Chapter 4

I shift restlesslyby the arrival gates. The airport is nearly deserted at this hour. I hope it pays that I bought a one-way ticket to Vegas so I can spot my sister right as she disembarks the plane, instead of waiting outside like everyone else. If I'm lucky, she might only have her carry-on, and we'll get the fuck out of here soon.

I check the monitor one more time. The plane landed already, but the gate hasn't opened yet. I just don't understand why it's taking so long. Suddenly, there's some commotion. The doors swing open, and at last, the passengers finally begin streaming into the airport.

My sister is usually one of the first passengers to exit the plane. But not tonight. Fuck, did she miss her flight? I scrub my face with one hand and rub the back of my neck with the other. Did she miss her connecting flight in LaGuardia?

People continue to walk through the door, but not her. If I call Mom to let her know that Lyric isn't here, she's going to worry. I'll wait until I figure out where we lost Lyric. Yep, she's probably stuck in Queens, New York.

My shoulders relax when I spot her. She's just an inch shy of six feet, towering over most people around her as usual.

Lyric Decker commands attention in every way—not just with her height but with her very presence. She's larger than life.

Eagerly, I move forward to greet her, but too soon, my feet freeze in place as if cemented to the floor. Beside her stands someone I never imagined I'd see today, or, if she had it her way, ever. The sight of her sends my heart into a dizzying tailspin.

"No fucking way," I mutter under my breath, pulse kicking into overdrive.

It can't be.

But there's no denying it—it's her.

Ameline.

My Ameline stands almost before me, pulling me in with her distinctive, captivating beauty. Her chestnut hair pinned into a messy bun. Some strands fall around her face, framing her striking hazel eyes, which now stare deep into mine.

Ameline can't hide her emotions. Not from me. There's hate, resentment, and . . . I can't make out the rest because she blinks them away.

Her presence and those beautiful eyes create a rush of emotions that floods through me, leaving me momentarily breathless.The utter shock of seeing Ameline after endless years apart sends electricity jolting through my veins. The memories of our time together rush through my head. The best and worst parts of my life. The losses . . . we lost too much.

I lost her.

The numbness in my heart is replaced by searing pain.

I brace myself as they approach, pretending to be calm and together. But internally, a hurricane of feelings roils inside me, threatening to rupture through the crumbling fa?ade.

"Gabe," Lyric's voice cuts through the haze inside my head. She covers the last bit of distance in a few long strides, enveloping me in a fierce hug.

"Hey, how was your trip?" I ask, trying to steady my voice. But my mind is racing, and I keep glancing back at Ameline, unsure whether to greet her or keep my distance. Because that's exactly what she made me promise before she left. If I ever cared for her I should never, ever talk to her again.

That was long ago though.

It's been an eternity—too fucking long since the last time I saw her. Since the last time we spoke and broke each other's hearts.

"Great, and . . ." Lyric glances around with a frown as Ameline silently begins walking away from us. My sister's voice trails off as she releases me to go after Ame.

"Ameline, don't leave," Lyr calls out, reaching to hold her elbow. Then, she turns her attention back to me. "Look who I bumped into at LaGuardia."

Ameline hesitates, then offers an awkward wave. "Hey," she murmurs, but as much as she's trying to look casual, she can't hide the unease in her body language. "It was nice seeing you again, Lyric. Say hello to your parents."

As Ame begins to walk away, Lyric moves to stop her. "Wait, we can give you a lift wherever you need to go."

"Thanks, but I was just about to call a car," Ameline responds, holding up her phone.

I can't help but sigh, trying not to show my frustration. It's too late at night and too dangerous for her to be in the streets with a fucking stranger. Though, some things never seem to change. Ameline, as always, seems oblivious to the concept of self-preservation. Plus, she hates accepting help from others, especially if it's from me.

Against my better judgment, I say, "We can take you wherever you need to go."

Ame presses her lips together, a flicker of indecision crossing her face.

"You need to come with us," Lyric insists. "We still have so much catching up to do."

"Um . . . I guess, sure," Ameline says with a fake smile.

I probably should let her go. Do what she does best, disappear and . . . okay, I should let the past go for a moment and just give her a ride to . . . "And where would you like us to take you?" I ask because she probably doesn't have a hotel reservation.

Why spend money on something she won't use until tomorrow night? I want to lift her off the ground and drag her to my car, instead of waiting for an excuse or for her to disappear. She should at least let me check her, make sure that the tumor hasn't come back, and . . . Let her go, I tell myself. Just move on and let her go.

Ameline glances at her phone again before shaking her head. "Don't worry about it. You two go ahead. I'll manage," she suddenly says, dismissing the offer with a wave.

Without another word, Ameline turns and strides off, leaving us staring after her.

"That was odd," Lyric frowns. "She was so friendly during the flight, and now . . ."

"Odd?" I echo, keeping my tone neutral, because seriously, what the fuck?

Okay, I'm not sure what I expected would happen if I ever saw Ameline again. She was pretty clear about not wanting to ever see me again.

In my defense, she came to my turf and was with my sister. I blame her for this encounter. But why is she here?

"You two used to be so close. I mean, she was your roommate, and we helped her when she was getting treatment. Now . . ." Lyric gives me a searching look. "Did something happen between you two, and you just never mentioned it?"

I shake my head, maintaining a neutral expression, because the less she knows about what happened between Ame and me the better. It'll be pretty weird to suddenly say, "Well, you know, we got married, but for several reasons I won't disclose, we couldn't make it work and she left me brokenhearted."

"Nope. She moved across the country, and we lost touch," I say with an indifferent tone. "It's not like I keep tabs on every old roommate I've had. Do you?"

"No, I don't either." Lyric's gaze follows Ameline's retreating figure. "She looked good, though, didn't she?"

I deflect her comment because the less I think about Ameline, the better. I don't need to ponder on how beautiful she looks. She looks so much older and more mature. Like a woman I would ask out for a cup of coffee, dinner, or to even share the rest of my life with me.

But it's best if I forget all about her and this moment. I should concentrate on my family. "Why are you here?" I ask. "I don't understand why you cut your trip short."

She chuckles. "Maybe Ameline left because you don't know social etiquette anymore. You didn't even say hello when you saw her," she says, narrowing her gaze.

Lyric is trying to figure out my behavior. She's not buying the whole ‘I lost track and don't care anymore.'

"I didn't?" I pretend to yawn. "Well, I'm too tired. I must've forgotten."

"Well, let me give you a little refresh." She squares her shoulders. "You're supposed to tell the person that arrived, ‘Hello, how was your trip? It's good to see you.'"

"I'd like to say that it's great to see you. Except I heard you're here for an intervention." I cut to the chase. "I don't know why my work seems to be an issue among the family."

She laughs and rakes a hand through my hair. "We're worried about you, sure, but that's not why I'm here."

"Then what is it?" I frown, as we walk toward baggage claim. "Is it Ameline?"

"What?" She shakes her head. "No, I mean now I'm slightly concerned about her—since she came to visit her estranged sister."

That news strikes me as odd, and I can't help but feel uneasy about it. "Are they on speaking terms again?"

Lyric shakes her head. "No. This is the first time Izzy has contacted Ameline since the family disowned her." She bites her lip. "Should we be worried?"

I'm bothered by this, but I intend to keep my distance from Ameline because I promised I would. Even when she wouldn't believe me, I loved her. Loved her like I never did anyone before, and I doubt I'll ever love like that again.

"Let's not worry about her. We should concentrate on you," I state. "If this visit isn't about me, then who?"

"It's Harper," she says grimly, pressing her lips together.

Apprehension spikes through me as we head toward the luggage carousels. "What's going on with Harp?"

Lyric puts a hand on my chest, halting my steps. "Listen. We're handling it, okay? Nothing is confirmed yet."

I cross my arms, jaw tightening. "I should be included in the part of ‘handling this.' If anything happens to any of you?—"

"Stop it, Gabe. We adore when you take your role of big brother seriously, but we need you to sit down for this one," Lyric states, meeting my gaze. "That's exactly why the Decker women are in charge of this operation: Pipe, Winnie, Gracie, Indie, and I will handle everything."

I give her a stern, concerned look.

"You, Jude, and the rest of the Decker men are too volatile," she states.

"Lyric, I need to know if our sister is in some kind of trouble so I can fix it," I insist.

"I'm fine. As always, I appreciate your concern," Lyric says calmly.

"Don't play games, Lyr. What is going on with Harper?" I press.

She gives me a half-smile. "As I said, we've got things handled."

"Gracie is busy with the baby," I remind her.

Lyric shoots me a look, hands on her hips. "You men really think we can't manage anything without you."

"Yet you needed me to come get you," I point out.

"Not really. Mom insisted that I let her arrange who'd pick me up since I was arriving too late. I'm glad it wasn't her since I need to dodge Mom's questions right now," she admits. "So, where am I staying?"

I smile slightly. "With me, of course."

I grab her bags as we head toward the parking lot. That's when I spot Ameline sitting alone on a bench, waiting.

"She's still here. We should offer her a ride," Lyric says. Before I can react, she strides over to Ameline.

"Leave it alone," I say with a warning, chasing after her.

"Really, you wouldn't care if something happened to her because she stayed alone at the airport?" Lyric instigates.

Of course I care, but what can I do? Obviously, there's a part of me that wants to call Uncle Mason or Finnegan so I could get a security detail to watch over Ameline not only while she's waiting for a car, but during the rest of her life. But I lost the right to watch after her, or maybe I never had it. Who the fuck knows?

"See, this is what I don't understand. You've always had a thing for her but never acted on it," Lyric says.

I stare at her stoically, making sure that she doesn't see through me. I won't admit or deny the allegation. We have to stop discussing Ameline.

"Well, if you won't do anything, I will." Lyric makes a beeline toward Ame.

I groan, trying to decide what to do next or how to stop my sister.

This is what Deckers do best—pick up strays. It's ingrained in our DNA to help anyone in need.

However, those good deeds often come back to bite us. It's the old saying: the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I'm done with unintended consequences, which include assisting Ameline. She could have changed over the past decade, but I doubt she's stopped being stubborn.

But in truth, I can't ignore her. With a sigh, I haul my sister's bags over to the bench where she now sits next to Ameline.

My patience has run thin and tomorrow I have a lot to do. Though I would love to say fuck you two and figure out your ride I look at Ameline and say firmly, "Let's head out now. Lyric has been traveling all day, and I'm sure you want to rest, too."

She gives me a challenging glare.

Fuck, she's so fucking stubborn. I glare back as if saying, you either come peacefully or I'll throw you over my shoulder and take you with me.

Well, I wouldn't do it, but I want to so badly.

"It's okay. I just need to wait a few hours," Ameline replies.

"Nonsense, you should come with us," Lyric urges. "Otherwise, I'll have to keep you company here."

I give Ameline an impatient look. With a sigh, she realizes I'm very close to losing my shit. With a defeated look she finally stands up.

It's hard not to smile, but I do my best to make sure I don't gloat. "Where's your luggage?" I ask.

"This is it." She shows me her backpack. "This is just a day-ish trip."

"You said you'll probably leave on Friday, or Sunday," Lyric adds.

Ameline glances at her and smiles. It's a particular smile that means, ‘shut up right now or I might lose my shit.' Somehow knowing her moods makes me feel better, in control. It's like old times when I knew every little detail about her.

I stretch out a hand. "Either way, why don't you give me the backpack. I'll carry it for you."

"I can carry it myself," she protests.

"No doubt, but I'll handle it on the way to the car," I state firmly, discreetly pointing at my sister.

She's making this awkward and weird. Lyric might start to ask questions and . . . I'm not sure if either one of us wants to give any answers. Would I care to tell them what I hid so long ago?

"Thank you," Ame mumbles, trying to sound normal but I can hear the sound of discomfort.

Lyric, blissfully unaware of the tense atmosphere, links her arm through Ameline's with a cheerful smile. "Lead on, big brother."

Can I get through this impromptu visit?

She didn't come for you, I remind myself. And I don't know if that hurts more than knowing she doesn't give two fucks about me anymore. This is going to be a fucking nightmare.

Only a few hours, I tell myself.

A few hours and she'll disappear again from my life.

I can endure it.

I've survived worse.

I survived her absence . . . having her around shouldn't be as painful.

So why does even her nearness stir up memories I've tried in vain to forget? It's as if the door I locked on our past is splintering, cracked open by her unexpected presence. Strange how she can still unravel me with just a glance. But I refuse to be pulled back into her orbit. This time, I'll be the one to disappear.