Page 39 of Blind Devotion
Erel frowned. Great, I could already see the wheels turning in his head.
I kept my face even. “You have an unhealthy habit of meddling where you shouldn’t.”
“I’ll take that as a yes. This is good. We can spin this for the press. We’ve already got several requests for interviews. Some good publicity wouldn’t—”
“No interviews.” I released the handle and caught her wrist as she turned toward her preferred elliptical trainer. “I don’t like being toyed with. Family or not.”
“I would never do that.” That over-the-shoulder smirk of hers said otherwise.
“Not smart,” Erel singsonged, crossing us on his return to the leg press station.
“Don’t you have abs to maintain?” She waved him off.
“You’re poking the bear.” He settled into his seat, the machine clanking. “But hey, I’ll watch the train wreck.”
Alizé rolled her eyes. “Honestly, there had to be less annoying options for your second-in-command.”
I still didn’t release my grip on her wrist.
“Right, of course not,” she finally said with annoyance at my silence. “Two against one. You both have always been good at that.”
Alizé liked to talk for the purpose of filling beats of silence. I liked to create them and watch how they made people squirm. It was amazing how many people abhorred the quiet, to the point where they often gave themselves away just to avoid it.
“Even when Yannick was here, you made sure to make me the odd one out.”
“Everyone out,” I ground out slowly. Whatever she needed to get off her chest, our family business was not to be aired.
Weights dropped. Machines jangled and clicked into their reset positions. Velcro on gloves and bracelets tore and crackled as they opened and closed. Then footsteps pattered through the gym and thumped over the mats as everyone filed out of the room.
“You too, Erel.”
He raised his hands in surrender but gave a look that said we needed to talk, and yes, we did, but fuck, I wasn’t ready for that conversation. He exited last, shutting the door behind him.
As soon as the door clicked shut, I released my sister and vacated my spot on the ergometer. On my feet, I towered a good half a head over her.
“Is that what this is? Is this woman your revenge over hurts past?”
Her chuckle was bitter and dry. “Don’t flatter yourself. You and Erel might have made me the third man out, but you never hurt me.”
Like Yannick—the words went unsaid. Even before Yannick’s and my kidnapping, he was a bully. After our escape, thanks to Erel, he had a lot of pain to deal with and took it out on those around him, his twin sister included.
“Then what is this, Alizé? What do you gain?”
“Hopefully, you. I want my brother back.”
My brow furrowed, and Alizé tapped her fingers along the bars of the closest equipment.
“We’re still living in the past, you and I,” she said quietly. “I want that to end.”
“If only it were that easy.”
She shook her head. “I remember the day you and Yannick were kidnapped like it was yesterday. I can still taste the pistachio ice cream I dropped in the kitchen when I heard you both were gone. More than seventeen years later, and I can still hear Maman’s wailing and remember how much it made me shake with fear. She never used to cry. Never used to yell at Papa either, but she blamed him for this. He wasn’t much of a worrier before then. He never panicked, but that month you and Yannick were missing, he was the worst version of himself.”
“Your point?” I didn’t want or need a trip down the worst memories of my life.
“You came back changed. Both of you. People always think that if you have a twin, there’s this instant connection and closeness between you. I call bull. I never had that with Yannick. He was already a little too dark before, but after, he was worse. So much worse. You, though, you were the best of us before that happened. You needed me, and I loved you for it,petit frangin.” Little brother. Her smile was rueful. “Maman used to tell me how I would sit next to her and help hold up your bottle until you drank every last drop. I held your hand when you learned to walk. I helped you read your first words. I helped you with your homework and taught you how to make crêpes. But all that changed when we got you back.
“You didn’t want me anymore. You didn’t want anyone. The only one who could ever get through to you was Erel, and even then, it wasn’t super easy for him. But for some reason, for me,that was okay, because he was a boy, and he wasn’t taking my place in your life.”
