Page 20 of Crave

But I guess, I’d spent most of my life being that to this family…what was a few more months?

I headed back out, glancing along the quiet hallways as I made for the kitchen. Thepop…pop…poppoppopsound of popcorn greeted me before that delicious buttery scent flooded my senses. I stepped in, folded my arms and found Gabe grabbing a large bowl.

We were more alike than the others. He was blood but he was softer than they were, kinder and sweet. I hoped he always stayed like that. He lifted his gaze, catching me staring and grinned. “What?”

I shook my head. “Nothing, just trying to work out why we’re so different.”

He laughed, but I could tell he wondered about it too. “‘Cause not everyone can be strong and protective like Silas, or smart like Jude, or even outgoing like Theo. Sometimes there needs to be space for the quiet ones like us.” He gave a shrug. “We haveour own place here, they just need to be reminded of that.” He jerked his head toward his brother’s rooms as the sound of the popping corn slowed.

That same agony inside me roared to the surface. He always saw the best in people like that, especially his brothers…and me. My pulse raced, that panicked flighty feeling took hold. There was no way out of this for me. Keeping quiet until I could escape was one thing, but now after the reading of the will and being forced to stay here it meant I had to be more than quiet—I had to not exist at all.

“Oh,ouchthat’s hot.” Gabe shuffled the bag from hand to hand, tugging at the opening until he upended the contents into the bowl and handed to me proudly like he was the one who tilled the soil and grew the damn thing. I grinned, grabbing it while he made for the refrigerator and grabbed two colas following me into the living room.

He flopped down hard, in my head I could hear mom chiding him. Gabe,really?Can’t you just sit like a normal person?

For a moment. One perfect moment…life was normal.

He hit the button, scrolled through the movies finding some mind-numbing action movie for me to get lost in. I did, shaking my head at the ridiculousness of it, until the rear door closed with a thud and the sound of footsteps echoed, heading our way.

Gabe glanced at his watch. “Huh, looks like an early night for a change.”

I peered at the time. “By early you mean eleven o’clock.”

He smiled, then hurtled a piece of popcorn into his mouth. “Early for them at least.”

I was already yawning, waiting for the movie to end, but as I caught Silas turning the corner and headed toward the study I knew that’d changed.

Gabe laughed and looked my way. I tried to pretend I was still watching, but I wasn’t. Instead I focused on the study door as it opened…until the rear door opened again minutes later. But it didn’t sound like Theo. The steps were slower and heavier, drawing both our gazes.

Silas stepped out of the study door as Lincoln stepped around, meeting our gaze and nodded. Only it lingered on mine, searching my eyes before taking in my body.

“Lincoln.” Silas called. “Over here.”

Gabe’s uncle turned away from us, we both found each other, surprised as Hell.

“What the fuck is he doing here?” Gabe murmured as Lincoln made for the study and disappeared with Silas behind the closed door.

“I have no idea.” I answered as that cornered feeling pushed in. “Maybe it’s business?”

“Maybe,” Gabe repeated. “And maybe not.”

It had to be. That’s all I knew. Because there was no way they’d know any different. Gabe turned back, yawning as the movie ended. “Ready for bed?”

I shook my head as tired as I was. “Another one?”

He looked exhausted, still he nodded and scrolled, finding something else to play. But I didn’t care about the movie, notanymore. I cared about one thing and one thing alone…them never finding out the truth.

They were in there for what felt like forever.

I waited…and waited…and waited.

Until finally the door to the study opened and they both stepped out.

But Lincoln didn’t head for the door, not right away. Instead they stared across the hallway at me. I tried not to notice, to keep my focus on the movie instead. But the weight of their focus grew so heavy it weighed me down.

“Tomorrow night.” I faintly caught the words from Silas.

“Until then,” Lincoln headed our way, stopping long enough to glance at the screen. “Nice to see you Gabe…and you…Angelica.”