Page 90 of The Bonds We Break

“Merry Christmas,” I add, handing them their gifts.

Clutch grins. “Do you boys remember Uther? He’s the club president.”

He calls them boys, but they’re more like men. I think Gwen said Rory was in tenth grade and Aaron was moving to New York to study illustration at college.

They both nod. “Good to see you again,” Aaron says.

“Thanks for the presents,” Rory adds.

Clutch tips his chin in the direction of the door. “Why don’t you take the ball in and clean up? See if Gwen needs a hand.”

They do as he asks and we both watch them until the front door closes behind them.

“Merry Christmas, brother,” I say, handing him the bag with his gift.

It’s a bottle of premium scotch and a gift card to a hardware store he likes. “Thanks. Your gift is inside.”

My sister hustles out of the house. “Brother,” she says with a huge grin. When she reaches me, she throws her arms around me. “I can’t believe how many Christmases we spent apart, but I’m so glad we get to spend this one together.”

“I’ll take this inside,” Clutch says, raising the gift bag, giving the two of us some space.

I offer Gwen her gift, but she doesn’t open it. “You okay?”

I struggle with how to answer.

“Where’s Rae?” She looks over my shoulder to the truck.

“Back in Michigan.”

“For good?”

I nod.

She reaches for my arm and squeezes it softly. “Shit. What happened? I thought the two of you were—”

“I had kidnapped her, Gwen. I took Rae for the sole purpose of getting back at Saint.”

Gwen opens her mouth, then closes it for a moment. “You did what?”

“Yeah, well ... the jokes on me. Because I lost my way and fell in love with her.”

“Oh, Uther. Come here.” When Gwen tugs me into her arms and wraps them around me tightly, I let her. I lower my forehead to rest on her shoulder. “Geez, you’re heavy,” she mumbles, and I huff a laugh but don’t move because she’s offering me a comfort I’d never ask for.

“I’m sorry she broke up with you.” Then she shoves me away. “Wait. You kidnapped her? Likekidnappedher? How could she have broken up with you if she was your captive? What the hell where you thinking? How did it go wrong? I mean, more wrong?”

I look out over the lawn. “Clearly, Iwasn’tthinking. Look, it made sense at one point. Take Rae. Hold her as insurance.” I don’t tell my sister the rest of the deal, she doesn’t need to know. “But being around her was ...” I sigh.

“Okay. So, I’m barely keeping up. But you kidnapped her and fell in love with her. Please tell me she managed to get over the whole kidnapping part and fell in love with you, or this story is going to get real icky.”

I think of Rae’s smile, the way her fingers would trace circles on my skin. The way she challenged me to be a better person while showing me with her actions that she was willing to grow alongside me. “Yeah, although I’m not sure she even viewed it as a kidnapping to be honest. From the moment I met her, she’s had the upper hand.”

“So why are you here looking mopey without her?”

I inhale deeply, then look up at my sister’s eyes. “Because she’s where I left her. Ten hours away in Michigan, living the life she’s meant to. Not this one.”

“Youlefther?”

I nod. “She’s not cut out for this life.”