Unbroken

Something was seriously off. I spent so many years feeling small and insignificant. So, when the possibility that was something was off was due tomepopped into my head, I immediately shook it off, scolding myself for thinkinganythingcould be about me. I wasn’t self-centred. I didn’t like attention, or conflict, even from my boys; I didn’t know how to behave with either of those things.

And yet…

Hunter’s glances my way, Leo squeezing my hand while looking back at him—there was definitely something off, and I was the reason for it.

We ordered our food, and I was drumming my fingers along the table, waiting for the waitress to move far enough away from the table when I whispered, “What’s going on, guys?”

Leo didn’t respond, but Hunter sniffed, grumbling, “We said already, Skye. Nothing.”

“Don’t be full of crap with me,” I snapped, narrowing my eyes at him. “We all made an oath a long time ago that we would be totally honest. About everything. All the time.”

“Within reason,” Leo quietly said.

I scowled at him next. “Within reason? Are we really going to be like that?”

He finally looked at me, his face stern. “Yeah, we are.”

I ripped my hand from his hold, which caused Hunter to smile broadly. I pointed at him. “There it is again—the Hunter smirk! You’ve been shooting Leo those looks since I saw you two fighting in the grass—”

“The Hunter Smirk,” he returned, chuckling. “I like that.”

I rolled my eyes. “And then there’s the Leo Glare.”

Leo glared at me. “I’m not glaring.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Skye, let it go.”

Let it go?

I shot to my feet, and they both looked up at me now as I crossed my arms stubbornly. “If you guys don’t tell me what the heck is going on, I’m going to leave right this second.”

Hunter laughed under his breath. “You’re not leaving, Skye.”

“How would you know?”

“Food hasn’t been served yet.”

“Yeah,” Leo agreed, hiding his smile. “You’ll dramatically leaveafterthe sushi—”

I gasped. “You think I care about food that much?”

“Yeah,” they said simultaneously.

I stomped my foot like a child. “That’s not true!”

Hunter shrugged one shoulder. “We don’t believe you.”

Oh, I’d had it.

It pained me to say this—mostly because my stomach was really going to be upset with me. “Since you guys are hiding things from me, I’m going to leave the restaurantbeforemy sushi is served, and I don’t want to see you guys until you tell me what the heck is going on.”

I spun on my heel and left. They didn’t call after me, and I knew it was because they were waiting for me to come right back. But I was fuming! They were hiding things from me, and that wasn’t on. It actually stung. We had vowed to be a trio. And when two in that trio were brawling, the third person deserved to know why!

I made it five steps outside the sushi place when I heard footsteps chase after me. A hand grabbed at my arm and tugged me back. I turned, locking eyes with Leo. I looked over his shoulder at Hunter who had followed. Neither boy looked amused as they stared at me.

“Stop,” Leo said tenderly. “I’m the one with the problem, Skye, okay?”