“I know, but I’d like to. Water or tea?” he asked as he headed towards the kitchen.
I turned. I could see him from the couch. “Tea, please. With lemon?”
He rooted around through the fridge and then pulled out a small yellow fruit. “You got it.”
I didn't’ want to like him, I didn’t want to do anything but hate all of them, but I found myself glad I had someone to talk to. Someone who wasn’t Janson to tell me about himself.
“How long have you been with the family?” I asked. It was against my better judgement.
“About ten years now. My cousin was Oliver Leery, and when he died, I came down from Pittsburgh to work for the family. Shit was rough there, and your father took me in.” He walked towards me with a cup of tea, the bag still hanging out of it. “Well, kind of. I have to earn my keep.” He seemed upset about that. Another person my father caught up in his web.
My father. I fought the urge to spit just thinking about him. I was so angry at him. So red-hot.
“So, you ran away?” he asked as he sat next to me. I scooted a bit further away from him and shrugged. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want, but I did the same thing. That’s how I ended up here.”
“So you didn’t ever go back?”
“Not until a few years ago, and just to visit,” he said. He pulled out a flask and took a sip, then looked at me. “Want some?”
“No, that’s okay.” Did he even know I wasn’t twenty-one yet?
“Good choice. I ran away from some shit, a brother, well a half-brother, an organization back home. It was all I could do to keep my head on straight. So many expectations.”
“I know about those,” I said. And I did, too. It was a constant weight on my shoulders. But there wasn’t anything I could do. Get married. Be a good wife. Make sure you always look good for the family. Go to college, but don’t do anything with it. Don’t expect to have a career. All of those things were floating in the back of my mind. “Did they accept you when you came back?” I asked.
“Not really. Shit was going down, but they knew why I’d left. My brother, he was angry, but he told me to keep in touch. I have.” He shrugged. I could tell it was starting to get awkward for him, so I spoke up.
“I don’t know if anyone really wants me here,” I said at last. “I mean, my brother brought me back, but I know I’m just in the way. I don’t get why he did this.” It was the truth I was afraid of saying, the one that flew out of my mouth, and the moment it did, I was scared. Scared of what that meant.
“He wanted you home, Kathryn. Trust me. Janson knows it, so do I.”
I nodded. “But I don’t know if I want to be here.”
“Your life is your own, and sometimes you have to make decisions, even if no one else is willing to accept them.” He smiled at me and it felt so brotherly. I swore.
“Thank you. I needed to hear that.”
“But that doesn’t mean you should just run off again. Greyson would not be happy with any of us.” Greyson. He was right. I couldn’t just take off. It wouldn’t work, he’d just pull me back into this world. “You need to think about other ways to get out of this situation.”
He bumped his shoulder into mine and I smiled. I’d just met Michael but it felt like I’d known him my whole life. I chastised myself. I had to keep my guard up. He was probably trying to get on my good side so that I wouldn’t try and make a break for it again.
They were all the same, but a part of me wanted to trust him.
I just crossed my arms and looked at the door as Janson walked in.
“Oh, get yourself cleaned up. Got a bunch of clothing from your house. They are in your room. We’re going to dinner,” Janson told me. He looked at Michael, then me, and how we were both on the couch together.
I swear I saw his jaw tighten.
“Where?” I asked.
“At your brother’s place.”
I rolled my eyes. He was the last person I wanted to see.
Chapter Five
Kathryn
The last thing I wanted was to step into my brother's home and see his family. To have to listen to him tell me how angry he was with me. How worried he was.
I had to fight with myself every damn day I was gone, knowing he was the only person who really gave a shit about my comings and goings.
To think about him worried about me.
Of course, he sent someone out there after me.
Still, I was there standing outside his condo door with Janson's arm locked with mine.
I assumed it was to keep me from running.
Pretty sure I was correct.
"Janson, I see you brought the wayward sister." Greyson looked at me, but he didn't make an effort to hug me or yell. His eyes were just vacant.
I swallowed hard. He was angry as hell.
"What are you doing, Greyson? Let them in." I could hear Joanna's warm voice from across the condo. It sounded like she was in the kitchen.
Greyson opened the door wide for us, and we filed in one at a time, but his eyes never left me.
He was clearly furious.