Page 95

The fact that Rain didn't push them away when he did everyone else, except Ariel was where my jealousy stemmed from, because I knew he, too, considered them to be his family.

Rain had been my family, even if I hadn't wanted him to be, from the moment he walked back into Ariel's life. She was my family and always would be the most important person in it besides Tyson. She came with Rain and, for better or worse, that made him my family and important to me as well, because I knew he was now the most important person in Ariel's life and probably always would be.

Ariel's relationship with her father wasn't one I was jealous of. They were both so horribly broken and sad, and they both worked so hard to hide it from the world around them that you couldn't help but be anything besides ecstatic that they'd found each other once again. Being in each other's lives was the only thing that would ever be able to even partially heal those two, but, no matter how much we all loved them, I didn't think they'd ever be whole.

I was okay with that, just so long as I got to be there and beside the both of them for the rest of their journeys in this world to help make it as peaceful and happy as I could. That's what you did for the people you loved.

Rain was my family and I wanted to be the same for him. It hurt me to watch these two brothers waltz into our lives and receive that honor from him immediately when I was really working hard for it and I thought we were maybe getting somewhere.

As I watched their easy going nature between them, I knew I didn't have it in me to begrudge either Rain or Ariel of their easy relationship with the brothers. I'd give them both anything and everything I had to give, and they never even had to ask for it.

Trenton, the bastard, leaned in next to my girl and said something to her that made her smile and her shoulders shake with laughter.

Rain looked up and toward the doorway, catching my eye. His eyes narrowed on mine and I shook my head. I wasn't here to cause problems and I didn't want the rest of them to notice me.

My eyes went back to Ariel and a small smile curved my lips as I watched her laughing at Trenton. She looked carefree and beautiful. Beautiful, as always.

My heart filled at seeing that smile. A smile from Ariel was a rare thing to behold. A carefree one from her was practically unheard of, and there were very few people who'd ever actually witnessed it.

Trenton and Simon were here to keep her safe, to guard her body from harm, and I was okay with that. If they could make her laugh and smile along the way, make her happier than we already did, then I was more than okay with that as well.

My eyes met Rain's again and there was something in his that I had not seen before when directed at me. Something close to respect.

It wasn't the thing I craved from him the most, but I'd take it and hold it dear like the gift I knew it was.

I turned around and walked away before Ariel noticed me and invited me to join them. I didn't want to join them.

But I would not begrudge the brothers because they'd come into my girl's life now, and it wasn't even because I liked them because I was sure I did not.

No, I couldn't begrudge it because I had a really bad feeling that not only Ariel, but all of us, were going to need them with what was to come.

The End.