"What's up?" asked Kingsley.
Right now, he could make the decision not to say anything. He could keep the information secret, and their lives would goon. Eventually, the girls would learn to accept that their father was on death row and they had no access to him.
"Is everything okay?" River wrapped her arms around him.
He rubbed her back. The absence of her backpack hit him hard. She was braver than anyone ever imagined. She'd lived a hard life, bouncing around in the foster system. Losing her mother and believing she'd lost her dad. The years she had to go without her sister had left heavy scars that gave her nightmares that woke her up in a panic.
He would never bring her more pain by keeping secrets from her again.
"That was the prison." He cupped the back of River's neck. "Your dad accepted my request to visit him."
"What?" Kenna moved closer. "When? How? Can we go, too?"
"Hang on. It takes time. I'll have to put in a form. Maybe as early as two weeks."
River covered her mouth and looked at her sister. He waited for her to show signs of falling apart over the news.
She turned to him. "You can tell him that we want to see him, right?"
He dipped his chin. One step at a time.
If he got there and decided it was dangerous for them to go, he'd keep them away.
"I think we all need to go into the office for a few minutes." He led the way.
Once they were inside, he shut the door and looked at Kingsley. "Turn on the computer."
His brother went around the desk to the back wall where the computer sat, pushed the button, entered the password, and waited for it to load.
"Ready." Kingsley looked over his shoulder. "What am I doing?"
"Look up the name Burt Shay," he said.
Kenna moved to Kingsley, but she looked at Zane. "Is that my dad's real name?"
He nodded.
River joined her sister as Kingsley scrolled through the results of the name. He stayed back, knowing whatever was shown would be bad. Knowing what they found out would change everything.
But he wasn't going to keep another secret from River.
"Oh. My. God." Kenna covered her mouth.
River backed away, reaching for Zane. He opened his arms and engulfed her in his embrace—not protecting her from the truth but cushioning the blow.
Kingsley turned in the chair and met his gaze. Dread filled him. Whatever was on the computer shocked them all.
Fuck.
