Page 21 of Drown My Sorrow

“I’m sorry,” I whisper.

“Don’t be. I just thought if you had survived, then it would be okay.”

I stare at Gael. We’ve both lost siblings. It’s an indescribable pain. I don’t think people talk about it often enough. How do I live the rest of my life without her there? She’s the ghost I hear at night, the one who cheers me on. Cassie was my best friend.

“I’m sorry,” Gael whispers and cautiously comes closer. He cups my cheeks and brushes my tears aside. “I didn’t mean to bring back painful memories for you, Aspyn.”

I look up at him. He’s so close, close enough I can see the stubble clearly, close enough for me to see the long curve of his black eyelashes.

“Don’t be sad, little omega,” he murmurs.

Keagan finally lets out a warning growl, and Gael backs off.

“So, you have a pack?” Kelly asks flatly.

I stare at him. He’s big and broad and full of a confidence and icy calmness that makes me feel like an emotional mess.

“I-”

“Yes,” Keagan snarls. “She has a pack.”

“Well, I guess we have nothing left to say.”

“Kelly! That’s not the plan we discussed-”

“She’s happy here, Ezy! You want to destroy that? That’s not what we do.”

Kelly dips his head. “I am sorry for what I said, but it was the only way to get my uncle out of your life.”

The apology is lacking. Perhaps it’s the undercurrent of anger in his voice.

“I appreciate that, but it didn’t work,” I say bluntly, annoyed with him. Devastated by him.

“Yes. I became aware of that,” Kelly murmurs. “All the same, you seem to be doing well. So, I guess, good luck, and we’ll make sure we don’t come back and bother you.”

I dig my nails into Keagan.

“Oh, sweetheart. Don’t you worry. He’s going to regret that. I promised I’d take care of you, didn’t I? Do you trust us?”

Do I trust them?

“Yes, I do.”

“Good. Let us handle it,” Keagan whispers in my ear.

Kelly stomps off, returning to his board and the gorgeous women in bikinis flocking around him.

Ezy hesitates and then shrugs. “I don’t want to make your life harder than it already is. Maybe Kelly’s right. We can just pretend we never met.”

I flinch hard.

“Strike two,” Keagan growls.

Gael stands there the longest, torn, but, in the end, with a sad wave, he turns and walks away as well.

“Strike three.”

Shale and Beau join us. We stay on the beach, watching them as they pack up and walk up to the hotel. And they don’t look my way again. Not even once.

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