Page 101 of Hidden
“He told me I was a foundling. We lived in the mountains and didn’t have close neighbors. He knew I could see ghosts, but I was never, ever supposed to talk about my abilities. Everything was fine, until one day it wasn’t.”
“That cryptic summary leaves so many questions. And Kieran was a lower-level medium. He wouldn’t have known how to deal with a child with emphatic abilities.” Brayden’s voice was pensive. “How did he raise you, a single father? Where did you live?”
“I don’t…” My heartbeat was echoing in my ears. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I don’t care.” Bryce touched my chin, nudging my gaze toward his.
In his eyes was a barely contained storm, and normally I would fight the command of his suggestion. But I was tired. Either he was taking advantage of my weakness, or he was so far gone in his anger that he didn’t notice.
I’d known that Bryce was scary, but this was the first time he’d ever directed his anger at me.
“What happened exactly?” His tone cut into me like a knife, and my breath hitched. “How the hell did you go from being with Kieran, to being sold into a human trafficking ring? What else did theydoto you?”
“Now that’s just too far!” Brayden had gotten to his feet, grabbing at his brother. “Can’t you see that she’s upset?”
“Of course she’s upset.” Bryce let go of me and brushed Brayden’s hand away. “And I want to know why so we can fix it.”
But what was the point of rehashing the past? I wasn’t in that situation any longer; I’d moved on the best way that I could.
I was trying not to be a victim.
So why couldn’t everyone let it go?
Brayden continued to express concern, and Bryce refused to budge. It didn’t matter who would win this argument though, because I couldn’t answer anyway. There was simply no way.
I stared at them as the last threads of my composure stretched to a breaking point.
Titus had once told me that Bryce would stop at nothing to bring down his enemies. From the deathly expression currently on his face, I believed it. And even though Brayden was arguing with him, he also radiated murderous intent.
He wouldn’t push me. But he held just as much anger as his brother.
The two of them hid their ferocity behind masks of indifference and joviality. And when the facade had fallen and their patience worn thin, the result was terrifying.
But, at the same time, my heart began to pound for another reason.
They were angryfor me. Their bloodlust was thick in the air, making it hard to breathe.
That feeling was present on my behalf.
I wasn’t sure what to think about this development.
Their emotional investment was almost as heartwarming, but way less disgusting, than Titus’s offer to bring me Mr. Richards’ spine.
I mean, what kind of offering was that? What would it accomplish?
It was much more practical to trap your enemies into soul-contracts where they had no choice but to do your bidding. Where vengeance would be eternal.
Still, it had been sweet of Titus to offer.
“What’s going on in here?” As if I’d summoned him with my thoughts, Titus barged into the greenhouse. The door had slammed open with a crash that shook the tinted windows and threatened to break the glass.
His hair was tied into a knot at the base of his skull, and his glower was only accentuated by the thick line of grease across his unshaven jaw. His eyes sought out mine, and before Bryce or Brayden could even fully turn to face him, Titus had already crossed the room, pulling me from my seat and to his side.
“What’s wrong?” He ran his warm hands down my arms, and the chill that had been lingering on my skin faded. “Did they do something stupid?” His voice ended in a growl, and his eyes flashed dangerously as his focus moved over the room.
Bryce made a sound, but I shifted, clutching the ring tightly against my chest, which drew the dragon’s attention back to me.
“It’s okay,” I managed. “But I think they’re going to kill people.”
