“You are not my mum or dad! You are bad people!” she screams at them, her tiny fists shaking with anger at her sides. “I hate you both. I hate you!” She runs right past them, straight down the beach, and I struggle with what to do. I don’t want to leave Raine while she is so upset, and I also don’t want to leave Phoebe.
“Phoebe!” mum shouts and kicks off her shoes, running after her down the beach. Good luck with that, Phoebe is quicker than she looks.
“I should—”
“Be with your friend. Phoebe deserves to be angry at us, and we will accept what has been due to us for a long time,” dad claims and walks back a few steps. He claps several times, catching everyone’s attention as I hug Raine, watching our people flood the beach around the helicopters.
“I am Clive Dawn and the leader of this island with my wife, Diana Violeta. We welcome you, and we will find you each a home, a job of your choice, and you will be safe here. The only rules of this city are as follows...”
He pauses as whispers break out around us, so many eyes bouncing between me and my guys as they surround us. Shadow catches my eyes as Silver, Ki-Ki and Hex join him in their hawk forms. They stand so proud together, and I can’t help but look at them instead of my dad as he makes his speech. “Murder, theft, violence of any kind against another person or animal is a death penalty if proven by a fair council. In some cases, there is a prison you will spend your life inside of instead. The rules of the island and our people will be given to you to study today. Now, familiar families will temporarily house you. Please wait here near the woods until cars arrive shortly.”
No one moves.
No one looks to him. They all stare at us. Alex, Mason and Liam look around before meeting my eyes. Somehow we have become their leaders, and this moment proves loyalty is something you earn, you don’t buy it.
Knowing I need to say something, I let Raine go a little to stand straight. “This is my father, Clive Dawn, and I believe he means only good for us. The city here is like nothing I have ever seen in the ways of peace and tranquillity. Please relax and wait for the cars by the woods.”
Everyone moves, and dad simply stares at me as they move around us. Whatever he is thinking, I can’t read in his eyes, and I turn away. I hug my best friend, letting her mourn her father who was a good man.
And Bethany stole his life away. How can I ever forgive her if she is hellbent on destroying everything and everyone in my life?
Chapter 7
Anastasia
One secret for three men.
Phoebe and our parents sit together on the beach near our hut, her tiny little body squished in the middle of them both, and her laughter drifts to my ears. It’s been two days since the guys brought her back, and they have played happy family literally from the beginning. A tiny part of me is happy for her, to see the joy in her eyes, but another side is worried. She was so attached to Aunt Courtney, and she let her down; now our parents could very well do the same thing. Warm arms wrap around my shoulders, and I immediately know it’s Mason even before his deep grumbling voice whispers to me. “We have the house to ourselves for possibly five minutes. Any chance I can steal you away to the bedroom?”
I chuckle, turning around in his arms and running my palms up his chest over his jumper. “I could be persuaded.”
“I love you, you know that?” he softly tells me, making my heart flutter uncontrollably in my chest. “I feel like I don’t tell you that often enough.”
Smiling, I lean up, brushing my lips across his. “You don’t have to tell me, I just know it, and that is far more important than words could ever be. I love you too, Mason.”
“There you two are!” Liam shouts, and Mason grumbles as we turn to see Liam and Alex walking up the deck.
“Where is Skye?”
“Your parents are having Skye and Phoebe overnight and taking them to some carnival,” Alex tells me, not looking or sounding impressed. “I don’t trust them, but I couldn’t say no to her. Whatever you and Skye do that makes me forget common sense and give in to your wishes, should be made illegal.”
“It’s called girl charm, and it’s a natural effect of being this awesome,” I tease, making all three of them laugh.
“So we have the place to ourselves for the night?” Mason asks, linking his fingers with mine as we head inside.
“Yep. I got us a movie and food. The markets here are incredible, everything is fresh,” Liam declares, his voice full of wonder. “And our people have just fit in here like it’s meant to be.”
“Raine is struggling,” I remind them. I spent the day with her, but she has gone into some kind of denial and is just loving the twins with her boyfriends. They have a cabin near the woods, and Estelle is staying with them all to help out with the babies. Hugh’s loss weighs heavily on her, and I’m sure it will just take time to heal. Time heals all wounds, but not in the way we expect. Time teaches us how to hold our wounds and not let them weigh us down or let their lessons be forgotten.
“How is she coping?” Alex asks as he sits on the couch, and I join him. Mason kisses the top of my head, going into the kitchen to see Liam. From the couch, I can see them both and know they are listening.
“Like
