “What are you going to do to him?”

Saros tilted his head up and gazed at the glass ceiling. Birds were flying by; it was lovely.

“To be honest, I don’t know how this will end, Em. But however it does, will be for the best.”

Super vague response but also quite loaded at the same time.

Martha chose that moment to enter with a rolling cart of food.

“Who’s hungry?” She beamed as she uncovered the plates. Pasta, salad, and fresh rolls greeted us and my stomach rumbled.

“Music to my ears.” Martha laughed.

Martha set a tray up for me on my lap and another for Saros. It was ridiculous to eat on the couch like this while a perfectly good table was nearby but as soon as I mentioned that, Saros told me to hush.

The food was exquisite as always. I’d never eaten so well in my life as I had since being under Saros’s roof. I was feeling energized and while my ankle ached and my finger throbbed, it was as if I were a new person.

“I’m having a family dinner here tomorrow. We do this every week.”

I swallowed my bite and nodded. “Okay, I’ll stay in my room, so you don’t have to worry about me getting in the way.” It’s what I always did when Ramsey had guests over. It would be no different now except Saros would feed me and I was safe.

“What? Why would you do that?” He appeared affronted.