Page 31

I scoff. “It’s not that I want to, it’s just facts.”
Courtney rolls her eyes at me, like she’s dealing with an idiot. “Have you considered just talking to them?”
I narrow my eyes into a glare, and I’m sure she’s watching them darken as annoyance takes over. This deadly stare is usually enough to make grown men piss themselves, but my little sister just flips her hair like she doesn’t even see the danger in front of her.
I respond through gritted teeth. “There’s no point talking to Indie. She’s a liar and I wouldn’t trust a word she says.”
“What about Jake then?” she retorts, taking another sip of her drink. “You’ve been talking to him during his therapy sessions, so why not just bring up the fact that it bothers you?”
“I have no right to tell him that. I’m the one who set the boundaries all those years ago. I’m the one who told him to stay away from me. I can’t go back on that now.” Desperation seeps into every word, and I hate how fucking lost I sound.
Courtney’s laughter startles me, pulling me from my thoughts. Before I can get mad at her for laughing at me,she explains. “I think this would be classed as extenuating circumstances. You’re just afraid.”
She says the last sentence like it's nothing, like she didn’t just reach into my soul and dig around until she found the thing I’ve been hiding for so long. Anyone who's had their heart broken will be able to relate to this fear. There’s nothing worse than the pain of heartbreak, and I’m doing everything I can to prevent it from happening again.
Despite knowing she’s right, the older brother, and man, in me refuses to back down from the challenge in her voice. “I’m not afraid,” I snarl, hoping to sound convincing.
Court smiles, like I walked straight into her trap. “Good, then you’ll talk to him.”
I shake my head, letting the silence hang between us. Luckily, that’s when the server appears with our food. We were so caught up in our discussion, I’d almost forgotten that we had ordered something to eat.
I don’t bother returning to my side of the booth. I just reach over to grab my cutlery and begin digging in. After we’ve both eaten a good chunk of food, I decide to move the conversation away from myself, even though I may regret the direction it will go in.
“So, how are things with you?” I ask tentatively.
Courtney swallows the food she has in her mouth and then smiles, the brightest I’ve seen from her in a long time. It lights up her face and makes her look so beautiful and alive.
“Things are great. I’m even thinking about going back to finish my university degree,” she tells me, excitement bleeding into every word.
Courtney had only been at university for a few weeks when an old threat reared its ugly head. I assessed that it was a credible threat, and with her life in real danger, I knew we had to do something.
In an attempt to keep her safe, with Marcus and Maximus’ permission, I moved Courtney into Morelli Mansion. It’s probably the safest place in all of Blackthorn, given its level of security.
When I found out that my little sister was fucking Maximus Morelli, Marcus’ father, I regretted my decision instantly. Initially, I thought it was just sex between them—despite not wanting to ever think about that—but the longer it goes on, it’s clear there’s something more.
As much as I hate to admit it, Maximus has been a good influence on Court, and he’s constantly pushing her to see and value her own self-worth. Her confidence has grown, and she’s happier than I’ve ever seen her.
“That’s a great idea,” I tell her.
I hated that she had to give up university to go into hiding, and even when the threat was eradicated, she was still too scared to leave the mansion and go back to her old life. Now, she’s staying at the mansion because she chooses to, not because she’s terrified.
“Maximus says I don’t have to work, if I don’t want to, as he can look after me, but he thinks having something that’s just for me is important. He knows I see dropping out of university as me failing, and this is my chance to rewrite my story.”
She has this faraway, almost love-sick look on her face when she talks about him, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from saying something she won’t appreciate.
I can accept that Maximus might be good for her, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. She’s my little sister, and he’s old enough to be her father.
Fuck, he’s probably old enough to be her grandfather!
I keep those thoughts from my mind as I reply through gritted teeth. “I hate to say this, but I agree with Maximus.”
Courtney chuckles as her cheeks flush pink. “I know you still don’t approve, but I really like him. It started off as just a bit of fun, and it took us both by surprise when we realised it had becomemore.”
“Not as much of a shock as it was for Marcus,” I say with a laugh, remembering how much Marcus drank when he found out they were together.
Court chuckles, her smile growing as she says, “That’s true. I still remember the look on his face!”
I shake my head, though my smile doesn’t waver. “No matter how drunk I get him, Marcus still won’t tell me what happened that day.”