The Private Serials Box Set(67)

Again, my shaky hand inserted the key into the lock and when I got the door opened, I was confounded by what I saw in my living room.

Becky was sitting on the couch and on the other side was Ryan. I didn’t even bother stepping inside, I just gave them both curious looks and let my mouth flop open and then snap shut, much like a guppy. I couldn’t even string words together to make a sentence.

“Lena, why don’t you come sit down,” Becky said as she patted the cushion next to her. Ryan didn’t say anything, but eyed me warily.

I couldn’t explain why I did what she asked, but I had nothing better to do than listen to what she obviously had to say to me. I placed my purse on the floor by the door and walked slowly to the couch, sitting next to her, my head moving back and forth as my eyes jumped from Becky to Ryan.

“How do you two know each other?” I finally managed to speak as the most obvious question came forth first.

“We’ve known each other a while,” Ryan said.

“Yeah,” Becky countered, looking directly into my eyes.

“But how?” I whispered. I had a feeling whatever they had to tell me was going to change everything I’d built here in Hawaii. All I’d worked for here, the effort I’d put into moving on and making a new life for myself was going to come crashing down around me with their words.

“He’s my brother.”

My eyes bounced back and forth between the both of them as my eyes bulged. “Your brother?”

“Her older brother,” Ryan added.

“Why didn’t you tell me your brother lived here?” I asked her.

“It’s a long story, Lena. I promise I’ll tell you everything. I just need you to promise you’re going to hear us out. That you’re going to listen to us before you make any rash decisions about what we tell you.” Becky was looking at me with pleading eyes as she spoke.

“What is this about?” I whispered.

“Lena, you have to promise,” Becky urged.

“Fine, I promise I’ll listen.”

Becky’s eyes moved to Ryan and she nodded at him slightly, then leaned back against the couch.

“Lena,” Ryan started, “we were sent here to protect you.” He paused and looked at me as if he expected me to bolt at his words. I looked at him blankly, waiting for him to continue. “She’s been here longer than I have and sought you out, made sure you roomed with her so she could keep an eye on you. I came a few weeks later, just to make sure I could cover you when she couldn’t.” He looked over at Becky and she nodded slightly again, seeming to corroborate what he was saying.

“And you’re brother and sister?” They both nodded at my question.

“Only,” Becky said hesitantly, “my name’s not Becky and he’s not Ryan.”

“Wait, what?” My eyebrows scrunched up and my forehead wrinkled in confusion. “Why would you lie about your names? And who sent you here?”

“We knew if we told you our names, you’d know who we were and not want anything to do with us,” the man whose name I no longer knew answered.

“So, what’s your name then?” I asked him.

“I’m Parker.”

“And I’m Piper.”

My stomach bottomed out at their admissions and my heart nearly flew from my chest.

“You’re Preston’s brother and sister,” I said quietly. Much quieter, in fact, than I wanted to say it. I wanted to scream at them. “Why are you here? Why did he send you?” Surely Preston was behind this, but I couldn’t fathom why.

“He wanted me here with you until he could be the one with you,” Piper said softly.

“And I came a few weeks ago because, even though he was trying to make his way back to you, it was taking him longer than he anticipated.” Parker exhaled loudly. “He just wanted to make sure you were safe.”

“Why?”

“Well, that’s really his story to tell.”

I looked down at my lap to where my hands were laying. I was wringing my fingers together so hard my knuckles were white. I flattened my palms on my thighs and rubbed them on the fabric of my pants down to my knees, trying to calm the nerves that had come over me.

“He’s here, isn’t he?”

Parker nodded. “He’s next door in my apartment.”

“Your apartment?” I exclaimed. My body tensed immediately, warring with itself. My nerves came alive, knowing he was so close, but my body fought the urge to run to him, to be with him again.

“He moved into the apartment we first looked at,” Piper said.

“Are you serious?” I couldn’t believe what she was saying. “Why the hell would the two of you uproot your lives to do this? To be my roommate,” I said, gesturing at Piper, “and to go running with me?” I said, looking to Parker.

“Again, we can’t tell you the whole story,” Piper started, “but it’s my fault we’re all in this mess.”

“And he’s our brother. Once he told me what you mean to him, I couldn’t not help him.”

“What I mean to him? He lied to me! He ruined everything! He thinks he can send his little sister and big brother in to clean up his mess? What an *.” I stood and started pacing around the living room. How dare he? How dare he! I let out a frustrated breath.