Page 75 of Blackwood

Mom lights up. “Oh, I love Bella. Callum, are you and Bella finally becoming an item?”

Ellie groans. “Mom. No. In no universe is my best friend going anywhere near my brother’s dick.”

Cal grins like he’s doing the world a favor. “Please. Bells should be honored to get a dick like mine.”

Dad nearly chokes on his drink. “Damn right she should. Whitmore men are a premium package.”

“Clay dear, stop encouraging him. He’s already insufferable.”

I get up, done with this whole conversation. I swear August is watching us from somewhere taking notes like we’re his favorite soap opera. Our family isn’t normal. We’re a reality show that forgot to hire a therapist.

“Oh don’t be salty, bro. Twins get the same face but clearly one of us got the deluxe edition.”

I stare at him. “You’re proud of that sentence.”

“Facts are facts.”

Mom waves him off. “Be nice to your brother.”

“I am being nice,” Cal grins. “Just acknowledging my natural gifts.”

“Oh my God,” Ellie moans. “I need to go bleach my brain.”

Mom shakes her head. “Speaking of Bella, where is she? I miss her. And Lex too. Why did they miss your Dad’s birthday?”

Ellie pauses, her drink halfway to her mouth. “She’s just busy, Mom.”

I jump in casually. “Lex and Damien are at the Hollow Kings send-off for the graduating seniors. Redspire stuff.”

Cal snorts. “Theatrics for a bunch of guys who punch people in a basement.”

Ellie side-eyes him. “Jealousy doesn’t look good on you, Cal. Plus, you fight there all the time.”

They keep going—bickering, jabbing, tossing egos around like it’s a family sport—but I’ve already checked out.

All I can see is Bella’s last message. Her name on my screen. The four little words that have been sitting there for hours now.

BELLA:You coming or what?

“Fuck this, Cade, quit being a little bitch.” I mutter to myself as I begin to type.

ME: I’ll be there.

Chapter 27

BELLA

New Orleans, Louisiana

547 Days Since Zeke’s Death

CADE:I’ll be there.

I read it once. Then again and again. And I smile.

What the hell am I doing?

This is Cade. Ellie’s older brother. Cal’s twin. The same guy who used to barely look at me when I was fifteen and practically living at their place. Who once told me glitter was a personality flaw and offered me a protein bar like that would somehow fix me.