Suddenly Luna pulls her daughter close, kissing the side of her head and whispering something that I strain to catch but can’t. Haven’t seen Luna like this with Soph since she was seven years old or something close to then.
Releasing her she says in a normal volume, “You ever need me, I’m here, understand? I’m hard on you, Sofia, but that’s because you need your lessons rough.”
Soph nods like the little girl I grew up with, not the powerful, badass bitch that she’s become. I frown as I see the softness in her eyes, the gratitude that her mother said such a kind thing to her at a time like this.
She looks fucking beautiful, and I’m struck by a desire to hold her, too.
Jealousy flits to my brother.
It’s subconscious.
I don’t mean to glare at him.
I don’t even know I’m doing it until he cocks his head, eyeing me like, what the fuck?
I drop my rage to the tattered rug and walk down the hall. Need to get out of this house. Do a job on the road to clear my head.
Tonk Jr. walks out of one of our sitting rooms, “Hey, Luke, can I talk to you for a second?”
Frowning I stay my path. “No.”
He stares after me as I march through the kitchen, TV room on the right, then explode outside, old screen door clattering objection to the abuse.
Dragging angry hands through my hair I keep right on walking, ancient oak trees on both sides of me.
Atlas shouts my name. I don’t look back. He shouts again, “Luke!” and the sound of grass making way for running boots lets me know he’ll never let me ignore him.
Stopping right here, memories thick in my mind, I wait. He faces me, eyes narrowed with questions. We’re daring the other to speak first.
He demands, “What’s up with you lately?”
“Nothing.”
“You’ve been weird with me.”
I hook my thumbs in my front pockets. He crosses his arms. And we stare.
He’s my best friend.
I’m his.
But right now I want to punch him because he was with her.
And that ain’t right.
“How long has it been going on?”
“What?”
I throw him a look. “You know what.”
“No, I don’t.”
“You think I’m stupid?”
“I know you are.”
This yanks a reluctant smile from me. He returns it, but his eyes are faking innocence, which means he knows. Atlas is as innocent as I am.
“How long have you been fucking Sofia Sol?”
He takes a step back. “How long have I been what? That’s crazy! She’s forbidden fruit and you know it!”
“Doesn’t mean you’re not lying through your teeth right now. The same teeth that were on her body, no doubt in my mind. And you’re wasting your time, she confessed.”
His pupils contract and he cocks his head, long hair lifted by a quick breeze at the ends. “No way she confessed shit.”
I sneer at him. “I called her out. She couldn’t deny it. Not believably. You don’t think I didn’t notice you looking at her? How you showed up late to the marsh for that gator? How her eyes darted to you when she was lying about some stupid ranch hand? How you’ve been following her around here, ever since!” I push him in the chest, and he corrects his footing. “You crossed a line!”
Anger flashes, innocence gone. “We’re adults now! If we want to fuck, that’s between me and Soph and no one else! Not even you, Luke!”
“Nothing is between just two people in this house and you know it!”
His nostrils flare and he pushes me, snarling, “It is between people who get married!”
My turn for shock, and boy is it strong.
The idea of Atlas taking Soph as his wife never occurred to me. Jealousy and fury comes hot, instantaneous, giving my tongue the taste of metal. I start to pace.
He watches me, eyes wary with intense concentration. “I see what it is now! You want her for yourself.”
My head pivots on its access. “You love her?”
He shoots back, “Do you?!”
My lip curls. “We’re done talking.”
A sardonic laugh ripples from my brother’s chest. “Oh yeah? You goin’ in to tell them all about what we did? You think that’s smart? Because everything will change.”
Leaning toward him I snarl, “I’m not telling anybody. You’ll do that when you get her a ring.” I storm away.
He sarcastically yells at my back, “That’s real nice of ya!”
I charge him, get in his face, “If you toy with her you’ll answer to me.”
“Toy with Soph?” he laughs. “You know that’s not possible. I love her like I love everyone in that house. And she can take care of herself.” He steps around me and heads off. I watch him go, glaring at his back and picturing the two of them together. That’s the problem. I can see every thrust he gave her. Every caress. Every kiss.
My imagination is my hell.
And now it’s all I have of her.
CHAPTER 10
SOFIA SOL
A ll the Ciphers who live here, convene in the TV room and adjoining kitchen with afternoon sunlight pouring in from open windows, the smell of food hovering in the air, Melodi’s incredibly spicy tacos we can’t get enough of but abandoned as soon as the landline rang. From everywhere in the house and outside, we raced, plates abandoned, to hear what that phone call was about.
Tyler, Melodi’s oldest who lives at the Montana house with his wife, Inez, is here, too. And he’s just as somber as everyone.
When Celia’s in trouble, we are, too. There is no separation. Everyone goes down when one does.
“They want me to go to the station for questioning,” Celia tells us all.
Dad exhales. “I’ll go with you.”
“You weren’t there,” I argue. “I’ll go.”
“You’re too close to this.”
Mom holds my look. “You’ll do anything to protect her.”
“Exactly!”
Carmen backs me up. “Sofia being there will steady my Celia, Luna.”
“I know you feel that way, but Sofia Sol walking into a police station is like bringing lighter fluid to a burning forest. She can’t handle
