The Day He Came Back

My tears started to fall. God help me, this was not good.

Weldon scrutinized me. “Why are you crying, Raven?”

“Because I never meant to hurt him.”

“Then why did you?”

“I had to.”

He crossed his arms. “Was it my mother?”

I wiped my eyes. “What makes you say that?”

“Because I know the answer,” he said evenly. “But I want to hear it from you.”

I felt my eyes widen. “What?”

“She told me.”

My heart stopped. “She told you…”

He nodded. “One night when she was drunk off her ass, she told me the story of how she…” He added air quotes. “…got rid of you.”

Covering my mouth, I whispered, “Oh my God.”

He stared off. “I loved my mother, but man, what she pulled was dirty.”

“You obviously never told your brother what you knew?”

“No. At the time, I didn’t want to betray my mother. She knew she could tell me anything and it would stay between us. After she died, I didn’t want to hurt Gavin by telling him, because what was the point? I never thought he’d see you again. So much time had passed. I figured it wasn’t worth ruining the relationship he’d built with Mother before she died. Honestly, it never bothered me until I caught the way he was looking at you today.”

I sat stunned, unable to sort through all of this. “I can’t believe you know. I thought no one knew. I don’t even know what to say.”

“He’s only with Paige because he thinks he can’t have you.”

Shaking my head in disbelief, I had a hard time accepting that. “So many years have gone by. It’s too late. Like you said, telling him would tarnish his memory of your mother. And whether I like it or not, he is with Paige now. They have a life together in London. He put a ring on her finger. It is what it is.”

Despite my words, something was brewing in the pit of my stomach. He’s not married yet.

Weldon leaned back in his seat and threw his cloth napkin down. “That’s it? You’re just going to give up?”

“What choice do I have?”

“Actually, you have two choices. One of them is to tell him the truth. The other is to keep it inside for the rest of your life until the day you die. Neither choice comes without consequences.”

“You really think telling him the truth is worth potentially destroying his current relationship and his memory of your mother?”

“I don’t have the answer. All I know is…my brother was willing to give everything up for you at one time. You must have meant a hell of a lot to him. I sure as fuck wouldn’t have sacrificed my inheritance for some girl. But I’m not Gavin. My brother has always worn his heart on his sleeve.”

My feelings now felt like they were suffocating me. Still, I fought them.

“Gavin’s life is in London,” I said. “And I won’t leave your father. I owe him too much. So even if your brother wasn’t with anyone, it wouldn’t work between us.”

“Well, you have your answer, I guess.”

“You won’t say anything to him, will you?”

“No. Well, not sober, at least.”

I rolled my eyes. “Great.”

“I’ll do my best.” He leaned in. “For the record, I don’t think she makes him half as happy as he’d be if he knew you still cared about him. But again...not my place to say anything.” He smiled, and his eyes were kind.

Tonight was the first time I’d ever seen inside Weldon’s soul. This messed-up version of him had some good qualities, too.

“You’re not so bad, Weldon.”

“I’m sorry I was such a dick when I was younger.” He sighed. “Well, I’m still a dick, but at least I realize it now. Does that count for something?”CHAPTER TWENTY* * *GAVINIt was dark. I kept looking out the window to see if they’d returned. The show would have been over by now, so if they weren’t back, that meant they went someplace after.

Fucking Weldon.

I still couldn’t believe he was out with Raven. The whole thing annoyed the hell out of me.

“What are you looking for?”

Turning around and moving away from the window, I forced a smile. “Nothing.”

Paige had just returned from the shower. She towel-dried her blond hair, which looked so much darker when it was wet.

“You seem anxious,” she said. “You’ve seemed that way ever since your brother left with Raven.”

The look on her face told me what I already knew—she was suspicious.

I swallowed. I’d been a fool for thinking my feelings weren’t transparent.

“Is there something you’re not telling me?” she asked.

Hiding the truth about Raven from Paige was stressing me out more than anything else. Paige and I had always had open communication. What was I trying to achieve in keeping this from her? She deserved to know. This was the woman I was going to marry. I needed to keep my inane desire to protect Raven’s feelings in check and do what’s right.