Filled

“I thought maybe you were worried for my safety.” He gives me a look, knowing my answer is bullshit. “Okay, maybe I told myself that was the reason because it was too crazy to think you wanted me that badly. I was afraid that if it was true, and then I never saw you again, it would break my heart.” His hands cup my face as he pulls me in for a kiss.

My lips part, and his tongue slides in as he shows me just how he feels. His mouth tells me he loves me, and we kiss until we’re both breathless.

When I rest my forehead against his, I smile.

“I should have tied you to the bed.”

“That sounds fun. Can we try it the next time we’re at the cabin?” I tease to try and lighten the mood. He just brushes his mouth against mine again. “If anyone should be sorry about all this, it’s me. I’ve pulled you into this mess.”

“Thank fuck,” he barks, making me jump. I let out a small laugh, and it gets me a smile—not a full one, but I’ll take it. “I don’t want to think about what would’ve happened if I hadn’t been pulled into this. I’m more than fucking grateful to be here.”

My eyes sting with tears, and I try to blink them away. He’s so right. He never would’ve been at my place to save me, but I don’t want to think about that right now.

“Don’t cry.” He kisses my cheeks and then my eyes. “I love you. I’m supposed to be here with you.”

“I love you too.” I smile and let out a sigh, wishing we could stay in this moment.

“Remember you said that when we get to my parents’ house.” He lifts me off his lap and puts me back into my seat.

“Did you just say your parents’ house?” I pull my seatbelt on as he gets back on the road.

“My cabin is the safest place for you, but my parents’ house is a close second. We’ll go there and figure out what we’re going to do next. Handing you over to them is never fucking happening. I know he’s your brother, but you’re in this because you were trying to help him.”

I wondered who he was calling back in the cabin. I was getting my stuff together, and he’d made hushed phone calls nearby. Before I could ask, we got in the fight about me not leaving the cabin. I knew I at least had to be closer to the city. Out at the cabin I wouldn’t be able to do anything.

“I know. It’s just hard.” I rub my eyes. “It’s not only Vivian that’s after my brother but he’s deep to a loan shark too. I don’t know if this goes together, or if they’re two totally different things.”

“I’ve been wondering that too. I remember you saying you were doing this for him. The idea that he was okay with you working at that place to save his ass is disgusting. I know that’s hard to hear, but I’m saying it so you think about it before you want to go be a hero for him.”

I have to tell him.

“My mom killed herself when I was fifteen.”

“Babe.” His hand goes back to my thigh, and I feel him squeeze it.

“I want to tell you so maybe you’ll understand.”

“Okay, I’m listening.”

“Jero and I are stepsiblings. I never knew my real father, and I have no idea where Jero’s mom is. No one ever talked about her.” I circle back, not wanting to get off track. “His dad married my mom when I was ten and from there we lived a pretty normal life. I thought once my mom got married, she might slow down. She worked for this fancy bank, although I’m not sure what she did. For as long as I can remember, my mom lived and breathed for work. I spent more time with babysitters than anyone else.”

“It shouldn’t be that way.”

I nod in agreement. “Jero’s dad was the same. He was in real estate, and that left Jero and me home together a lot. Jero took care of me. He’d cook our meals and help me with my schoolwork. He was so different back then.” I still don’t understand why he seemed to stop caring about me.

“People change sometimes.” This felt bigger than change, but he’s right. At the end of the day he’s not the same person he was when we were young.

“We weren’t crazy rich or anything, but we had a nice life. Then one day the FBI kicked in our front door and took my stepdad to jail.”

“Holy shit.”

“Yeah, he and my mom were doing mortgage fraud together. I don’t know all the details, but I guess my mom couldn’t handle the idea of prison. Dad got thirty years if I’m remembering right, and after that it was Jero and me. He kept taking care of me, and as we got older, that’s when things started to change.”