Page 78 of When It Rains He Pours

“So what happens now?” I asked, clutching the bag firmly against my stomach.

“Well, your brother goes away and you get to go live your life.”

“Just like that? I get to walk out those doors and this is all over?” Angling my head, my lids dropped, studying his expression.

“Well yes and no. We might need to ask you some questions about your brother, maybe even call you in during trial, if you're willing to take the stand against him. There's no pressure, I know it's not always easy for family to go against family. But do you think you'd be willing to do that?”

“You bet your fucking ass I will. He deserves to spend the next twenty years behind bars, shit, longer if you can.” Looking down at the floor, I crooked my jaw. “After everything he did to Glory and myself, he can rot in there, I don't give a fuck.”

I'm sure some might think my reaction was harsh, cold even, I mean he was my brother. We were blood, we should have had a bond that was stronger than steel.

But there was one problem with that, my brother never cared about me. Not even when we were kids. Jacob was my brother by name and paper only.

Was he family? No.

Family looked out for each other, they felt for one another, they wanted the best for one another. Jacob didn't give shit about anyone else but himself.

This was black and white in my eyes, the fucker tried to kill me, he lit a building on fire with Glory and me inside.

What type of brother does that? How was I suppose to look past that?

Changing out of the jumpsuit, I left it crumpled in the corner of the stall. Attempting to turn my phone on, the battery was dead. Jamming it into my pocket, I checked my wallet to make sure everything was there and stuffed it into the other pocket.

Walking out into the lobby, the detective gave me a kind smile. “No hard feelings?” he asked, holding out his hand to me.

“You were doing what you thought was right, you were really fucking wrong, but it was done in good faith, so yeah. . .” Grabbing his hand I shook it with a firm grip. “No hard feelings.”

“Good, let me walk you out.” Holding out his arm, he started for the front entrance.

“So how did you finally find out I had nothing to do with all this?”

“I guess you could say you got lucky.” Pushing the door open, he looked outside. “And you had a guardian angel.”

Following his gaze, I stopped short.

Glory was standing at the bottom of the steps, her hands nervously fiddling in front of her waist. Her lips curved high as her eyes connected with mine.

That smile. . .

I couldn't live without that smile, I wasn't sure how I made it this long. I should have died the second they closed the steel door, locking me inside.

Grinning, I walked down the steps. Her smile infected my heart, making my chest pound and my skin buzz.

Reaching out I grabbed her hand, and swung her arm side to side. “You did this?”

“Mm hm.” Biting her bottom lip as she nodded her head, her lashes fanned her lids.

“Thank you,” I said, walking my fingers up her arm and pulling her into my chest. “I don't know how you pulled this off. . .” Lowering my face, I traced my lips across her forehead, feeling her velvet smooth skin. “But thank you.”

Tipping her face up, her mouth turned paper thin as tears filled her eyes. “You don't need to thank me, it was the right thing to do.”

Glory had found a way to make things right, she took charge and didn't let Jacob intimidate her. I was so fucking proud of this girl. Proud of what she did for me. Proud that she had the balls to stand up to someone like my brother.

I was proud that she was mine.

Kissing her gently, her tongue teased the edge of my lips, tickling over the surface. Lifting my fingertips to her face, I brushed my knuckles across the apple of her cheek.

Moving my mouth across her skin, I placed my lips at her ear and whispered. “I love you, Glory Daniels.”

---