Page 103 of Cruel Possession
Jade sniffles, and it’s then that I see the tears rolling down her cheek.
I reach out and take her hand, holding it tight.
Things may not always be the best between me and her these days, but when she was younger, she was attached to my hip. Summer always preferred one of the others, but Jade was my little shadow.
And she still is. Maybe that’s why she challenges me so much. I haven’t been giving her as much attention.
I don’t think she’s been going home from the hospital much more than I’ve been. Every time I start to think that I’m going to be alone for a while, she comes walking through the door with a sunny smile, like she’s just trying to hold it together long enough to get me through the day.
I clear my throat and look over at her. “So, I’ve been thinking that you should get that apartment you want.”
Jade’s face lights up as she sits up straight. “You’re serious?”
“I would love to keep you home with me all the time where I can keep you safe, but I know that’s not realistic. You need to go outand live your own life, and I have to live mine. Which means that we all need some space for each other.”
“Summer is going to want to stay in the family house, you know that, right? She loves it there. Likes having something big and fancy to show off.”
“She can stay where she likes. I’ve been starting to think that I could use something fresh instead of living in the shadow of Dad all the time.”
“Don’t remember him.” Jade eyes me for a moment. “I may not show it, but I appreciate everything you sacrificed for me and the family. The only reason I give you a hard time is that you were the best big brother I could’ve asked for when I was growing up, and it kills me to see the man I grew up idolizing slipping between our fingers. You were always my favorite, and I want that my big brother back.”
She squeezes my hand and looks at the door. “But don’t tell Royce that. I’m trying to get him to pay for my new car since he thinks mine is a death trap.”
The corner of my mouth twitches. “That thingisa death trap.”
She shrugs. “Not like I need much of a car in New York anyway, but it’s nice for getting away on the weekends. And I think I might start going camping sometime soon.”
“You? Camping?” I snort and shake my head. “If you do go, I’m going to be sending a security detail with you. They don’t have to be on the same campsite, but they’re going to be in the same area. I’m not taking chances with Noah out there.”
Jade opens her mouth to say something, but then she takes a look at Zoe. “Yeah, I think it might be good to have the securitythere. I don’t know what that bastard is going to do next, and I’d probably feel better if there was someone else there.”
My eyebrows climb high, but I try not to show it too much. “I know you can handle yourself. That’s not the problem, you know that, right?”
“I know.” Jade kicks her feet up on the edge of the bed and crosses her arms, getting comfortable in the horrible vinyl chairs. “I’ve kicked your ass more than once. I want this to be easier on all of us, and to be honest, there are times that I feel like I’m being watched. And I know that kind of goes with the territory of being in a war with the Rinaldos, but I’m getting tired of it.”
“Do you think someone is actually out there watching you?”
She laughs and shakes her head. “Not even a little. It’s just one of those weird feelings I get every now and then, but I don’t really think it means anything. Not enough to worry about, at least.”
“Jade—”
She waves a dismissive hand. “There’s nobody following me. But I’d be a fool to think that the Rinaldos weren’t having us all watched.”
“They are. Noah said as much.”
Jade bites her bottom lip and looks at me. “I don’t want you to have to be lurking around after all of us for the rest of our lives. I don’t want to start a family of my own knowing all this shit is out there.”
“You’re not going to have to.”
“And you don’t have to deal with everything alone, yet here you are. I don’t know if anyone ever told you that ignorance may be bliss, but information is power, and you are leaving us powerless, blind to what might be happening. You keep everything about the business and the family problems to yourself and then the rest of us sit around wondering what’s going on, going about our lives, endangering ourselves because we don’t know what to look out for.”
She is right. I have been screwing up big time. By trying to protect them, I’ve been making things worse.
I glance away from her, staring at the painting of flowers on the beige pinstriped wall.
When I look back at Jade, she’s picking at her nails once more.
“Life has been hell since Noah took Ellie. I didn’t want to put that burden on any of you, but going forward, the entire family is going to be kept informed. I’m not going to keep anyone in the dark. It’s not safe to try and protect any of you anymore, especially by hiding things.”
