Chapter Thirty
Kytten
We left the bathroom to the sound of thunderous clapping and catcalls. I rolled my eyes, refusing to let the antics of immature men shame what Cash and I had.
“Fuck off, all of you,” I yelled. Laughter called back, and the sound was music to my ears. All the worry I had about his brothers not accepting me had vanished in that one joyful moment.
Despite knowing my faults, my weaknesses, they took me in. They recognized me as Cash’s old lady. Yes, they all voted, but that was a formality. No one voted against the VP.
But this today was the real test. And I had passed with flying colors.
“Go talk to your brother, Rose.” He slapped my ass, and he walked into the main room. No, walked wasn’t the right word. The man fucking strutted like a rooster.
He’d told me he would never let anyone see me naked. No having sex in the main room at a midnight party, and I was fine with that. But hearing me? That, apparently, was fair game. And judging by the way he was peacocking around, it would happen often.
I shook my head and laughed as I turned toward the stairs. Time to talk to Thorne.
About everything.
I found him in his room as Sam said he was. A light knock on the door and he answered, “Come in.” I walked in hesitantly,closing the door behind me. He lay on his bed, his hands clasped together behind his back as he stared at the ceiling.
He had taken his cut off, and it hung on the back of the chair pushed up against his desk. My fingertips brushed over the leather. It was amazing to me that years apart, and we had both joined a club. There really was something to that twin thing.
I didn’t speak until I climbed onto his bed and curled up at his side, resting my head on his chest. We used to lie like this at night sometimes when I was scared. Usually after the man had been there.
He didn’t move at first, but then he sighed and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. He rubbed my back, like he did when we were kids.
We lay there silently for minutes before either of us spoke. I had expected to be the one to break the silence.
“I’m sorry you went through all that. You’ll never know how much I hated myself that he found me. That I couldn’t get back to you.”
“None of this was your fault,” I knew he would blame himself. It was how he was. Even the time I broke his game when I threw it out the window. Once he calmed down, he apologized for ignoring me.
I couldn’t help but wonder if anyone here knew the real Thorne. The sensitive one. I knew he was quiet. He always had been. But had they been able to breach his walls? Maybe Sam had. He told me that he’d told her everything.
“Thank you for what you did today.”
I didn’t want Syrena’s death on his conscience, but it meant the world that even after all these years, we still had the bond that held us together. The one that said we would scour Hell to protect each other.
We’d learned that on the street. All those months fighting off predators, as well as do-gooders who tried to turn us in. Wantingto put us into the system so we had a home. A family. We had each other.
It was all we’d needed.
“I wanted her to suffer.” He took a deep breath. “I don’t think she would have. Her body was suffering. I could see the effect—her shortness of breath, the blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. But there was something in her eyes. Something sinister. They were like his.”
I knew who he was talking about. The man who took our mother. The man who likely killed her. The man we would kill. Together.
“We’ll find him,” I said, determination lacing my words. “Even if we have to ask for help.”
“No. We can’t tell them. Not until after.”
Thorne was stubborn. Moreso than me. Mom knew what she was doing when she named him. Thorns were ruthless and stubborn. They didn’t care who they pricked. Their only job was to protect the roses.
“We aren’t kids anymore,” I said softly. “We can both take care of ourselves. We can have each other’s backs. But there is a whole club full of people downstairs who will protect us too. They’ll stand behind us and help us get justice.”
“We don’t need their help.”
“Then why are you here? Why did you join the club if you didn’t want their help?”
