Page 117 of Savage Daddies

My ear drums are red from the amount of times they’ve been shouting down my ears today. All we were trying to do was get through the hospital doors.

“How are you feeling?”

“Records tell us you and Felix were split during infancy. When did you find out the two of you were related?”

“Bullwhip, over here!”

“Answer me, not them!”

Silence rings loud now that we finally have it, and Wrangler slouches into a wooden chair opposite me, gaze fixated on the window as the sun comes down.

Please, don’t let Poet spend another night in there.

“I’m gonna take off.” Fiona pockets her phone and rises from the couch.

This grabs Zoe’s attention. “What? No. It’s?—”

“From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate everything you have done for me, but three days in the desert is enough.” She turns to Wrangler “No offense.”

Zoe tucks her feet up under herself on the couch and studies her sister. We shot straight to Wrangler’s last night after the events, so today she wears his boxers—the waistband folded over four times to fit. “Where are you gonna go?”

“Father’s.” Fiona continues to cross the room, heading for the door.

“Wait. Where are you going?”

“The Uber. It’s outside. I didn’t want to bother you guys and again, no offense—” Another look at Wrangler. “I don’t wanna get my hair any more messed up.”

Zoe laughs, but as soon as Fiona leaves the house, silence returns.

The elephant in the room grows in size.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Her eyes dart over to me.

“Yeah,” says Wrangler. “Being bros with Felix. That’s kind of a big deal, man.”

I straighten up in the armchair and sigh. “We’re twins.”

Zoe and Wrangler share a surprised look.

“And I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to think about it. I felt guilty.”

Zoe bites her lip. “It’s not your fault you ended up being brothers.”

“I know,” I admit, “but for a moment there back in his office, I considered joining him.”

They remain silent, hearing me out.

“I don’t know, guys.” I shake my head. “It’s embarrassing. Me and him…we’re one and the same. Both ruthless killers. Both with the same childhoods. You guys are great, but only Felix knows what it’s like to grow up misunderstood. Zoe—” One look at her does something unexplainable to my core, but it’s something I want to feel every day. “If it wasn’t for you, I probably would’ve?—”

“No, you wouldn’t,” she snaps. “You think you know yourself, but you don’t. You think you’re a bad person, but our choices don’t define our spirits. I’ve lived with evil for three years, so trust me, I know. If you were truly evil, you wouldn’t even question yourself. Wouldn’t see yourself as bad.And—” Her eyes fill with tears. “You wouldn’t be capable of feeling love.”

We stare at one another for a long time, but nothing about the exchange feels awkward.

Then the door bursts open. “Surprise!”

Zoe jumps up, squeals, and flings her arms around Poet.

“Man!” Wrangler chuckles. “We were worried. What happened at the station?”

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