Page 77 of Sweet Lies

“You call you two coming to blows an incident?”

“No one died,” he says. “Walk with me.”

The note seems to be burning a hole in my hand, guilt churning inside me. I need to keep hold of my hate. No other emotion will do.

Together, we walk down the brick path through a flower garden that has seen better days.

“Mom would be mad about the state of the flowers,” I mutter, needing to fill the space with sound that isn’t my own thoughts.

“Yes, she would be livid. It’ll come back. I’ll make sure of it. Next time we’re here, it’ll look as if she were taking care of it herself. You’ll see.”

“You’re so sure you can make everything the way it was?” I ask bitterly.

“No,” he answers, stopping abruptly.

I swing my gaze to his, startled at his response. I’ve never heard him unsure before.

“I’m not naïve enough to believe I can make a gunshot stop bleeding with a Band-Aid and a glass of water. The wounds we’ve all experienced, both physically and mentally, will never go away. What I want for all of us is a new beginning. You’ve changed. Claire and I have as well. Let’s get to know each other. Give ourselves the chance to be a family again.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I blurt out.

He nods. “You don’t need to.”

I don’t need to?This is Elijah Rossi speaking. He needs to know everything. It’s been this way since we were children. He always knew what I was up to.

It’s such an unexpected response I find myself speaking without thought.

“That day, Sebastian was in the house before everything exploded. He was the one to get me out.” I take a breath and look down, unable to meet his eyes, not wanting to see his reaction, no matter what it might tell me. “I tried to get away, but I couldn’t, and when he shoved me in the trunk, it was too late. I thought he was taking me to his father or Logan, but instead, he took me to meet a man he owed money to. I was to pay half his debt.”

I start walking again, and Elijah stays a few steps behind me, knowing I need my space. “Well, we both know what happened next, so I won’t go into the details.” I laugh humorlessly as the night flashes through my mind on repeat.

“From there, I was sold to Levi and was never to return to New York. It was only luck I was back when Andre was—that he saw me. It was all luck that night; otherwise, I never would have gotten out. He saved me a lot after that night. But don’t tell him that—I don’t need his ego to get any larger.”

I smile, trying to break the tension. “We killed most of the men I could remember. We traveled from state to state, and I learned, and I changed. It was only luck that one man lived in Chicago. It was only luck I chose the restaurant the two of you were in that night. I watched you both. Smiling, laughing. At first, I thought it was anger that kept me from going in. Anger that you lived and never came to find me, but looking back, I think it was that I didn’t want you to see the person I’d become. I wasn’t the same person, and you wouldn’t recognize me. You were never going to get that girl back. I needed someone to remember me as I was. The anger grew, and I let it fester. Needing it.

“I was in my office one day when Sebastian entered. For a moment, terror took hold before I got myself under control and remembered I could take care of myself. He started talking about you and Claire. It was shocking that he knew you were alive, but then he started talking about Alex and Claire, and I felt something in me snap. After everything I’d gone through, she married the man who played such a role in everything. And you—”

“And I let her.” He nods as the pieces fall into place. “I understand, Bec. I do. There’s so much more to the story, if you would have simply let us tell you, but I understand. You’re a Rossi. You wanted your revenge. But you’re a shit shot.” He laughs.

I glare. “It put your ass in the ER.”

“It did, but not the morgue. I told you to always make sure they wouldn’t get back up.”

My laugh escapes. “I missed you,” I say softly, needing to release the words.

“Not as much as we missed you, Bec. You were our soul. Yes, Alex did play a role. I hated him for a long time, same as Claire. But he tried to save us. He didn’t know what his father had planned. You should talk to him. You don’t need to forgive him, but he is a part of our lives. He’s Becca’s father and Claire’s husband. She will kill for him and him for her. They’re a package deal,” he adds softly.

“Sebastian told me he could help me get rid of you. I kicked him out without an answer and hadn’t heard from him till now. He wants you dead.”

“His hit list is longer than his last drug order. He’ll be dealt with.”

“How? You’ve been looking for him, as well as the other families, and none of you have been able to locate him. He’s gone underground.”

“Even the rats have to come out sooner or later, and when he does, we’ll be ready. Sending you that note means he’s getting desperate. He’s worried he won’t be able to get close enough to finish the job and is hoping you’ll end it for him. He’s counting on your hate. We can use that to our advantage,” he says confidently.

“Use me as bait?” I ask.

“Not bait, an ally. He won’t see it coming. What do you think?” he asks as we continue down the path. His hands are linked behind his back as we walk.

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