Unbelievable (Haven Falls 2)

Violet sucks in a sharp breath. “What? Who is this?” she questions, opening the door wider for us to enter.

“If I’m right,” I tell her. “She’s my little sister.”

Violet’s eyes fall over Aria as she continues to cower behind me and I explain what the hell is going on. “My mom showed up in the middle of the night after being gone for five years and just left me with her. She didn’t tell me if she was coming back or what was going on. Just said she was my problem now and left. I mean…my dad isn’t even here and I…I don’t know what to do. She doesn’t have clothes or, or things.”

“Oh, honey,” Violet says cutting me off and pulling me into a tight hug. “It’s ok, you’re going to be ok. I’m glad you came, we’ll get you sorted, alright? Now, first things first. Have you two eaten?”

Aria pokes her head around my side once again, looking up at Violet. “Henley gave me toast.”

Violet drops down to one knee in front of Aria and gives her a warm smile. “That’s good,” she says. “Are you still hungry? I was just about to cut up some fruit for my big babies. Would you like some too?”

Aria looks up at me and it’s almost as though she’s seeking my approval to go with this new stranger. I give her a small nod and before I know it, she takes Violet’s hand and she leads her into the kitchen, giving me a moment to myself to breathe.

I consider dropping down on to the couch and letting myself break down, but not today. There’s somewhere else I know I’m going to find a shitload more comfort.

I make my way down to Noah’s room, bypassing the bathroom with the sound of the shower running from within, and seeing as though Tully’s door is wide open, I’d assume it’s her in the shower. Though that still doesn’t shed any light on Rivers’ whereabouts. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s probably in the kitchen, eating everything in Violet’s fridge.

I push through his door to find him just waking up. “He gives me a warm smile and I crash down into his warm bed, loving his comforting arms wrapping around me. “What are you doing here?” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

“You probably should have stayed last night,” I tell him. “Shit hit the fan after you left.”

“What?” he grunts in confusion. “I left just after midnight and you were asleep. What shit could have possibly hit the fan between then and now?”

I groan and roll around in his arms, squishing my face into his chest. “How about my mom showing up in the middle of the night and dumping me with a kid? Apparently, I have a sister.”

“Fuck,” he grunts. “Are you alright?”

“I think so,” I tell him. “Maybe a little shocked. I was just talking to your mom, she’s going to help me figure out what the hell to do with her until dad gets home, and then I think I’ll be alright. My head is a bit of a mess.”

“I bet,” he murmurs, running his hands over my back. “Wait. You brought the kid here, right? You didn’t just leave her at your place?”

“No,” I scoff in disgust. “Who do you think I am?”

“Just checking,” he says with slight humor in his voice that I’m damn thankful for. “Come on, let me up and we’ll go talk to my mom.”

“Ok,” I say, moving out of his way. He gets up and quickly pulls on a pair of sweats before heading to the door. I stop him and throw a shirt at his chest. “Put this on. She’s only five and already terrified. She doesn’t need some tatted up, scary as shit guy sitting across from her during breakfast.”

“Good point.”

With that, he pulls on the shirt and takes my hand before leading me out of his room. We run into Tully in the hallway, wrapped only in a towel. She stops and smiles at me. “What are you doing here so early?” she questions. “I didn’t think you functioned at this time of day.”

“Trust me, I don’t.”

Noah butts in as though he’s about to share the juiciest gossip on earth. “She has a five year old sister sitting in our kitchen.”

“What?” she screeches. “Crap, I’ve got to meet her. I have to get dressed.”

Tully barges between us and hurries down to her room before Noah leads me out to the kitchen.

Ten minutes later, both Noah’s parents sit at the table with Aria between them, Tully sits at one end with Rivers at the other while Noah and I sit across from his parents, listening to the plan.

“Alright,” Violet says. “Listen carefully because I don’t plan on repeating myself. None of you are going to school today. Rivers and Noah, you two are going to Henley’s place and you’re going to clear out the study. Tully and Henley, you’re hitting the shops. You’re going to need a bedroom suite, some toys, a carseat, and a few sets of clothes then have them all delivered so the boys can start putting it all together. Now, I have some of Lily’s clothes from when she was younger that would fit her. She can borrow them until she has enough of her own.”