Page 40 of Only Hard Problems

“I don’t know.”

“Well, I do know. Nothing. Absolutelynothing,” Vesper snarled. “You would have kept my existence an ugly little secret just like your grandmother has all these years.”

“What Beatrice did to you was wrong,” I said in a soft voice. “That’s the truth.”

“And it’s just as ugly as everything else. I don’t need—or want—your fuckingapology,” Vesper snarled again. “Just because we share some DNA doesn’t make usfamily.”

Even more anger filled her eyes, and disgust blasted off her like steam off a bubbling brewmaker. She was right. Just because we shared some DNA didn’t make us a family, but my grandmother had drilled the importance of family into my head since birth. Beatrice had always claimed everything she had ever done—good, bad, and ugly—had been for our family. To protect my father and me, along with my assorted cousins and everyone who worked for and depended on House Zimmer. I didn’t believe that anymore, but I couldn’t—wouldn’t—ignore my long-lost sister now just because it would be easier and more convenient to do so.

Unlike Beatrice, I didn’t care about the scandal it would cause. I just wanted . . . I just wanted to know more about Vesper. What her childhood had been like. If she’d ever wondered who her father was. If she’d ever dreamed about being part of a family.

If she had ever wanted a sibling as badly as I always had. And not just to help me shoulder the burdens of House Zimmer but to be an ally, a confidante, a bloody trustedfriend.

I was a Regal lord, the heir to House Zimmer, and now, finally, the head of the Arrows, like I’d always wanted, but none of those things had ever come with friends. I’d thought Julieta Delano had been my friend—mybestfriend—but she had been plotting with Rowena Kent, and she would have let me be killed with Kyrion and the other Arrows when the Techwave had shot our ships out of the sky. Julieta had broken every single bit of care, friendship, and concern that I’d ever had for her, and I hadn’t even realized it until she was dead.

Julieta’s betrayal had cut much, much deeper than I’d let anyone know, except for Kyrion. We’d had a tense conversation about it a few weeks ago, but I don’t think even he realized just how much Julieta had hurt me. How embarrassed I was that I hadn’t seen her treachery. How humiliated I was to have put my trust in someone so duplicitous. And especially how bloodyfuriousI was that she’d tricked me into thinking that she was my friend, that she actuallycaredabout me.

Oh, yes. Julieta had taught me a particularly painful lesson that trust was for fools. Well, I would never be that sort of fool again.

But Kyrion hadn’t picked up on any of my misery. Like everyone else, Kyrion thought I was an arrogant idiot with minimal feelings. Despite all the years we’d fought together as Arrows, he had never seen the real me.

Vesper and Asterin were the only ones who had ever seen through my Zane Zimmer persona, and they both despised me. There was some lesson in that, probably about my being a masochistic glutton for punishment, but I didn’t have the time, patience, or emotional bandwidth to dissect it right now.

“Tell me where you’re hiding,” I said, focusing on Vesper again. “Make things easier on Kyrion and yourself.”

“Why?” she demanded. “So you can do your Arrow duty and drag us both back to Holloway? Hard pass. Although I can see how the idea would appeal to you. Holloway stuffing me in one of the Crownpoint medical labs would solve all your problems about what to do with me, the sister you never knew about and certainly never wanted.”

“Far better for me to find you than one of the other Arrows or some bounty hunter who doesn’t care how badly they hurt you as long as they get paid,” I countered.

She shrugged. “I’m not worried about the other Arrows or any bounty hunters.”

“So you’re only worried about me? How flattering.”

“That isnotwhat I said.”

I grinned. “You have your interpretation, and I have mine.”

Vesper rolled her eyes skyward as if asking whatever gods or higher powers might be left in the galaxy for the patience to deal with me. Yeah, I got that expression a lot. But the fact it was coming from her delighted me in a way I hadn’t thought possible. I’d been wrong before. Vesper wasn’t a hard problem to be solved.

Why, having a sister might actually befun.

“How is Kyrion treating you?” I drawled. “Have you finally managed to dislodge the perpetual stick that’s shoved up his ass?”

Her forehead crinkled with confusion. “If I didn’t know better, I would say it sounds like you’re actually concerned about me.” She shook her head, as if flinging off that thought. “But we both know that would be a lie. Zane Zimmer is only concerned about himself.”

“You told me once that the only good lies are the ones you actually believe yourself,” I said in a soft voice. “And I would say it sounds like you actuallywantme to be concerned about you.”

“You really do excel at twisting words around.” Her face hardened. “And you can certainly turn on the charm when you want to. I can see why you’re such a favorite of the gossipcasts. And shampoo companies. Love the new commercial.”

Her sarcasm stung, but she was right. I did charm people, and being the arrogant idiot had its advantages. But right now, it was putting me at a disadvantage. All I wanted was to reach some sort of truce with Vesper, but she wasn’t going to believe a word I said. I didn’t blame my sister, given what Beatrice had done to her, but I still had to try.

Zane Zimmer never gave up.

“My offer remains,” I replied in a smooth voice. “Tell me where you are, or at least where you’re going. Make things easier on yourself and especially on Kyrion.”

“If you come after us, Kyrionwillkill you.” Her face darkened, and fury flashed in her eyes. “And if you hurt Kyrion, thenIwill kill you.”

“You would really kill your own brother for the likes of Kyrion Caldaren?” I shook my head. “That truebond has really screwed up your priorities.”

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