I settled into the lumpy chair. “That’s our brother Emilio. We have three older brothers, including him, and two older sisters.”
“Are you a cop too?”
I choked out a laugh. “Um, no.” My jaw flexed. “I’m not the cop brother. Or the musician brother—that’s Raymond—or the pharmacist brother—that’s Nando. I’m her other brother, the construction worker.”The ex-con fuckup.
“Bet,” Reign said, whatever that meant. They tilted their head. “Can you fix the toilets in the bathroom over there? It sucks that only one works.”
“Yeah. It’s first on my list, actually. I also have a bunch of other projects, so if you notice anything, please tell me. I’ll be around. You Center kids probably know a lot more than I do about this place.”
“That’s for sure.” Reign’s shoulders eased slightly. “Maybe I can watch you do some stuff?”
“Sure, if it’s not too dangerous. And if Marisol’s okay with it. You interested in construction?”
“Maybe.”
I glanced at the front desk and caught Cori and my sister staring at me, open-mouthed.Shit. Was I doing something wrong?
“I think I need to go talk to my sister, Reign. It was nice meeting you.”
The pained look returned to the teen’s face, and they turned away at my departure.
“Lo siento,” I said to Marisol, walking over to her. “I know you said I couldn’t be alone with the kids, but I didn’t realize I wasn’t supposed to talk to them. I promise it won’t hap—”
“What the hell was that!?” my sister whisper-shouted.
“Huh?”
“You were talking to Reign,” Cori supplied.
“Yeah. Like I said, I’m sorry about that, I—”
“No,idiota,” Mari intoned. “You weretalking to Reign. Reign doesn’t speak to anybody except Rosa. They don’t have any friends. Nothing. And you were just, like, talking with them?”
“I didn’t know,” I mumbled, conscious of not drawing Reign’s attention to our conversation. “I just looked up and they were there, and they reminded me of—”
“Eliazar,” Cori hushed out. “I thought it was just me.”
Marisol’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh my gosh. I never caught it, but of course the resemblance is there.Dios. No wonder Rosa has been so protective.”
A twinge traveled down my spine. “Does Reign get along with their parents?” I asked.
Marisol shifted uncomfortably. “No. Their parents don’t accept that they’re nonbinary.”
I glanced at Reign, but my mind saw Eliazar. Eliazar being used by men. Eliazar being rejected by his parents. Eliazar never feeling like he fit in, even with us, his brothers.
Eliazar, who I’d never see again.
My heart thudded as I watched Reign sit by themselves on the couch. Dozens of kids walked by, ignoring them. Reign remained stone-faced and silent, taking it.
I hadn’t noticed Cori step behind me until I felt her hands on my shoulders. She leaned close to my ear, like she’d done earlier. Her steady voice grounded me as she said, “They’re not Eliazar, Deck.”
“Not yet.” I closed my eyes.
“Not ever,” Cori said. “That’s why we’re all here.”
Letting myself lean into her touch was dangerous. But I did it anyway.
Our closeness was as comforting as I remembered.
