Page 167 of Into These Eyes
“Well, holy shit,” Anika says, a finger poking at my shoulder. “It looked like you were about to kill him. For a second there, I thought I was gonna have to arrest my brother. Can you imagine if—”
“Anika. For once, shut the hell up,” Jamie tells her firmly.
“It’s okay.” I turn and glance at my sister. “So, how was it for you?”
She’s quiet for a long moment before she says, “Weird. Sad. And kinda brilliant. I think I like him already. I mean, I don’t know him yet, but there’s a connection there.” She lets out a little frustrated huff. “Now I don’t want to move so far away. He said he’d come visit in a couple of weeks, though. So that’s something.”
“I’m glad,” I tell her, meaning it. She’s starting from scratch with him, which isn’t easy in itself, but it’s a hell of a lot easier than having the history I have with the man.
Her hand comes down on my shoulder and squeezes. Surprised, I meet her eyes. “He’s really bummed about what happened with you. Like, I mean,reallysorry.”
“Yeah, I know.” I turn and face front again, and as I do, I pat her hand a couple of times. It feels good when she gives my shoulder another squeeze, like we’re bonding over this strange moment in both our lives.
As my lips twitch with the urge to smile, Jamie places her hand on top of mine. Something about that simple gesture gets me out of my own head and makes me realise how fucking lucky I am. Sitting here in a car with the woman I love and my long-lost sister. I’m completely present in this moment. I’m not in a cell, not in a prison. I’m out on a sunny day, doing family stuff I never dreamed I’d do.
And I feel it in my soul. This is happiness.
I turn my hand in Jamie’s until our palms touch and our fingers entwine. As she pulls to a stop at a set of traffic lights, I stare into her beautiful, sparkling eyes.
Thank you, I mouth.
She blinks. Fast. And I know she’s holding back happy tears. Her eyes flash a gorgeous shade of emerald, but it’s not the colour I crave. It’s the love I see there. Clear and true, not a speck of doubt to be found amongst the green and copper of those incredible irises I know so well.
I bring her hand to my mouth and kiss the back of it.
Behind us, our sister retches.
And I laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Anika pipes up, her head appearing by my shoulder.
“You,” I tell her. “The idea that you think you’d be able to arrest me, an innocent man, who happens to be your long-lost brother, for killing our long-lost father.”
She chuckles. “I would’ve done it if you’d gone too far.”
“As if Satan’s little helper could physically overpower me.”
“Oh, I could. I’m a goddamn machine when it comes to bringing down big brutes like you.”
I grin at her. “Talk about tickets.”
“Fuck off. When we get home, I’m taking you down,” she threatens.
“Yeah, we’ll see.”
As Jamie laughs beside me, Anika punches my arm. Hard.
But I don’t feel any pain. All I feel is the incredible sensation of belonging.
Chapter 42
Jamie
As the sun sinks low in the sky, I sit on a lounger by the pool, my stomach aching from laughing too long and hard as I watch Gavin and my sister act out an arrest. When she fails yet again to secure his hands behind his back, they regroup, and I take the opportunity to sip the passionfruit cocktail Anika made me earlier.
Watching them get along like they’ve always known each other makes my heart feel like it’s filled with helium. Apart from whenI was a child with no responsibilities, I don’t think I’ve ever felt this light and happy.
Readying for another try, Gavin shifts his attention to me, his face breaking out in a smile so bright it melts my insides.
