Page 90 of Broken

“He’s right, sis. Ifelthow you felt when it happened.” I pressed a hand to my chest. “You weren’t okay. Even now, look, you’re freaking out over something as small as us wanting to check on you.”

“Because y’allhover! Ever since I told y’all about the PTSD stuff. I’m not fucking broken! Andexcuse meif I was shaking because I was startled and worried for mysister, who just got in a major fight over something she should have ignored.” She threw me a withering look.

“Izzy…”

“Argh!” She threw her hands in the air. “I’m sick of that. And I’msickof the fighting. Not everything has to be dealt with in a fight! Look at what happened to Jet. And now you, Annie. Cuz I don’t think for one second that Lisa’s done. You took the bait. Now, if y’all don’t mind, this breakable mess is going upstairs to take a shower and read in bed…alone.”

She brushed past Tucker on her way to the stairs, and he reached out gently for her hand, but she pulled away, quickly darting out of sight.

The silence that was left filled the space, pulsing around us.

“Do you need to go to her?” Jet touched the small of my back, and I shook my head.

“Not yet.” She’d meant every word of that. She needed space, and apparently,wewere the ones making her feel overwhelmed.

I eased into the bedroom after making sure that Archer was tucked into bed, not sure what was waiting for me. Izzy hadn’t surfaced once the rest of the evening. Her small night light was shining faintly from the other side of her bed, and she was tucked under the covers all the way up above her shoulders with her Kindle propped against the nightstand, her fingertips holding it steady.

I didn’t even have to see to know that she was refusing to look at me.

I walked over to my dresser, one out of the matching set Daddy had made when we were just babies, and I fished out some pajamas, taking a record fast shower and brushing my teeth before crossing the room to my bed. I stared at Izzy as I pulled back the covers, sending all the emotional vibes I could through our tether to bribe her to talk. Even if she didn’t want to, we needed to.

I’d just crawled into bed when I heard her long sigh, and she set her Kindle on the nightstand.

“Go ahead.”

I immediately sat up, crossing my legs with a grin. “You’re mad.”

“A little.” I gave her a look in the dark, and she sighed, still tucked under her covers so I couldn’t see her face. “I’m more frustrated than mad. Ever since I confided in y’all about the PTSD stuff, it’s like y’all think I’m going to break at the slightest thing.”

“Won’t you? There’s so much on your plate.”The baby and Zane and Lisa? Passing out? Micah and Ryder?I ticked the list off in my head.

“That doesn’t mean I can’t handle everything. I’m figuring out how to cope. I’m not falling apart.”

“Really? Have you seen yourself, sis? I don’t know if you realize it, but you’ve been either on the edge of tears or crying for months now. You’re on overload.”

Izzy scoffed. “No, I’m on pregnancy hormones. You don’t know what it’s like. Half the time I know it’s stupid to cry, but it just starts pouring out. I’ve never cried so much in my life. Trust me. I’m over it.”

There was the faintest hint of a smile at the end there, easing my stress, and I laid down, getting comfortable now that I sensed the reticence leaving the room.

“Do you really think Tucker’s overprotective?”

There were a few silent beats before she replied, “No. He’s protective, yes, but in my head, I know it’s because a lot of crap has happened. It feels like it hasn’t been calm since we got together. Just one thing after another. My stress volumes would be highwithoutthe situation we’re in. Between that and hormones, I think I just snapped today.”

“That makes sense. So how are y’all, without the drama?”

“Good. Great.” I could hear Izzy’s smile. “He’s been so supportive, and I told you about the trust fund he mentioned, so alotof our stress has died down in the past couple of weeks. Even if the parents never get on board, we’ll be able to raise herand go to school. It won’t be what we imagined for college, but at least our dreams won’t be completely gone…”

I frowned, sensing there was something she was holding back. “Izzy?”

“Tucker hasn’t bonded with her. He doesn’t know if he can.”

Well, I wasn’t expecting to hearthat. “He said that?”

“Yeah. A few weeks ago. After thelastLisa drama. Anyway, yeah, he um, he says hewantsher, but it’s more becauseIdo than because he really does. He doesn’t know how to connect with her yet.”

I took a beat, processing. “Don’t hate me, but isn’t that a little bit normal? At least for guys? It’s gotta be different for them.”

Izzy sighed and rolled onto her back. “Crap. Left side,” she muttered, turning back with a grunt. “I miss laying on my stomach. And yeah, I know you’re probably right. I’ve been trying to tell myself that, but it still worries me. Because what if he never gets attached to her?”

---