Page 11 of Lost in the Light

“I’ll be close if you need anything,” Adam said quietly.

“Thanks, brother,” Asher replied, his voice sounding rough.

Asher pulled me closer and then I was in his lap, wrapping my arms, one around Eli and the other around Asher’s neck. I gripped them both tightly and pressed my face against Eli’s shoulder. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t think there was anything any of uscouldsay. The man who had fathered all of us was evil, and there had been nothing any of us could have done to stop him, yet we all felt so much guilt for the life of that poor innocent girl who had died so close to all of us.

I don’t know how long we just sat there. Eli and I were crying for a while as Asher just held us, soothing us with his stoic strength, even though I knew he had to be as confused and hurt as we were. Eventually Eli stilled and then he was holding me more than I was holding him.

“I’m going to handle this,” Asher eventually broke the silence. His voice was still sounding rough and I wondered if he had shed some tears of his own as he worked so hard to hold Eli and Itogether. “I won’t allow it to touch either of you. I’ll take care of it with the cops and the press.” I looked up at him and hated the emotion I saw looking back. Guilt. He had nothing to feel guilty about, but he was taking all of this on himself, just as he always took everything.

“No.” I was firm as I pulled myself free of both of their arms and sat up. My tears had stopped a while ago, but my voice still trembled. I looked to Eli who was sitting up too. We shared a look, then he nodded, understanding what I was about to say and agreeing silently. “We’re not letting you take this all on your shoulders. In fact we’re done letting you deal with anything alone. We’re a team, Asher. That bastard shares DNA with all of us. We’re all going to deal with this head on, together.”

“She’s right, Ash. I’ve hidden behind you for too long. It’s not happening anymore. Whatever comes next – whatever happens – we’re in it together, the three of us.”

“The five of us,” Adam added as he stepped into the doorway with Jordan at his side.

“We’re a family and we’re sticking together,” Jordan agreed, sounding so serious for him.

“While I appreciate all of your support, this is going to be bad. Once the press gets a hold if it, they’re going to tear Eli and I to shreds in the news. They’ll tie Addy to us, then everything with the senator and whatever else you’ve been through could come to light in a major way, sweetheart,” Asher explained as his eyes landed on me. “I won’t be able to stop any of that, but I will damn well protect you all from it for as long as I can.”

“The press will figure out who I am eventually anyway,” I shrugged. “And if everything comes out, then I’ll deal with it. I’m not strong or tough. I don’t have much to offer, but I am proudto be your sister, and a part of this amazing family. I refuse to let either of you face any of this without me right there at your side.” I told them resolutely.

“The press are going to try and make us out to be monsters too,” Asher sighed.

“Fuck the press. We know we’re not, and so do the people who matter to us,” Eli retorted.

“The business…”

“Fuck the business, Asher. We’ll break it up and sell it off. I hate it. You hate it. Why are we even trying to keep it going?” Eli barked, shocking me.

“I don’t know,” Asher whispered. He ran his hand over his exhausted looking face, then looked at me. “I don’t want to be a part of anything to do with Joesph Lyle anymore. Eli’s right.”

“Then do what he said and sell it all off. You guys are so smart. You can do anything you want. You’re nothim, Asher, and you certainly don’t have anything to prove to the sick monster now either,” I told him.

Asher took a deep breath and looked between all of us, including Adam and Jordan who remained in the doorway.

“This won’t be easy. We’ll need even more security until things die down. The FBI could start digging into all of our lives,”

“Let them. We have nothing to hide,” Adam shrugged.

“We don’t care if it’s not easy. We don’t care about cops, or the press or any other bullshit that comes from this. All we care about is being there for all of you. We’ve got your backs, just like you’ve had ours so many times before,” Jordan added.

“It’s not like things can get anymore messed up anyway, right?” I tried to joke.

“She’s right,” Eli agreed with a half-smile.

“Come on. Come and eat. I made Lunch,” Adam said as he reached for my hand to pull me up. “Whatever happens next, happens. We’llalldeal with it, together.” Asher stood too, but didn’t move from where he leaned against the wall.

“I just need you all to be safe,” Asher said, his voice trembling slightly, which was so unlike him.

“We will be, brother. We’ll all make sure of it, yeah?” Adam stepped forward and placed his free hand on Asher’s shoulder, squeezing it supportively.

“Yeah.” Asher took a deep breath and looked to the ceiling. When he looked back down and his eyes met mine again, he seemed to have gathered himself. He reached a hand out to Eli and pulled him to his feet too, then we all headed for the kitchen.

Things were about as dark and messed up as they could be, and I’d have been a fool not to be terrified. But I wasn’t alone. I had a family and I knew together we’d find a way to face whatever came. I just hoped I could keep myself as strong as I was pretending to be in that moment.

CHAPTER 4

ADAM

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