Page 61 of Payne's Envy

“See ya, Molly.” Sebastian nodded toward my mom, then looked at me. “Payne.”

“See ya,” I replied.

It wasn’t until they were gone that Mom approached.

I stiffened. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You know what hurts me?” she asked suddenly.

“What?”

“My son is brilliant and clever, but I'm clueless about his challenges and how to help him.”

“Mom.”

“Her brothers are right, Payne.”

Her words caught me off guard. Of all people, I expected my mom to be on my side. “What do you mean?”

“You are unnaturally fond of Joy.”

I shook my head as I processed what she said. “Not you, too. It’s dangerous to leave her alone, especially after the Devil—”

“You think she’s truly alone? Why do you think those three know you’re always around their little Joy? You really think they’re letting their sisters run around these woods without supervision? They’re watching over them.”

I couldn’t utter a word because my mother was right, and I hated it.

She placed her hand on my shoulder. “You don’t act that way with the other sisters. Will you please explain to me what you’re feeling?”

Playing my hand over my chest, where the turmoil resided, I shrugged. “When I’m with her, I feel at ease, but I don’t know why. There’s no way I’d ever harm her. I just need to know she’s okay. That’s it.”

“Are you sure?”

I bit my lip and hesitated. “I have thoughts of growing up, wanting us to be older. It feels important that I reach adulthood, especially since Joy was born.” I gazed ahead, where Joy left with her brothers. “I think she has the other half of my heart.”

“The other half of your heart? Those are big words for a boy, Payne.” Mom’s eyes widened. “Why would you say that?”

“I only feel whole when I’m around her.”

Mom sighed. “I remember when you first saw her as a newborn. You scared the crap out of me. If I hadn’t grabbed you when I did, I think you would have crawled into the bed with Joy and her mother and stayed there. You didn’t sleep for three days after she was born.”

“Really?” I didn’t really remember that.

“I don’t think what you’re experiencing is wrong, Payne. I think that something truly extraordinary is happening, but you can’t act this way anymore. Joy is practically a baby and you’re a boy. You mustn’t be this way.”

“I’m not doing anything wrong,” I said as my chest tightened.

“I know, I know, but promise me, please? You want to be a Reaper like Grim, right?”

“Yes.”

“Focus on that, okay? Not Joy.”

Tears blurred my vision. I didn’t want to cry in front of Mom, but I didn’t understand what I was doing wrong.

A cool hand touched my cheek, jerking me out of the memory. “Payne.”

When I saw my mate looking at me with a questioning gaze, I wanted to weep. Ever since the moment she came into that world, I knew she was my other half.

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