Page 99 of Ezekiel
“I know. I love them. Or loved them? I don’t know how to feel right now. But, it’s possible. Anything is possible with this. It wouldn’t be too far of a stretch if you think about it. A couple who can’t have children. They get involved in a religious group and turn towards God and prayer for their miracle baby, and still can’t have one? So they steal one,” I explained the thoughts that had ransacked my mind this week.
“That is horrific,” Ruth shuddered at the thought.
“Any way you slice this, it’s going to be a horrific thing. What if I had been stolen and then sold to my parents? What if the church kidnapped me? There are a million what-ifs and I just can’t — I can’t piece it together. I can say the woman’s voice was not my mother. The one here in Zion, that is. I don’t think that any of the men’s voices were my father, but I can’t be certain,” I continued, slumping down in the chair. I felt so drained of energy even sitting up straight was too much.
“How can you be certain?” Ruth asked.
“Because I’ve never heard my father yell or threaten,” I explained with a shrug.
“Never?” Ruth asked in shock. “Not once? Not growing up when you got in trouble?”
“Nope. Both he and my mother were always kind and gentle with me. I really did grow up in a house filled with love. Too bad it was just a masquerade. The idea of home I believed in has been smashed to smithereens, nothing but dust and decay laying in this trauma’s wake,” I scoffed.
“That is unbearable to think about,” Delilah commented. “I grew up in a shit-show of a house, but to have everything blow up like this? To know that you came from people who — I can’t even put those thoughts into words.” She shook her head. It was heavy stuff.
“I think we should start by finding out more about your adoption. That’s the most logical place to start? It’s the only thing we can tie things to. We know you were taken, thanks to your flashback. And we know your parents adopted you here in Zion when you were, what, six?” Ruth asked.
“Five, but you’re right. It’s the one thing we know. I was taken from my family or from wherever I came from, and brought here. The more we can find out about it, the better,” I agreed.
“I think that sounds like a good plan. Just remember, Talia, we have your back. We are your family now and we love you. We aren’t going anywhere.” Delilah’s words hit deeply, and I felt tears prickle at the corners of my eyes.
“Thank you. Both of you. I don’t know what I would do without you,” I said with a somewhat watery smile.
“Should we head back out there, then? Tell them ofourplan?” Ruth asked with a smirk.
“I think that’s the best idea,” I agreed. It was time to face the men again, but this time, I would take no shit from any of them. Not. A. One.
CHAPTER22
EZEKIEL
She was incredible. I stood on the back porch, my fingers twisted in my hair and tugging so roughly, strands broke off. And there she was, giving my brothers an earful the likes of which I had never heard before. And I had Titus Temple for a father.
It wasn’t easy to deal with my condition on a good day, but in a setting like this? It was nearly impossible. The strained emotion of the week we had just experienced already heightened my senses. Throw in Levi being a pompous, controlling ass, Ollie being apainin the ass, and Malachi just being, well… an ass. It was a recipe for disaster. I had been doing so well, too. The techniques Talia and I had set up in the first days of our marriage were working well for me. Who knew breathing exercises and proper communication could work so many wonders? Apparently she had.
I stayed out in the bitter cold for longer than I probably should have. This was my home, and these were my guests, even if they were just my brothers. Talia’s wrath had long ended, and I took a deep breath, preparing myself mentally to go back in. After her tirade, I doubted my departure would go unaddressed. Not this time.
I opened the door, already feeling their eyes on me. Silently, I picked up the chair I had knocked over and sat down. I raised my eyes, meeting their gaze. Or at least a few of them. Malachi focused on the last few drops of brandy that he was swirling around in his cup. Gideon was looking down at his hands. Levi was completely unreadable, and Ollie looked like a hurt puppy. All in all, exactly what I had expected.
Ruth and Delilah were gone from the table. I assumed they had gone with Talia. Their footsteps sounded down the hall, coming back into the dining room.
“Hello, love.” Talia’s voice sounded beside me as she took her seat, pressing a kiss to my temple. “You okay?” she asked quietly. I nodded my head. It was true. I wasn’t fully okay, but I was better than before.
The silence was nearly deafening as we all sat there, not saying a word.
“Well?” Talia asked. That tone would have made the scariest monster sit up straight and take notice. I actually saw Gideon and Ollie perk up in their seats, their backs straightening.
“Zeke, we are sorry,” Levi began.
“No,youare sorry,” Ruth corrected him. “Don’t speak for your brothers. They have their own voices they can use.”
Well, slap me in the balls and call me a volleyball! I never would have expected to hear meek little Ruth stand up to Levi like that. Shocked didn’t come close to covering it.
“I’m sorry,” each of my brothers spoke simultaneously. Even Kai.
“For…” Talia prompted, sounding so much like a mother it was baffling. I immediately shoved the thought of Talia as a mother down into the deepest cavern in my soul. I wasnotready to think aboutthat.
“I am not trying to speak for us all as a collective, but Talia is right. We should have treated you better. I should have asked you what was going on years ago,” Levi spoke up.
