The Road That Leads to Us (Us 1)

“You keep everything!” I cried, smacking my hands against the table so hard that my palms burned from the impact. “I hate it too, you know! But you can’t avoid life because you don’t want people to get to know you. You’re so afraid that they’re going to take something from you that you can’t see that they already have.”

I stood hastily and grabbed his bowl of cereal.

He looked up just as I poured it on his head.

The milk coated his inky hair and dripped down his face and chest.

His eyes were wide with shock, his mouth hanging open.

Setting the bowl back down in the same spot I grabbed it from, I said in a steely tone, “Go take a shower, Liam, it’s the best place to think.”

With that I turned and walked off, crossing my arms in front of my bod

y like I was trying to hold myself together.

I came here because I missed Liam.

My cousin.

My unofficial big brother.

And instead I found a stranger.

Dean

I stepped out of the bathroom, the white towel hanging low on my hips, to find Willow sitting on the edge of the bed.

Her arms were wrapped around her body like she was hugging herself.

Her head hung low, her wild blonde hair hiding her face from me.

“Willow?” I said softly, afraid I’d scare her.

She lifted her head slowly and I saw unshed tears in her eyes. She clenched her teeth in an effort to keep them at bay.

“Who is that guy?” She pointed at the closed bedroom door. “Because he is not my cousin.”

I sat down beside her on the bed and wrapped my arms around her body. She leaned into me, pressing her face into my bare chest.

“He is,” I whispered, brushing her hair away from her face.

“No,” she shook her head, her voice hoarse, “he’s not.” Sniffling, she added, “He’s always been quiet and quick to anger. I know that. But there’s something so distant about him.”

“People change,” I reasoned, rubbing my hand in soothing circles along her back.

“Not that much.” She sat up, extracting herself from me, and rubbed her hands against her face. Her eyes flicked over my body and she let out a small humorless laugh. “I’m so upset I can’t even enjoy the sight of you in a towel.”

I chuckled and gently held her by the neck, pulling her close enough that I could press my lips to her forehead.

She stood then, smoothing her hands down the cotton of her shorts in a nervous gesture. “I’m going to change. I told Liam I wanted to hang out on the beach today.”

I nodded at this, watching as she left the room with sagging shoulders.

The door clicked closed behind her and I dressed in a hurry, choosing to only wear my swim trunks, and hurried downstairs hoping I’d beat Willow. The last thing I wanted was for her to talk to Liam again and get any more upset. At least if I was there I could act as a buffer.

I spotted Liam sitting out back in an Adirondack chair. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door and stepped outside into the blazing hot California sun. Liam’s shoulders tightened at the sound of the door, but he didn’t turn to look.

I dropped into the chair beside him, saying nothing.