Page 88 of Kisses and Paperclips

“You really want to go there?”

I stepped closer, heat rising from my chest straight to my voice.

“For everything. For acting like I was supposed to fix what Pop broke. For looking the other way when he handed over my legacy to someone who didn’t earn a damn thing.”

“Julien—”

“No. Don’t cut me off,” I said, voice low and sharp. “All of you made excuses for him. Called it business. Called it his las wishes. Like I was just supposed to swallow it and keep showing up like the dutiful son.”

“I didn’t know he was going to—”

“But you knew what it meant. You knew what it cost me. And not one of you had my back. Not once.”

Marquis shook his head, like he didn’t want to believe it. “You act like we left you out in the cold—”

“Because you did,” I said, cutting him off this time. “You only call when you need something. You only see me when I’m useful. You never once asked how I was doing. Never checked on me. Just expected me to carry the weight, clean up the mess, hold it all together like I wasn’t breaking too.”

I wiped my hand down my face, breath tight.

“You want to know why I haven’t come back? It’s not just the company. It’s not even him. It’s y’all. I got tired of bleeding for people who only show up to collect.”

Marquis swallowed hard, shoulders stiff. “That’s not fair.”

“No, it’s not. But it’s the truth.”

Before I could shut it down, a knock hit the wall behind Marquis.

Kameron stood in the doorway, jacket still on, lips pressed into a thin line.

“Hope I’m not interrupting a family therapy session.”

I motioned him in. “You got something?”

He walked in slowly, pulled a folded folder from inside his coat, and held it up.

“Not something,” he said. “A whole damn Pandora’s box.”

I took the file from his hand and felt the weight before I even opened it.

Kameron watched me carefully. “You sure you’re ready to bust it open?”

My grip tightened.

I wasn’t sure about anything anymore.

But I flipped it open anyway.

Chapter 14

Serena

“You’re mine now.”

Three words, spoken in that rough, unhurried tone that curled around my spine like a leash. The kind of declaration that lingers.

It clung to me…

In my skin.

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