“I had some major fuck-ups in our relationship, and Finn was always there for her,” Declan adds. “When he met you, his entire world took on a new focus. She was crushed that he didn’t tell her himself. When she realized how much you mean to him, she lashed out in an unkind way. This isn’t about you. It’s about her feeling left out of his life.”
I take a second to let his words sink in, searching for my own response. Then something in me cracks and anger bubbles to the surface. Before I can stop myself, I leap up and start pacing.
“Let me get this straight. From the first time I met her, she’s made me feel unwanted and low-class. She accuses me of using Finn, insults my life, and indirectly insults my allegiance to helping raise my niece. All because Finn didn’t tell her he had a girlfriend? That is the most immature, greedy, selfish, callous, infantile, pitiless, self-centered, egotistical, narcissistic, BULLSHIT I’ve ever heard! Grow the fuck up!”
Declan growls as Ember drops her head. Tripp rubs his hand over his face, covering his mouth, but I catch his lips twitching.
“Be careful what you say here, Presley. I understand you’re upset, but that’s my wife you’re slashing apart. It’s been a year of change for us.”
“For fuck’s sake, Declan. I know all about your year of change. Finn’s told me about the mansion you bought, the arrival of your perfect and healthy children, and the postponement of your tour to stay home. I also know about your mammoth support system and the unwavering amount of love and friendship. I don’t discount that twins can be a challenge to new parents, and the shifts in your life can throw you off-balance.
“You know how I know that? Because I hauled my ass to North Carolina at twenty-two years old to help my brother raise his daughter. The same fucking brother I buried in the ground almost two months ago!”
The three of them stare at me in shock, and Tripp’s smile disappears. Then there’s a shift behind me, and their eyes go over my shoulder. I know he’s here; I can feel him in my bones, but I’m too wound up to stop my tirade.
“For three days, I’ve cried, screamed, doubted every minute I spent with Finn because of her disapproval. She made me feel like a lecherous reject out to sink my invisible talons into her precious best friend. Get over it!”
I suck in a deep breath, stop pacing, and will my racing heart to slow down. Never in my life have I ever been so brash.
“See, my girl’s vocabulary can get colorful when she’s pissed.” Finn comes to stand beside me. “Think it’s time you guys left.”
Ember looks like she may argue but nods and walks over, throwing her arms around me. “No one thinks you’re a lecherous reject. In fact, we think you’re amazing. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Remind me to never piss you off.” Tripp leans in with a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’m not sure about a few of the words you used, but it was totally hot.”
Declan comes to stand in front of me, his expression remorseful. “Please accept my apologies for Raven’s behavior and making you feel so unwelcome. We’d like to get to know you better. The sacrifices you’ve made for your family are honorable. Finn’s a lucky son of a bitch. Don’t be too hard on him.”
They walk out, shutting the door and leaving me with Finn. The enormity of what I just did comes crashing down, and I sway as my knees buckle. Finn’s in front of me in a flash, picking me up and sitting us on the couch.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe the things I said. That was the mother of all hissy fits.”
“Like Tripp said, it was hot.”
I drop my head as mortification creeps up my back. “That was
psycho. I’ve never lost my temper like that before. How embarrassing.”
“Look at me.” He gently tilts my head up, giving me no option to hide. “That wasn’t embarrassing. That was passionate, and it was also true. When I walked in and heard you, it gave me hope.”
“How long have you been here?”
“The whole time. I was already here when they drove up. Hid around the corner and watched them let themselves in. Pretty sure Tripp saw me, and that’s why he left the door cracked.”
“You were here? How’d you know I was home?”
“We’ll get to that in a minute. There are other things we need to discuss. First of all, I’m sorry Raven made you feel unwelcome. I’m even more sorry her words hurt you to the point of questioning our time together. No one’s more surprised at her actions than me. She’s never been this way before.”
“Are you defending her?”
“Hell no, I’m telling you the absolute truth. But I took care of it. She knows where I stand.”
“Where is that?”
The hand holding my chin moves around my neck, his fingers tangling in my hair. “Wherever you are is where I’m going to be. She pushes you away, she pushes me away. When I heard what she said, the way she said it, and the way she insulted you, I went ballistic. The thought of losing you was like a scorching knife slicing through my heart. For the last three days, I’ve been drowning in a pool of misery. Knowing you believed her was the worst part, because you don’t know the whole story—a story I never wanted to tell you. But she’s forced my hand. So, while I wallowed in misery, I’ve watched you come and go, trying to figure out how to explain things. I couldn’t sleep at night without knowing you were either here or with Reese, safe.
“Then last night it hit me, exactly what to say. That’s why I was here this morning.”
“What are you going to say?”