Page 81 of The Twins

“Thank you, dipshit.” Vegas relocates the table in front of us, and he steps between it and me. My brother forces me to stand, pulling me into the tightest hug I’ve been in since… It’s been a long time.

I inhale, and I bypass the cologne, the alcohol. One sniff of my brother, and I’m transported back to San Ricardo.

When we were an innocent, happy family.

I don’t always appreciate what my life looked like back then, but I’m working on it. I shut my eyes, and I lose myself in my brother’s embrace. He needs this, too.

Although he’ll never admit it.

“Can you be like this more often?” Grey asks, her voice a tiny broken whisper. It carves a hole into my bleak heart when she cries.

The embrace with my brother is cut short because he hears the tremor in our girl’s voice.

When we finally gaze at her, she’s in Charles’ arms. He doesn’t say a word. He holds her for us, and his eyes are on me the entire time.

“Why are you crying, sugar puff?” Vegas asks her, baffled.

“I want you to be peaceful. You’re brothers. Act like it. You’re my twins. I can’t stand it when you’re distant with one another,” Grey blurts out. She wipes the tears from her cheeks, and Charles kisses the top of her head. “I never had a proper family, and when I see you appreciate each other, it makes me cry. They’re good tears, though. I love you both so much.”

“Leave it to my best friends to make a sob scene on my birthday,” Tara says, announcing herself. With her arms crossed in front of her chest and a wide smug smile on her face, she glimpses at the scene in front of her.

“Happy Birthday!” Grey squeals, leaving Charles’ embrace.

“Why are you crying?” Tara instantly asks when Grey rushes over to Tara for another hug.

“Remo and Vegas hugged it out, and I had a moment,” Grey confesses, wrapping her arms around Tara. They hug, and I notice that Vegas looks away from the sight.

His past is full of secrets, but him fucking Tara back in San Ricardo is public information.

“Those twins are always making you emotional,” Tara whispers with a chuckle.

“I know.” Grey lets out a tiny sob, but she sobers up. No more crying from our girl. She leaves Tara’s hug, and she scans her outfit.

Black heels, a red dress that doesn’t reach her knees and shows us a lot of skin around the chest area… This is a version of Tara that I have never seen. Even when she was married to Seth in San Ricardo, she never dressed this… Sexy?

“Where’s your boo? Didn’t you want to introduce him to us?” Grey pokes, and Tara surely folds.

Tara’s hair is long and without color these days. She bows her head, and strains fall forward. “He’s not coming.”

A second later, Tara revives herself. She bites her bottom lip, her eyes as clear as day. “He’s not coming, but I’m fine with it. I’ll find another guy.”

“You dressed up for him?” Grey asks. Tara nods. “You look gorgeous as always.”

“I don’t feel comfortable, though. Look, thank you for coming. I’m sorry that I haven’t checked in all night—”

“We know. We saw you entertain your new friends,” Vegas comments with a playful sneer.

“I’m going to go change,” Tara announces, and before Grey can grasp her arm, Tara’s already gone.

Grey looks at Charles. Then she snaps her head in our direction. She takes a sharp inhale, and she hurries after Tara. Vegas, the ever-loving skirt chaser that he is, runs after her. As he leaves, he calls, “Nice talk, bro. I appreciated it.”

I plop back down on my seat.

Speechless and overwhelmed.

Charles joins me where I sit. “Are you ready now?”

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