Come Back for Me (Arrowood Brothers #1)(71)

“Is she some kind of drug dealer and her parents died in some nefarious way?” I taunt him because this is a bit melodramatic.

Then he extends an envelope. “Not exactly, but, you’re not that far off.”

“Far off about what?”

“In that envelope is her birth certificate, marriage license, and a police report. All of which you’ll piece together.”

I’m still not following. “What does any of this have to do with anything?”

Declan waits, his hesitation almost cloyingly thick. “Open the file, Connor.”

I blow a deep breath through my nose and do as he asks. I lift the documents, first seeing her birth certificate, and then marriage license, showing she did marry Kevin, and then the police report. The one with the date I will never forget.

I look to him, the blood draining from my face. “No.”

“Her last name,” he says the name at the same time I read it again.

It must be true. My brother wouldn’t drive four hours to come see me just to lie to me. He wouldn’t have this look of dread in his eyes if it weren’t the one name that could destroy everything. “Cody.”

And then the perfection of the day is gone.

Because my father is the one who killed Ellie’s parents, and I helped cover it up.

Declan shakes his head. “I’m sorry.”

I grip my hair and groan. “No! Fucking hell! This can’t be my goddamn life! Jesus, she’s never going to understand.”

“Look, I know that this is a lot, but you can’t tell her, Connor. You have to protect all of us. This isn’t just about you—this could fuck all of us.”

I look at my brother like he has ten heads. He can’t possibly mean I need to keep this from her. “You can’t ask that of me.”

“Do you think I do it easily?”

I don’t care. “I fucking love her, Dec! You can’t ask me to lie to her.”

“You want to see us all in jail? You’ll be there too, right next to your brothers.” His hand grips my shoulders. “We’re family. We’re all each other has, and we have to protect each other.”

I take a step back. “Then why fucking tell me?” I scream and shove him. Declan stumbles back slightly but catches himself. “Why would you put this on me, you son of a bitch? How could you think I would be able to go on with my life after you told me? Do you not see what this means? Hadley’s grandfather killed her grandparents. I mean—Jesus fucking Christ, how the hell do I keep this secret?”

Pity fills my brother’s eyes, and he sighs. “I don’t know, but until I talk to Sean and Jacob, this isn’t your secret to tell yet. I told you because if you’d learned it from Ellie, you would’ve done exactly this.”

Until now, I’d always admired my brother’s ability to think clearly. In this moment, he doesn’t understand. He can’t. Ellie isn’t just some piece of ass I’m willing to walk away from. She’s my future.

“I don’t know how long I can hold it in,” I admit. “I’m not going to lose her, Dec. If she figures it out on her own, that would be it. I’d lose her and Hadley, and I’m sorry, I love you and Sean and Jake, but . . . I choose her. And if you, of all people, don’t understand that, well then, to hell with you.”

Declan made a choice eight years ago, and it cost him everything he loved.

Sydney.

“I need a few days. Let me talk to them, and . . . we’ll figure it out. I’m sorry, brother. I really am. Believe me, I made them check the information three times and then pull the police report because I didn’t want it to be true. I know you think we’re all pissed that you found someone, but we’re happy for you. We don’t want you to walk away from it. Just . . . give me a few days, and then the chips can fall where they may.”

A few days of lying and pretending . . . God help me.





Chapter Thirty-Two


Ellie





I’m sitting in the teacher’s lounge, trying to focus on work. Today, my boss is going to observe me, and all I can think about is Connor.

I need to get it together.

He and his brother were already out when I got up this morning and I missed having coffee with Connor on the front porch. It’s become our morning ritual, and now my day feels off because we missed it.

Hadley was a whole other derailment this morning. Getting her up was almost impossible. She was slower than normal and had to ask a question every three seconds. It was a miracle I was able to get to work on time today.

The door opens, and Mrs. Symonds walks in. “Ready for today?”

No.

“Of course,” I answer instead.

“You don’t have to lie, I know my teachers dread me coming in, but this is an exciting observation, Ellie.”

It’s my last one. If I get through today with good remarks, it’s most likely they’ll offer me the permanent position. I’m really hoping that’s the case.

I’ve never had anything that allowed me choices. Having this job gives me an income that provides an independence I need. While Connor and Kevin may be nothing alike, it doesn’t mean I will ever be beholden to another man.

I want to love and be equal with Connor.