Page 83 of North

“I assume she headed back to Calgary. That’s what she said she was going to do.”

Rafferty studies me thoughtfully. “You know, you’re not carrying off nonchalant very well. It’s okay to admit you’re upset about the way things went down.”

“Why would I be upset?” I glance around the lounge. When my eyes meet his, I shrug. “Your sister and I didn’t have anything all that deep. She wouldn’t ever let it get there so not much to be upset about.”

“Yeah, you’re full of shit,” Rafferty says. “And if it’s any consolation, Farren didn’t head to Calgary. She’s at my apartment.”

“So,” I reply, keeping my expression blank, although my heart leaps so violently, it hurts.

“So,” he drawls, his frustration evident, “she’s trying to figure her shit out.”

“Good for her.”

Rafferty narrows his eyes at me. “You’re just giving up on her?”

“She gave up on us,” I remind him.

“She was scared.” He steps closer, lowering his voice, but I hear overprotective brother mode activated. “Shehas reason to be, and you need to cut her a fucking break.”

“Doesn’t matter,” I cut in, my voice sharper than I intend. “I don’t have anything else to offer her. She’s broken, Raff, and I’ve got no clue how to fix her.”

“She’s not broken, North. She’s just complicated.”

I huff out a bitter laugh. “You don’t break up with someone over a stupid joke. That’s not normal.”

Rafferty sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Agreed. And trust me, I’m not defending her. It’s bullshit. But it’s her bullshit to work through and I think she’s doing just that.”

“I’m all for giving her time. But the ball’s in her court now. No offense, Raff, but I’m not chasing your sister.”

“No offense taken,” Rafferty says with a dry smile. “Honestly, I’d rather you didn’t. She needs to stand on her own two feet for once. All I’m asking is that you don’t write her off. Not yet.”

The anger that’s been simmering since Friday night starts to ebb because I’d already written her off. After weeks of Farren refusing to allow me in, keeping me at a cool distance and then throwing it all away over something stupid I wasn’t even a part of… it didn’t seem possible that this was salvageable.

But two things stand out to me. Rafferty says she has reason to be scared and that’s not something I’d reallyconsidered. I mean, there was allusion to something in her past but without context, I didn’t think it was all that important.

Second, Rafferty is telling me not to write her off. That means he must have some belief that Farren wants this to work and fuck it all… that sparks a tiny flame of hope that I thought had been completely extinguished.

Admittedly, and only to myself, I was crushed when she walked away Friday night and said she was leaving.

Running, really.

I had dared to hope that I was different, and then I got a harsh dose of reality that clearly I wasn’t.

But Rafferty is saying maybe I am?

I drag my fingers through my hair. “Christ… I don’t know what to do.”

Rafferty claps me on my shoulder. “Just be patient with her. I don’t think this is over.”

Before I can reply, a blur of motion catches my eye and I turn to see Penn striding toward me with fury radiating off him like a heatwave. His eyes are locked on me and Rafferty takes an involuntary step back, which opens the door for Penn to push me hard. “You motherfucker,” he snarls.

I rock back two steps but don’t go down. I can’t retaliate either, because Rafferty is already there, in between us both with his hands outstretched, one palm planted on Penn’s sternum.

“You touch him again,” Rafferty growls, “and I’m going to lay you out.”

Atlas, King and Foster gather around us but Penn’s eyes never leave mine. “You gave her my address.”

I had been expecting this and I could easily deny it. I mean, I didn’t technically give it to her, but it seems like something’s broken loose. “She might have seen your address on my contacts when I left my phone unlocked on the table. But I didn’t give it to her.”

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