Forever Too Far (Too Far, #3)(21)

“I hate my life. I... I think sometimes that it would be easier on everyone if I just ended it.”

I felt a sharp ache in my chest and I reached over and pulled her into my arms. “You can’t do that because I love you. I want you around. You need a chance to find happiness, Nan. Don’t do this to yourself. And don’t ever, and I mean EVER, say something like that again.”

She nodded against my chest and began to cry softly. I wondered if my wounded sister would ever be healed.



It was several hours later before I got back to the house. Nan was at her hotel. She refused to stay in the house with Kiro and Harlow. I had texted Blaire twice and I’d heard nothing from her. I was worried. I kept telling myself that she was asleep.

I hurried up to our room and opened the door to find her curled up on the bed asleep. She was still wearing her dress and she looked cold. I walked over to her and started to undress her gently. I didn’t want to wake her but I also didn’t want her uncomfortable while she slept.

Once I had her undressed I pulled back the covers and tucked her in. I couldn’t believe she’d said something hurtful to Nan. But then Nan had been adamant that Blaire had lashed out at her. It was probably the pregnancy hormones. I bent down and kissed Blaire’s head before standing up and heading to go get a shower. We’d not even been here one day and I was already stressed and ready to leave.



The banging on the door started just after my head hit the pillow. Or at least it felt like it. Blaire stirred in my arms and I noticed the sun pouring in through the windows. Maybe I had gotten some sleep.

“Who’s that?” Blaire asked in a sleepy whisper.

I wasn’t sure but I hadn’t wanted Blaire woken up like this. I knew she’d sat up late waiting on me. “Not sure. Stay here,” I replied and kissed her head before getting out of the bed and pulling on my discarded jeans.

I jerked open the bedroom door to find my dad looking hung over and pissed. “You got shit to deal with. Whatever the f*ck you said to Nan last night didn’t help. Her ass is moving in,” Dean snarled.

That was a step in the right direction. She needed a chance to get used to Kiro. This would be good for them. “Then my talk did help. It’s time Kiro accepts her and makes up for lost time.”

Dean let out a hard laugh. “That won’t happen, Rush. You’re blowing smoke up her ass if that’s what you’re telling her. Kiro is Kiro. He ain’t a f*cking daddy figure and that is what she wants.”

Maybe. But I had to at least help her try.

“Just get downstairs and help before all hell breaks loose,” Dean said before turning and stalking off.

I closed the door before turning back to Blaire. She was sitting up in bed with her hair messy from sleep and the sheet pulled up to her bare chest. What I really wanted was to crawl back in bed with her and forget this bullshit with Nan.

“I’m sorry,” I told her as I walked back over to the bed.

She frowned. “When did you get back last night?”

“Late. Nan was difficult.”

Blaire nodded stiffly then dropped her gaze from mine. I went over to her side of the bed and sat down beside her then slipped a finger under her chin and tilted her head up to look at me. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

She let out a weary sigh. “You could have called. I waited for you to call. I fell asleep worried about you.”

“I did call,” I assured her. “You didn’t answer.”

Blaire reached for her phone and looked down at it. “You called me after eleven. I had fallen asleep by that time. I meant you could have called sooner than that.”

She was right. I should have. Damn Nan and Kiro. I was not going to put Blaire second to anyone else again. I had sworn she came first and I meant it. Yet last night I’d let her down.





BLAIRE


I was trying very hard not to sound like a baby but I was upset.

“I should have called you sooner. I’m sorry. Nan started threatening to off herself and I panicked. I was in big brother mode.”

He was always in big brother mode with Nan. Coming here I knew I was in for a lot of Nan but it was harder than I’d imagined. Especially after the way she’d treated me last night. I didn’t believe for a minute that she’d kill herself.

“She’s manipulating you. I hate to see her do that.”

Rush stood up and ran his hand through his hair and walked over to the window. He didn’t agree with me. I could tell by the stiff way he was holding his shoulders. He looked defensive. “She’s upset and hurt. I know she’s been a bitch to you in the past but right now I need you. For me, could you not say hurtful things to her? I’m really worried about her mental stability at the moment.”

Hurtful things? I hadn’t said anything to Nan. Did he think I was going to? “I was the one who said we should come. I understand she needs your help. Why would you think that I would say hurtful things to her?” I asked, standing up.

Rush let his head fall back and he closed his eyes tightly like he really didn’t want to be having this conversation. Something was wrong.

“I know what you said to her last night at the table. She told me. And yeah, you have every right to say those things to her but right now I just need you not to. The sooner I can fix this the sooner we head back to Rosemary and leave this nightmare.”