Chapter Thirty-Two
COBY
Today was supposed to be my wedding day, but I haven’t seen Ocean in a week.
He hadn’t returned to Glainne since the day his father tried to make Hunter and me disappear.
For good reason, the wedding was postponed until after the war (unless the world wanted a repeat of the Red Wedding).
Hunter and I have been busying ourselves making the huge penthouse festive for Christmas.
Or rather, I decorated with the help of the staff, while Hunter the Scrooge complained that it was pointless.
I was starting to think I would get through the holiday unscathed when I woke up to a disturbing text this morning.
Shaun: I’m still your brother…
It had been a few hours since he sent that obvious attempt at guilt, so I sighed and finally texted back.
What do you want, Shaun?
The bubbles that told me he was typing appeared immediately.
Shaun: We need to talk. Can u meet me?
I can’t, I texted back. Ocean will kill you.
Shaun: Ain’t nobody afraid of his bitch ass!
As usual, my brother’s temper made him a damn fool. We both knew Ocean was far from a bitch. When I didn’t respond right away, Shaun texted again.
Shaun: Just for a few minutes. He won’t know. Just tell me where u r. I’ll come to u.
Shaun: U owe me that much…
I nibbled on my lip as guilt finally clawed its way inside my belly.
I heard everything he didn’t say. It wasn’t just about what he did for me after our parents died.
I left him in the hospital to die. I should have fought harder to be there for him while he was injured.
Ocean had turned me down whenever I asked until it became a sore subject between us.
I couldn’t even mention my brother’s name in his presence without putting Ocean in a foul mood.
It was more than just Roshaun stealing from him.
Ocean didn’t respect how Roshaun didn’t do more to protect me.
Ocean every right to hate him, but Roshaun was still my brother.
Okay, I texted back.
And then I told him where we were.
It took another hour before I had my opening.
It came after dinner when Hunter was knocked out on the couch.
Ocean was still gone, and he’d taken all of his guards with him because there was no way up to this floor without access.
It went unspoken that Hunter and I weren’t allowed to leave Glainne, but I couldn’t turn my back on my brother anymore than I could stop my heart from beating.
I wasn’t going far, and I wouldn’t be long.
Ocean doesn’t have to know.
After pulling on a pair of jeans, a sweater, and tall silver sequin UGGs, I snatched the extra keycard off the counter that Ocean gave us for emergencies only—like the building being on fire—but my brother sounded desperate, so close enough.
I glanced at Hunter to ensure she was still sleeping before taking a deep breath and quietly leaving the suite. I knew she wouldn’t understand any more than Ocean since she hated Shaun, so I’d decided against telling her.
It’s not like my brother would hurt me.
I took the stairs because I didn’t want to risk running into Ocean in the elevator, in case he decided today was a good day to show his face. Over forty floors later, I was panting as I entered the underground parking garage and looked around for Shaun, who had already texted that he was there.
“Coby.”
I gasped and jumped with my hand on my chest as I spun around to see who had snuck up on me. “Goddamn it, Shaun. You scared me!”
“My bad.” Even though he looked different—the curly hair on top of his head was now braided with the sides shaved into a fade—he gave me his signature crooked grin and then opened his arms. I felt a surge of joy at seeing my big brother alive as I rushed to hug him.
He winced a little when I slammed into him, and I remembered he was still recovering.
“Sorry!”
“I’ll survive.” Chucking, he hugged me back. “How are you? Did he hurt you?”
“No, of course not,” I rushed to say, realizing too late how that must sound to him. Ocean hadn’t obtained me peacefully, so how did I explain to my brother that the last two months had been the happiest of my life?
Roshaun looked around warily and then grabbed my hand before walking off.
“Come on. Let’s talk in the car, where it’s private.
” Nodding, I followed him to his car and climbed into the passenger seat.
As soon as both doors were closed, Shaun spoke.
“So I’ve been hearing some wild shit on the streets, little sis. ”
“Wild?” I frowned as I ran my sweaty palms down my jeans. Why was I nervous? It was just Shaun. “Like what?”
“You’re engaged to Ocean,” he announced. The way Roshaun stared me down had me feeling like a teenage girl again—back when he had to step out of his big brother role to parent me. “Tell me that’s not true.”
I unconsciously reached for my ring, twisting it around my finger to assure myself it was still there. I refused to feel ashamed now that I’d fallen for Ocean, so I held my head high and met my brother’s gaze. “Why would you care? Are you not the one who gave me to him to do whatever he wanted?”
“That’s not the fucking point!” Roshaun punched the steering wheel, making me jump. “Have you lost your goddamn mind?” he roared.
“Calm down, Shaun. You don’t know the whole story.”
“I don’t need to know shit! You’re not marrying him!”
“You don’t get a say in what I do! I’m grown!”
“I don’t give a fuck if you were a hundred years old! I raised you! You owe me more than fucking the opp!”
“He’s only your enemy because you stole from him!”
“So!”
I gaped at him.
He did not just say that.
“Are you serious?” I screamed back. “I’m the one who’s cleaning up your mess, Roshaun, so I’d say we’re about even.
And by the way, you didn’t raise me. I appreciate what you did for me, but I was fifteen when our parents died and barely eighteen when I moved out.
I am who I am because of them, not you. Get over yourself. ”
Shaun’s arm whipped out faster than a snake. His hand was like a hot brand on my cheek as he slapped fire out of me—hard enough to knock my head into the window. The blow dazed me for a moment, so I couldn’t hit him back or get the hell away from him immediately.
The stars I was seeing had barely begun to dissipate when the glass in his window shattered. My eyes widened in horror when I saw two gloved hands reach inside and pull my brother through the broken window.
The jagged edges of the remaining glass sliced into his skin, making Roshaun scream in pain before he was thrown to the ground.
“Wait! Stop!” I opened my door and scrambled out to help my brother, but I didn’t get far before I was lifted off my feet and forced to watch as my brother was beaten to a pulp.
“You don’t want to do that,” a familiar voice warned. “The last thing he’ll forgive is you defending that piece of shit right now.”
Knowing Abel was right, I slumped in his hold and watched helplessly as my brother got his shit rocked. It wasn’t even a fight. Roshaun had long since stopped fighting and had curled into a ball, but Ocean kept going, viciously stomping my brother into the pavement.
I couldn’t see his face, but I knew it was him.
He wore a hood, and his back was turned to me, but his muscular build and the line of his shoulders were all too familiar to me.
After an eternity, he finally stopped, but Roshaun didn’t move again.
Ocean turned to me, and I gasped when I saw the blood all over him.
There was no way it all belonged to my brother.
Ocean had been busy.