Page 196 of Blackwood

“I couldn’t rip you from that home. From him.From your family. The last time I ever saw you in Arkansas was the day of Elise’s funeral.”

I feel like I’m spinning out of control.

“Moved back to Texas. Started over. Met Nate, did what I did best… and well… you know the rest.”

I can’t speak. Can’t move. I just stare at him. AtJames.The man who saved me and lied to me all at once.

I swallow hard. My voice cracks. “But you never told me who I was.”

He sighs. “Zeke didn’t want—”

“Hold on,” I cut him off. “Are you saying that Zeke, as in my big brother, knew who I really was.”

“Yes, he found out when he…” he looks around not knowing if he should say anything else.

“Just tell me Tex, please.”

He leans in and whispers in my ear so no one else can hear, “When he found Roman Russo’s black book on his father’s laptop.”

I feel like I’m about to collapse.

Luckily, Lex steps forward, his voice low but hard-edged. “What do you mean Bella was yours to protect, Mom?”

Irina tears her gaze away from Tex and finally meets her son’s eyes. “You were still a baby, Aleksandr. Your father and I were having complications trying for another child.”

Her voice softens, just a fraction as she looks at me. “Izzy was my best friend. My sister in every way but blood. We had this plan… to raise you both together. You and Isabella. Just like she and I had grown up. Side by side. Always.”

She swallows hard. “When she died, I was devastated. I still had you, but I couldn’t lose her daughter. I needed to find her. To keep that promise to Izzy. I sent James to do it because I couldn’t leave you here alone, you were too little.”

“You wanted to raise us as…siblings?” Lex asks, face scrunched in disgust.

Ellie’s voice cuts through the tension from behind. “Well, damn,” she says, eyes wide. “That would’ve made thingsveryawkward at fight night.”

Lex chokes out a sound—half laugh, half groan.

I shoot Ellie a glare, but there’s no real heat in it. Just the chaos of a world that suddenly doesn’t make sense.

“None of this is how it was supposed to happen.”

I nod slowly, voice cool. “Yeah. I’m getting that a lot lately.”

My chest feels tight. Too many stares. Too many secrets. Too many goddamn truths I wasn’t ready to hear.

“I think I just need some air,” I say, backing up a step toward the hallway.

Lex straightens instantly. “You want me to come with you?”

I shake my head, already pulling my phone from my pocket. “No. I’ll be okay. I just… I’ll be right back.”

His eyes search mine like he doesn’t believe me, but he nods. “Okay, baby. Don’t go far.”

I nod once and slip out into the hallway, the polished floor cold under my boots, the sound of chatter and tension muffling behind me as my fingers fly across the screen.

ME:Get me the fuck out of here. Right now!!

CAL:Where are we going?

ME:To have a chat with my father.