Chapter Thirteen #3
I shift just enough to make room, and he drops onto the sand beside me, stretching his legs out toward the water.
For a minute, the three of us sit there watching the rest of the team mess around in the surf.
Bexley spots us from the water and cups her hands around her mouth. “Echo, get your ass down here!”
Talon lifts one hand and shouts back, “We’re having a sibling moment.”
I turn my head so fast I nearly pull something. “Wow.”
He looks at me. “What?”
“That’s the first time you’ve admitted I’m your sister.”
Sayshen grins. “Shit, this is officially a historic day.”
Talon exhales through his nose, but the corner of his mouth twitches. “Don’t make it weird, fuck head.”
“Pretty sure you made it weird by announcing it to the entire beach.”
“Bexley asked.”
“Nope. She in fact did not. She just yelled at me.”
“Same thing.”
I shake my head, smiling despite myself.
The smile fades when Talon looks back toward the water.
“Look, I know I’ve been a dick.”
Sayshen opens his mouth.
Talon points at him without looking over. “Don’t.”
Sayshen holds both hands up. “Wasn’t going to say anything.”
“You were absolutely going to say something.”
Sayshen grins. “Probably. But can you blame me? Couple beers in and suddenly you’re a giant fucking teddy bear. Shit, if I’d known this was all it took to get you talking, I would’ve gotten you drunk weeks ago.”
Talon lets out a quiet laugh and drags a hand through his damp hair.
“Yeah, yeah. Fuck you.” Then he looks at me, some of the humour fading from his face.
“Look, Echo. I know I’ve acted like a dick, but I do know none of this is your fault.
It’s just… not exactly an easy situation to wrap my head around. ”
“I know.”
Talon looks out at the water for a second, jaw working like he’s deciding how honest he actually wants to be.
“Dad deserved better,” he says finally. “For years, I told myself she left because she couldn’t stay. That she was too sick, too fucked up, whatever made it easier to believe she didn’t really have a choice.”
His gaze cuts toward me.
“Then you showed up, and suddenly that whole story went to shit.”
I keep my eyes on the water. “I get why that hurts.”
“Yeah.” He drags a hand through his damp hair. “Still doesn’t mean I should’ve taken it out on you.”
Sayshen glances between us, then smirks. “Oh, Bex definitely tore you a new one, huh?”
Talon’s mouth twitches. “Maybe.”
“Knew it.”
“Don’t get too fucking excited.” Talon turns his attention back to me. “I still don’t condone the whole three Speed Demons shit.”
I groan. “There he is.”
“It’s messy as fuck,” he says, ignoring me. “And you handled it badly.”
“Thanks, asshole.”
“You did.” His tone is blunt, but there’s less edge behind it now. “So clean it up. I can’t have half my fucking team distracted, pissed off, or trying to kill each other because none of you know how to communicate.”
Sayshen snorts. “That almost sounded like concern.”
“It’s team management.”
“Sure it is.”
Talon gives him a look, then turns back to me. “Just figure your shit out before it starts bleeding onto the track. I need them focused.”
I raise a brow. “Anything else, coach?”
“Yeah.” His expression shifts, softening just enough for me to catch it. “And you need to tell Dad.”
I stare at him. “That sounded less like advice and more like an order.”
“Take it however you want.” He looks back toward the water. “He deserves to know you.”
My chest tightens.
Talon exhales and rubs a hand over his jaw. “They all do. You didn’t get a choice in any of this, and neither did he.”
Sayshen goes quiet beside us.
“I’m not saying it’ll be easy,” Talon continues. “It probably won’t be. But you shouldn’t have to keep existing like some secret nobody’s allowed to talk about.”
I swallow. “And what if I’m not ready?”
“Then we wait until you are.” His gaze finds mine again. “But when you do it, you’re not doing it alone.”
Sayshen nods. “Damn right.”
Talon jerks his chin toward him. “We’ll both go.”
The words land right in the centre of my chest.
Not because they fix anything.
They don’t.
But because for the first time, it feels like I’m not standing outside their family waiting to be let in.
“Okay,” I say softly.
Talon gives one short nod, like that settles it.
Sayshen bumps his shoulder against mine. “Family meeting wasn’t so bad.”
I look between them. “Yeah, well, don’t get too fucking comfortable. I’m still the best-looking sibling.”
Talon scoffs. “Delusional.”
“Jealous.”
“Echo!” Lena calls from down by the water. “Your five minutes are up. Get your ass down here!”
I glance toward the shoreline. She’s standing waist-deep beside Bexley and Cece, waving both arms like there’s any chance I missed her.
“Shit.” I push myself to my feet and brush the sand from my legs. “Duty calls.”
Sayshen looks up at me. “You’re just going to leave in the middle of our sibling moment?”
“Absolutely. I’ve already hit my emotional limit for the day.”
Talon snorts. “Go before they come drag you.”
I take off toward the water before they can say anything else, laughing when Lena starts counting down like she actually plans to make good on the threat.