“Should I text you the hotel address or do you have navigation in your car?” I didn’t know how the hell I was going to bond with my family. It was making me anxious.
“I have navigation in my car, Aiyanna and don’t look so surprised. I managed to make a name for myself.” He chuckled as he led me to a brand new Tahoe.
He tossed my two rolling suitcases in the back and opened my door for me. Was he always a gentleman or was he just laying it on thick for my sake?
“Also, you can cancel the reservation, my sister isn’t staying in a hotel. I have a guest bedroom that you are welcome to.” I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know him and I didn’t know his history. “Don’t look so afraid. We are family and I wish we had found you sooner.”
“Dad is the one that paid to find me?” I didn’t want to know because I knew Dad didn’t but I had to get it out. I couldn’t let them get away with lying to me.
“No,” Kota admitted. “It was Kia and Shilah.”
“Why did you lie?” I hated liars. I wanted him to turn the car around and take me back to the airport. My breathing came out more rapid as I got angrier.
“Because we knew you wouldn’t come.” Kota shrugged like it was no big deal.
I rolled the window down and let the dry heat plaster my face. I couldn’t breathe. I needed out. I couldn’t believe I had agreed to this. And here I was alone. The desert spread out as far as I could see and the red mountains loomed in the distance. The beauty of it took my breath away but I still felt suffocated. Something wasn’t right. Family didn’t lie like this, did they?
I immediately shared my location with Derek. I didn’t know what made me do it but it helped me feel safe. A text came through a few seconds later.
Derek-WTF? Are you okay? What’s going on?
I smiled. I should have explained before I sent my location. After what happened to Elise he was probably experiencing PTSD from my little overshare here.
Me-Brother lied to me about who paid for the P.I. to find me. This made me feel safe. I hope you don’t mind.
Derek-I’m flattered. Please be careful. I’m one flight away.
I didn’t reply but I wanted to. By the time he made it here, I would be dead. At least the thought of someone knowing where I was helped me feel better. Someone would miss me if this went sideways.
“Are you married?” Kota’s voice brought me out of my thoughts. My eyes skipped across the dashboard of his SUV and landed on his rough, bronzed hands on the steering wheel.
I shook my head. “No.”
“Anyone special in your life?” I thought about Derek but I knew it was better to leave that to myself for now.
“Not really. I’ve gone on a few dates with a guy recently.” I was a liar myself. A few dates? I wished. More like one. “But I don’t know how that’s gonna go.”
“What about you?” I loathed small talk. I felt awkward.
A thoughtful look crossed his face. “No, not really. I have too many demons to love someone else.”
I understood all too well but being lonely was awful. Silence wrapped around us and my eyes found the orange landscape once again. I missed this place more than I thought possible. “Has the reservation changed much?”
Kota laughed. “No, I don’t think it ever will. They’re trying to approve more casinos but it isn’t going well. Everyone has an opinion and everyone wants the money but no one seems to want to do what it takes to make it happen.”
I was fourteen when I had run away, I knew nothing of the politics of our reservation in Arizona then and I didn’t really care to know or understand them now. I didn’t want to live here. I wanted to go home already. I had thought coming back would open up something about my past that it would help me understand the hole in my soul. But as we pulled up to the two-story cabin that overlooked the mountains I couldn’t gather my thoughts together again. It was beautiful and it was perfect for Kota. It wasn’t in a neighborhood either. He had a good little plot of land and a nice bachelor pad for himself.
“Kia and his wife, Maze, live up the road in one of the richer subdivisions.” Kota grabbed my bags and walked to the front door. He unlocked it then kicked it open. The brother I had remembered had been a mess. I had expected the same for his home now, but I was wrong. His home was handsomely furnished and clean.
A wide grin spread across my face. “Did you clean this place just for me? You didn’t have to. I remember how disgusting your room was growing up.”
He rubbed the back of his neck and shot me a small smile. “I can’t stand the clutter.”
The entryway led to a huge open floor plan. To my left, there was a little kitchen with a bar that jutted out into the living room. It had cute barstools that looked like tractor seats and there was a cake plate full of treats. My brother still had a sweet tooth that was for sure. The living room had tan leather couches and a massive tv above the fireplace. The entire back wall was made of glass. The view looked over the desert and the mountains in the distance. The ceilings were high with thick exposed beams.
“Wow, Kota.” I didn’t know what to say. He brought me through the living room and past the furniture to the right was a hallway. There were two doors.
He knocked on the one to the left. “This is my room, which is a mess.” Then opened the right. “This is where you can stay unless you want to go to Kia’s. Though I’m doubtful about that. The twins are hellions.”
