Badly Behaved

His eyes tighten, overwhelmed, but in the best way, and he kisses me, deeply and fully.

As the car slows, I climb from his lap, and Arsen kills the lights, slowly pulling to the curb.

“You sure about this?” I whisper.

Ransom nods. “Sienna doesn’t want to come back here, home is where we’ll make it.”

He looks to Arsen and Beretta and both boys reach out gripping his shoulder.

It’s like Beretta had indicated before, this place isn’t their home and I know now it’s not mine either.

Mine is wherever they are.

I smile, nodding, and when Arsen and Beretta move to the popped trunk, we join, grabbing what we need.

Beretta and Arsen place the gas cans all around, and I flick on the torch, but I wait for Ransom to come back and draw a line of gasoline from the front door to the middle of the grass.

He turns to me, rubs the spot on my cheek where my scar lies, and when he nods his chin, I toss it, and together, we rush to the edge of the driveway.

We watch as his childhood home goes up in flames, and once we’re sure it’s beyond saving, and the sirens ring out in the distance, we slide inside the black convertible and get the hell out.

Once we get to the cave on the beach, where we planned to wait out the fire tonight, I move the blanket from the floorboard and lift what I hid beneath it.

I set it in Ransom’s lap and his every muscle locks beside me.

Ransom’s face smooths as he stares at it, slowly taking it into his hands.

His jaw flexes, and slowly, his eyes meet mine. He shakes his head.

“I fired Gennie and hired Nana to care for the house, asked her to bring this with her.” I look to the crystal item, and the golden S I had imprinted on the side. “Nana said she thinks she found nearly every one.”

He spins the glass, smiling at the pearls inside it.

Again, his eyes slide to mine. “Jameson...”

“If you think she’s going to love to see those, just wait.” I grin.

As we step into the gardens, Sienna is already there waiting for us.

The nurse excuses herself and Beretta and Arsen step up first, kissing her gently on the cheek. A small grin forms along her lips, as she places her hand loosely on their hips to hug them back, but as we approach, it begins to fade.

Ransom sees it, and his hand twitches in mine before he releases me, slowly lowering on the bench at her side.

He kisses her forehead, and she closes her eyes.

When she opens them, they remain downcast.

I hold my breath, the air thickening around us.

“What’s wrong?” Ransom’s voice is hardly a whisper.

“Will you promise me something?” she asks him.

Leaning forward, he lifts her left fingers, slides his palm underneath, so he can hold her hand. “Yes.”

“No matter what it is?” she adds.

“I don’t like this...” Unease draws his brows together.

“Please, Ransom.”

He swallows, but nods.

“Leave me here—”

“Sienna, no—”

“Finish school, and the day you get to walk the stage, come get me.”

The muscles in his neck stretch and he shifts closer.

“Ransom, you do so much for me, you’re here almost every day.” She pauses to take a few breaths before continuing, “You made happen what you said you would. I don’t have to worry anymore about what Anthony will do to you.”

A strained chuckle leaves him and he shakes his head. “I knew you were worrying about me when I was worrying about you.”

Her eyes soften and I imagine if she had use of her left hand, she would squeeze his.

I watch as he squeezes hers.

“Sienna, I can’t. I want you with me, you belong with me.”

“You promised,” she whispers and his face twists. “I’m okay, Ransom. It’s only a couple months, do all the things a senior is supposed to do, lame or not,” she teases him. “And then we can do what you said. Start fresh somewhere else. As a family.”

Her eyes briefly meet mine and my lips twitch.

He pulls in a long breath, sitting up straighter, and with forced movements, her request the sole thought in his mind, he agrees.

It takes him several moments to accept the answer he gave, but once he perceives the happiness in her eyes, it’s enough to erase his concerns, at least for right now.

He grins, sitting back and while his shoulders seem to fall, I think it’s with ease, not weight. He knows she’s okay, and her deciding to stay a little longer lets him know it’s the truth, she’s being honest, not telling him what he hopes to hear as he thought she might.

His baby sister is okay, and soon, she’ll be more than that.

I scoot closer on the bench, and Ransom’s right arm falls behind me, bringing me closer to him.