Page 71 of Explode
Kai gave my hand a gentle squeeze. “Patience, Star.”
I glowered at him, his lack of information pissing me the hell off.
Turning away from him again, I looked out the window, taking in the beautiful gardens as we drew closer to the house. As the car turned into a courtyard at the front of the house and rolledto a stop, the front door flew open, and I almost stopped breathing when the most beautiful sight I had ever seen came running out of the house.
“Angel!” I cried, yanking my hand out of Kai’s, and shoving the dooropen.
Almost tripping over my own feet as I leaped from the car, I met mysister as she came barreling into me, her arms wide as she collided with my body. I wrapped her in my arms, holding her to me as uncontrollable sobs wracked both our bodies. For god knows how long, the two of us stood there, holding onto each other for dear life.
Having her back in my arms, I was overwhelmed with how much Ihad missed the little brat. For the first time in months, I felt like I could breathe again, and I never wanted to let her go.
Burying my head in her hair, I inhaled deeply, goosebumps pebblingmy flesh as the familiar scent of raspberries hit my nose. In that moment, I forgot everything. Forgot about my anger towards Kai, forgot about the pain in my heart, forgot about the fuckers who wanted to ruin our lives. It was just me and my sister, my best friend.
One of my reasons for living.
Reluctantly pulling out of her embrace, I pulled away to take a goodlook at her. In the months we’d been apart, she’d grown almost as tall as me, her hair was longer, her figure fuller, but the most noticeable thing that had changed was how bright her eyes shone.
For years, Angel’s brown eyes held a haunted look to them, but now,they were vibrant, full of life, and happiness.
‘You’ve grown,’I signed, the language momentarily feeling alien onmy fingers. I hadn’t had to sign in months, but it was ingrained into me, and the second I started signing, it was like riding a bike.
Angel didn’t sign back. Her teary eyes widened as she grabbed myhand, pulling it closer to her to stare down at my ring. My wedding ring that I still wore on my ring finger.
The ring I hadn’t once considered taking off no matter how pissed atKai I was.
‘Did you get married?’Angel signed after she had a good look at therock on my hand.
She turned her head, and it was only then I noticed Kai had come tostand by my side. Upon seeing his face, her cheeks blushed furiously.
Fucking hell. I hoped to fucking Christ that my sister wasn’t crushingon my husband.
Kai held his hand up to say hi, before turning to me. “Baby, we’ve gottwenty-four hours before we need to be in the air again. I’ve got something I need to do, so I’ll leave you ladies to have some time together. You’ll be safe here, this is an Apollo house.”
“Okay,” I replied, briefly wondering what Kai had to do in Spainbecause now I knew that’s where we were.
Kai leaned forward and placed a delicate kiss on my lips and I didn’tstop him. In fact, I welcomed it. He had, after all, reunited me with Angel, even if it was only for twenty-four hours. Waving his hand at my sister again, and giving her one of his charming smiles, he turned and got back in the car. Moments later he was driven away by the guy who brought us here, along with Ash, who had stayed in the car the whole time.
‘Seriously, did you marry him?’Angel signed when I turned back toface her, her smile getting bigger by the minute.
‘It’s complicated,’I signed back.‘I’ll tell you all about it, but first I wantto know everything you’ve been doing.’
Chapter 21
Riley
AfterKaileft,Angelled me inside the house where Jane was waitingwith a beaming smile on her face. The woman was practically unrecognizable from the woman I’d left behind in France.
Gone were the baggy clothes she used to wear, replaced with clothesthat showcased her curves. She always wore her mousy-brown hair in a tight bun, but now she’d had it cut and styled into a pixie-cut that suited her heart-shaped face, and she’d ditched the thick-rimmed glasses, I assumed for contacts.
Jane had always been a timid woman, but now, she had an air ofconfidence about her, one that said she wasn’t scared to take on the world anymore. I couldn’t help but wonder if, as much as her time in the cell had been soul-destroying, it had actually shown her that she was more resilient than she ever thought.
The second I was within reach, Jane threw her arms around me, andmore tears were shed from me, Angel, and Jane. Jane had done an incredible job of looking after Angel since I’d left her, she’d become a mother figure, and I would be eternally grateful to her for the love and care she had shown to my sister.
When happy tears turned to laughter, Angel and Jane gave me a tourof the house, and I couldn’t help but notice several of the Apollo guards watching Jane’s every move. No wonder her confidence had bloomed when she was surrounded by big, beefy men who weren’t at all bad to look at.
If I thought the house we’d been taken to in France was impressive, itdidn’t have a patch on this place. It had everything a young girl could possibly want, a cinema room, bowling alley, an outdoor lagoon swimming pool, complete with its own lazy river, and a dance studio, where Angel informed me that she wanted to follow in my footsteps and take up pole dancing when she grew up.
I didn’t know whether I was proud or mortified. Either way, I told thelittle brat that when she eventually came home, I’d give her some lessons on the basis sheneverended up working in a strip club. She quickly agreed, pulling a face at the thought of pervy old men watching her dance.
