Page 25 of Fated Redemption
Rian and Damian just stared at the two women.
“Rian, I didn’t know you swung that way,” David said.
“Rian, are you the baby daddy?” Peyton asked, staring at him.
Rian turned to Peyton, his mouth dropping. “What? No!” he turned back around to the woman. “Do I know you?” he demanded.
“Ri?” she whispered.
“Oh my god, Asling?”
Rhys watched as dawning recognition filled Rian’s eyes before he jumped down and swung the woman in his arms.
“Bethany?” Damian whispered. The auburn-haired girl collapsed against Damian, crying her eyes out.
“Are you two okay? Are you hurt? What are you doing here?” Rian ran his hands over the woman’s hair.
Everyone stood around dumbfounded.
“Okay, boys, let’s get these pretty girls a seat. It looks like they need it.” Moe’s warm voice carried over the sound of the girl’s tears.
Almost relieved with a clear direction in which to follow, Duncan, Emmett, David and Daniel helped move the four of them to a table. The girls clung desperately to Rian and Damian.
“Why are you here? Is everything okay?” Damian asked. He had pulled the woman onto his lap and was rubbing her back soothingly.
“We saw the council newsletter, w–w–we hoped we could come home.” The woman Damian had called Bethany sobbed.
“We’ve been driving since yesterday. We went to the pride house first and they told us you were here. We had a huge fight with Mom and Dad. They lied to us, Riri, they told all the kids that you didn’t want us here, that we weren’t welcome because you, Damian, and Liam wanted a carefree life.” The dark-haired girl wiped her eyes dry and she sniffled loudly. She took a deep breath and looked up at Rian, whose eyes were still streaming tears. She used her sleeve to dry his eyes.
“I’ve missed you so much, big brother,” she whispered.
Rian just pulled her into his arms and started rocking them side to side. “I waited. Every year I waited for you all to come home.” Rian cried.
“We know now. We saw our stockings, those silly stockings you helped us to make. I knew the second that I saw them that Mom and Dad had lied. You never forgot about us. I knew you wouldn’t, I just knew you wouldn’t.” Asling buried her face into her brother’s chest.
“They are your sisters?” Rhys asked, though now looking at the women, he could clearly see the family resemblance.
“Welcome home, Bethy,” Gina said, wiping her eyes. Cecelia’s eyes were bright with unshed tears.
“We can stay can’t we? We can’t go back, we can’t!” Bethy said, sounding close to hysterical.
“What happened, Bethy?” Damian’s voice was gentle, but his eyes had hardened.
“When we confronted Mom and Dad, the car was still packed from coming home from school. We both graduated from LSU this December. We didn’t really want to move back into the family home and was debating getting our own apartment, so we hadn’t unpacked yet. Mr. Prescott tried to keep Bethy fromreturning. There was talk about an arranged marriage. He may get use of his arm back. Eventually.” Asling sniffed.
“That’s my girl.” Rian smiled and kissed her forehead.
“They still have Dylan. They won’t let him out of the house for fear that he would return to Arkadia.” Bethy wiped her eyes with one of the bar’s napkins.
“We need Liam,” Damian said, looking over at Rian, desperation in his eyes.
“I’ll call him.” Rian pulled out his phone, stood up, and let Asling take his seat.
“They’ve joined NOAH, Damian, the entire pride. I swear they are all fucking nuts,” Asling said.
“Asling, language,” Rian said, pulling the phone away.
“Sorry, Riri.” She smiled at him, he smiled back. His attention was diverted when a familiar voice came on the line.
