Page 59 of Break the Barrier

Her eyes pinch in confusion. “What? Why?”

“We don’t know what he knows. And we sure as hell don’t know what he’ll do if he gets out and heads this way. I want you to be safe.”

“I’m not going to live with my new boyfriend, let alone intrude on you and Lue’s space.”

“Don’t think of it like that. You’d have your own space.” As soon as I cleaned out the spare room.

“No, it’s okay. I promise I’ll be safe. I carry protection.”

For a moment, we just stared at each other, both wondering if the other was going to drop the issue. I could see it in her eyes that this was the last shred of control that she had over her life, and she didn’t want to give it up.

I wasn’t going to push her to do that.

Yet.

“Okay, fair enough.”

Her lips curve into a grateful smile, and she glances at my daughter and back. “You guys want dinner?”

“Yes,” I reply, squeezing the hand I’m still holding. “With you.”

“Oh, I should probably work,” she says, glancing around the still-lulling restaurant. It wasn’t even five thirty yet.

“Come on, eat with us first, and then we’ll let you work.”

“Go, eat, be merry.” Annmarie pops up behind Thea, surprising both of us as she walks to the other end of the bar.

“How does she do that?” I ask Thea, wondering how many times that woman has snuck up on me and scared me since they got here.

Thea chuckles, and I smile at the sparkle in her eyes. I had been hoping to see it again tonight.

“No one knows.”

21

thea

“Surprise!”I jump as fingers dig into my sides from behind and spin around, my heart already hammering in my chest and my arms up, ready to whack whoever just had the audacity to tickle me.

My eyes widen when I take in the sight before me.

My baby sister.

“Phee!” I grab her shoulders, pulling her to me and squeezing hard enough to probably cut off her oxygen. She laughs as she hugs me back, and behind her, I see our other two sisters smiling at the scene.

“What in the world are you doing here?” I pull back, cupping her face in my hands and smiling widely at her.

Out of all my sisters, Ophelia was not just the baby, but my baby. From the time she was young, I had a hand in raising her. It was an interesting dynamic, but one that was our reality.

“Just coming for a couple weeks to visit,” she says, shrugging her shoulders like it’s no big deal.

“But what about your internship?”

Her eyes shift to the side as she looks around the restaurant. “Wow, this place looks amazing. You guys are some realRoad Housetypes, huh?”

“First of all,” Annmarie starts, all us girls moving until we’re in a circle. “It wasn’t that bad when we bought it.”

“And second,” I interject, “what happened to your internship?”