“So who do you think she thinks they’re from?”

A single laugh escapes me. “Probably Jackson.”

“Jackson?”

I lift my gaze to hers. She’s concentrating on my finger tracing her palm. “Her son.”

“Do you keep in touch with him?”

“Actually, Jax and I just started talking again.”

She looks up from her hand—her eyes now focused on mine. “Did you miss him?”

“Yeah. I really did.”

KY

Age Seventeen

I locked myself in my room for three days. Three days I didn’t see Jackson or Christine. And in those three days, Jackson became our rock, our strength. I don’t know how he did it—but he must’ve known we needed saving, or at least knew Christine did. Me though? He had no fucking clue how badly I needed someone—something—to take my pain away.

A knock on my door made me groan. “Go away.”

Jackson entered anyway. He opened the curtains, letting sunlight in the room. It’d been three days since I’d seen it and it made me want to puke. I threw a pillow at his head. He ducked it and told me to fuck off—a well-earned response. “Are you okay, Ky?”

I sighed and lifted the covers over my head. What was I going to say? That the only man I’d ever looked up to was gone, and my girlfriend that I needed at the time needed someone else’s cock more?

“Mom—” Jackson started.

“Has she been asking for me?” I cut in.

I felt the bed dip. “No. But she’s not in a good way, Ky.”

“She’ll get over it. We all will.” And even as the words left my mouth I knew it was harsh. And I knew that it wasn’t the truth. How do you get over losing someone you love? How do you stop missing them?

“So...” Jackson said, and I could hear the hesitation in his voice. I knew what was coming before he spoke. “Did something happen with Ashlee?”

I couldn’t speak.

“It’s just that she hasn’t been around to see you or Mom. I thought for sure she’d be here...” he trailed off.

I sunk further into the bed. “Can you close the curtains and leave, please?”

He exhaled loudly, then got off the bed. I heard the curtains scrape across the rod and then footsteps moving toward the door. “Jax?” I lifted the covers and faced him.

Jackson froze with his hand on the knob. “Yeah, Ky?” His voice was so quiet, so low, so damn sad I wanted to cry for him.

“Thank you.”

He turned around slowly and leaned against the door, staring down at his feet. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he shrugged. And then he frowned. I hated it, because I knew what it meant—pity. “It’s no problem, Ky. You’re my brother. You saved me.” He let out a sad laugh and finally looked up at me. “Maybe now you can let me save you?”

I ducked under the covers to shield him from my tears.

A few seconds later, I heard the door click shut.

***

“Ky?”

“Huh?” I blink, pushing back the memories.

“Where did you go just now?”

“Sorry, just spaced out.”

Madison gives me an unsure smile. “So Jackson?”

“Yeah, what about him?”

“Can I meet him?”

I raise my eyebrows. “Already wanting to meet the family? A little soon, don’t you think?”

“I just want to get to know you more. That’s all.”

“He’s busy a lot. I doubt he’ll have time.”

“Sure you’re not just ashamed to be seen with me?”

“No.” I laugh. “More like I want to keep you to myself. What if you fall for him? Then what?”

She ignores me and grabs my phone off the coffee table. “Ask him.”

I’m about to argue, but her face is set with determination and I can’t say no.

She kicks my leg with her bare feet. “Come on, Kyler, what’s the worst he can say? No? He’s too busy?”

“I’ll call him if you promise never to call me Kyler again.”

“Deal, Kyler.”

Ky: Madison wants to meet you.

Jackson: Madison?

Ky: My neighbor.

I stare at the phone a moment, waiting for a reply. When it doesn’t come after a minute, I set it back on the table.

“What did he say?” she asks.

“Hasn’t replied.”

Honestly, I’m a little disappointed. As much as I don’t want Madison involved in what Jax and I are doing, I want my brother to meet the girl I’m into, and I want his approval...almost to the point where I need it.

I want to give him a reason to be proud of me again. And right now, Madison’s the only thing I have to be proud of.

I’d almost given up hope when a message comes through.

Jackson: When?

My gaze moves to Madison. “When?”

Her smile is instant. “Right now!”

“Now?”

“No wasting time, Ky, remember?”

Ky: She said now.

Jackson: Whipped already? Nice job. I’m at O’Malley’s bar checking out the place. Meet me here in thirty? I’ll hand you back your balls when you guys get here.

“You ready?” I ask her.

Her eyes go huge. “Okay!” She shoots to her feet. “I’ll just freshen up.”

Five minutes later she knocks on my door—barefoot, hair a mess, wearing a bathrobe.

“You’re going like that?”

She pulls on my arm and drags me through her apartment and into her room.

Clothes.

Everywhere.

She’s either the messiest girl I’ve ever met, or she’s just been robbed.

“I don’t know what to wear!” she rushes out. “I was so excited to meet your brother and now I’m panicking because I don’t know what to wear! What do you wear when you go to meet your prospective—” She cuts herself off, takes a deep breath, and then starts again. “Where are we even meeting? What’s the dress code? Does he like casual or proper? Will he look down on me if I—what if he doesn’t like me and then he tells you and—”

I lose it in a fit of laughter.

“This isn’t funny, Ky!”

I reel it in, just enough so that I can grab her shoulders and sit her on the edge of her bed. “Maddy...he’s going to like you because I like you, and because it’s kind of impossible not to like you. He won’t care what you wear because he’s not that like that. If you want me to call him and cancel, I will, but you’re overthinking it. I promise.”

After taking a few calming breaths, she says, “Get out!”

“What?”

“I need to get dressed! Get out!”

***

She chooses another modest dress, which is good because I’m really not in the mood to be punching creeps that look at her wrong. Especially in front of my detective brother.

I point to Jackson once we’re in the bar. He’s sitting in a corner booth, dressed casually, sipping a beer while checking his phone.