“Hey, little sis,” Finn saunters by, his gaze raking over my silky sleep shorts and tank top before he arches a dark brow. “We’re leaving in an hour, best be ready, Damien hates waiting.”
“I’ll be there,” I respond, with a smile. The thought of sitting in a car with the three guys for so long has me on edge.
“Have fun,” Mother tells me, before planting a kiss on my forehead. Once I’m alone, I’m able to breathe. It’s apparently going to be a long drive to Thorne Haven. We can’t fly because they don’t have an airstrip in the town. And Damien doesn’t want to leave his precious car here, so it looks like a road trip is in the cards.
I guess it’s time to face my three stepbrothers.
7
Damien
The moment the engine roars to life, I put my foot on the gas, and we head down the driveway and out onto the road. I’m hyperaware that she’s in my car, right behind the passenger seat. It’s almost as if I can feel her looking at me, watching me. I don’t turn; I focus on the road, but it’s difficult.
Cass reaches for the radio, flicking it on to find something to listen to. I know he’s going to end up linking his iPhone to the stereo, but I leave him to it. At least his taste in music isn’t bad.
If it was Finn, I’d lose my shit. Sometimes, our youngest brother can drive us crazy with the tunes he has blaring from his bedroom. Flicking my gaze in the rearview mirror, I find golden eyes staring back at me. She doesn’t act shy; instead, she holds my gaze.
I can’t help but smile. I don’t mind her shyness, but it’s her feisty nature that seems to appear every now and then, which intrigues me.
“Are you looking forward to your stay in Thorne Haven?” Finn questions her, and I can’t help but keep my ears pricked for her response.
“Yes, I’ve lived in LA my whole life, even though I hated it. So, I’m excited to see someplace new.”
“Why would you hate LA? It’s a fucking amazing city,” Finn tells her.
I don’t hear her respond yet, but I have a feeling she’s just shrugged him off. “I don’t know, I just don’t like crowds.”
Finn chuckles. “Then you’ll love Thorne Haven, there’s fuck all going on there.”
“Except for the parties,” Cass reminds him, in a sober tone.
Yes, the parties in our hometown are infamous around the area, bringing university students from all over the place. Even though we’re secluded within a large forest, we’re well-known around the schools from neighboring towns.
“I don’t really do parties,” Nesrin tells us. “I mean, I just don’t like crowds in general, and, normally, parties give me anxiety.”
“Don’t worry, little sis,” Finn tells her. “We’ll keep you safe. Damien is definitely bodyguard material.” He slaps his hand on the back of my seat, and I want to pull over and punch him the fuck out. Sometimes, my brother can be an asshole. More so than I am.
“I think you’ll like it there,” Cassian says once his phone is connected, and a playlist comes through the speakers. The somber melodies seem to lull everyone into silence, but I don’t complain. It’s easier than having everyone talking all at once. Even though I want to learn more about Nesrin, I allow it to slide for now. Being the eldest, I’ve always taken the lead when Bradford isn’t home, and this time isn’t any different; our little sister will learn that soon enough.
Five hours in, and I’m in the passenger seat with Cassian driving. Leaning back in the chair, I close my eyes and try to get some shut-eye. But my ears are attentive when Cass starts questioning our stepsister.
“So, tell us more about you? Did you ever want to get into acting like your mother?”
A sigh comes from right behind me. “No. Even though she insisted I go to castings, I never found a love for it like she had.” There’s an inflection in her voice, which has me glancing at Cass. His gaze quickly locks on mine, before turning back to the road, and I know he heard it as well.
“What about your dad?”
“He… He left when I was young. My mom and dad fought a lot. Things that didn’t make sense to me seemed to be a daily argument. There were small things, at first, like who did the washing up, or why weren’t my dad’s shirts ironed.” There’s a waterfall of pain dripping from her words. “Then, one night, they had a huge falling out. I never found out what it was about; she never wanted to tell me.”
“And you haven’t seen your dad since?” Finn asks, shock clear in his voice.
“No.” One word filled with so much pain, I feel it right down to my gut. I know how she feels. The heartbreak of a parent walking out sticks with you. My mind goes back to that night when my mother did the same thing.