Chapter 44
CURITIBA PARANá
Adria was on cloud nine when she made her way back to the room.
Her mother was here. A fact that was beyond her wildest dreams. Of course she had hoped that X, Xander, would have been able to get them in touch. But to see her, feel her…
It touched something inside her that Adria hadn’t known was missing.
All those childhood memories, the ones where Adria actually felt safe, came flooding back the instant her mother’s face had come into the room.
It was like a safe harbor, hidden and forgotten, suddenly sprang to life, holding her in all the ways she’d forgotten she’d needed.
Adria had wanted to talk with her, but her mother had said they had plenty of time and that she should get her rest after the last long few days.
Her mother wasn’t wrong. After the morning travel events, Adria was so tired.
The four of them stood in the large apartment-sized room, and Adria eyed the walls of implements. While it was nice of Xander to furnish the room like that, Adria didn’t feel sexual. Looking around, she didn’t see the normal hunger in the group either.
Perhaps they just needed some rest.
“I’m going for a walk,” Bryson said.
Adria tracked his movements. Her mother thought Bryson’s father was involved and Adria couldn’t say she was surprised, but she wanted to hear how Bryson felt about it all.
“Want me to come with?” she said, touching his arm.
“I’m okay,” he said, shrugging her off.
She tried not to feel hurt as he left.
Seth’s hand touched hers. “I’ll go for a walk with you if you want.”
Adria took in a breath. “No, I think I just want to go to bed.”
Changing into a t-shirt, she crawled under a large comforter, and it wasn’t long before she felt Kaydon slide in behind her and Seth lay down in front of her.
Kaydon’s hand wrapped around her middle, pulling her in close, and Seth stared into her eyes, brushing a stray hair from her face.
“What’s going on with your brother?” she said.
Seth closed his eyes. “He won’t talk to me.”
Kaydon adjusted behind her. “Me either.”
Adria felt her eyelids getting heavy, but her mind wouldn’t quiet. Part of her wanted to march after Bryson right now, demand he stop shutting them out—after everything they’d been through, didn’t she deserve that much?
But another voice whispered that pushing too hard might drive him further away. She closed her eyes, torn between respecting his space and the gnawing fear that if she didn’t chase after him soon, he might disappear altogether.
“Me three. We will get it figured out. I promise.”