Page 61 of Baja
Looking past Salem, my gaze lands on Alice, walking with Lily over to my mom’s booth. Spotting me, she waves me over. I turn to Salem. “Need me for anything?”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “Go.”
I jog over to my woman. “What’s up?”
“You talk with your mom?” she whispers.
“Yeah, babe. We’re good.”
I glance over at Lily, who stands nearby with her hand resting gently on her swollen belly, the evidence of a long day etched on her face.
“You should get some rest,” my mom suggests, her voice laced with concern. But Lily waves her hand dismissively, wearing a small smile, attempting to mask her exhaustion.
“I’m fine,” she insists while massaging her lower back, a subtle indication of her discomfort.
Mom’s gaze sweeps over her, taking in the details—how Lily’s ankles appear noticeably swollen, the subtle tension in her posture. “Sweetheart, your ankles are swollen,” Mom points out gently. “You need to take a break and get off your feet for a while.”
“I am a little tired.” A yawn escapes her.
Mom shifts her tone. “Nash, sweetheart,” she says, looking directly at me. “Why don’t you take Lily back to the clubhouse?” There’s an unmistakable glint in her eyes, suggesting that her request may carry a deeper intention than simply concern for Lily’s well-being. I sense she believes this would allow me to talk with Lily about Jax and the fact that we are brother and sister.
Mom turns her back for a moment, rummaging through her purse, then hands me the keys to her rental car. “Be careful.”
I turn to face Alice, lean in, and press my lips against hers. “See you back at the clubhouse.”
“Okay,” she responds, her smile radiating warmth and reassurance, her eyes glinting with a shared understanding of my mother’s intentions. “I hope you and Lily have a good talk.”
I pull her closer, feeling the warmth of her body against mine. “Nothin’ gets past you, does it?” I tease, my voice dropping to a low murmur.
Her smile blooms, lighting up her face. “It’s my superpower,” she replies, the playful glint in her eyes not going unnoticed.
“Let me hear the words, babe,” I urge, my heart racing slightly as the distance between us narrows.
She leans in with a soft, melodic laugh, her breath warm against my lips. “I’m yours,” she whispers.
“Damn, right you are.” I pull her in for one last deep, lingering kiss, savoring the taste of that moment before I reluctantly part ways.
I extend my arm to Lily, and she takes it with a soft smile. Together, we make our way to the car. Once we’re both settled inside, the engine revs to life, and we drive off. The car’s tires hum softly against the asphalt, filling the car with a soothing vibration as we cruise down the road. I drum my fingers against the steering wheel while keeping my eyes focused as Lily sits quietly in the passenger seat, her hands gently resting on her belly.
I still can’t believe she’s my sister.
Even now, days after the truth landed like a grenade, I still grapple with the information. My uncle—no, my fucking father—has carried this secret for thirty years, while the ones who raised me knew the whole time and kept his secret.
I glance at Lily, her expression distant as she fixates on the view outside the window. The weight of the silence surrounding us causes me to feel a strong urge to break it. Just as I open my mouth to speak, she does, too, and our simultaneous attempts to communicate send a ripple of laughter between us, easing the tension a little.
“Go ahead,” I encourage her, motioning for her to continue, hoping to lead her into the conversation lingering in the air like a storm cloud.
“I’m honestly not sure how to approach this subject,” she admits, her voice wavering slightly.
“You know, don’t you?” I ask, my tone more insistent as I reach for the truth we both dread confronting. I tear off the metaphorical Band-Aid for both of us, exposing what has been buried under family secrets.
Lily drops her head in a gesture of defeat as if her gaze searches her lap for answers that aren’t there. “That you’re my brother? Yeah, your mom… I mean, Aunt Caroline told me,” she finally responds, her voice barely above a whisper. She shifts her focus back to the outside world. “I don’t like that my dad lied tome all these years or to you, but I can’t bring myself to hate him for it.”
As I grip the steering wheel tightly, the tension in my muscles echoes my internal struggle. “I wish I could say the same,” I confess, vulnerability creeping into my voice. Despite having made peace with my parents’ choices, the unresolved feelings I harbor toward my uncle remain murky and uncharted.
“They did what they thought was best at the time,” Lily says softly, attempting to find the silver lining in our chaotic family dynamic. After a moment, she adds, “No one is perfect, but I think we can at least acknowledge that they’ve been there for us when it truly mattered.” Her words hang in the air, a mix of understanding and acceptance that I can’t help but appreciate.
My chest tightens with a mix of emotions.
