Broken Pieces Read online

  “Okay.”

  “Okay, goodnight,” he says, and then he turns, looking back to us as she heads to her room. When she is out of sight, JJ bellows, “That will not stand, Cyrus.”

  “It will. She needs space. She needs to feel like a person. Leave her be. I will talk to my father.”

  With wide eyes, I look back to JJ. I have to admit, I’m impressed. Glaring, JJ shakes his head before turning and leaving without saying another word. Reaching out, I squeeze my brother’s shoulder. “I’m proud of you, Cyrus.”

  My brother grins, shrugging his shoulders. “I learned from the best—the future leader of this clan. You’ve made me a better person, brother, and I’m proud to be yours.”

  I’m completely taken aback by his admission, and I almost crack a joke, but his eyes are so serious. Squeezing him once more, I feel pride burst in my chest as I nod. “Thanks.”

  But I wish that was enough, to know that my siblings respect and love me, that they believe I could one day be the best leader this clan will ever have.

  But I have no love in my soul.

  And because of that, it will never be enough.

  Rolling to my side, I let out a deep breath as I reach for my phone. I have a meeting today with my family, but I’d much rather stay in this bed. I haven’t gotten much sleep the last couple days, and while I know I won’t sleep, I don’t want to leave the comfort of my bed. Turning my phone on, since I thought maybe having it off last night would help me sleep, it automatically starts sounding with texts. It’s Taegan.

  Taegan: I know we sort of broke up the other night, but I want to come see you.

  Taegan: Can I come see you?

  Taegan: No, then. Wow, you were serious.

  Taegan: Why does that hurt so much?

  Taegan: Wow. Okay. Well, I love you.

  Letting out another long breath, I write her back quickly.

  Me: I shut my phone off last night to sleep. If it were on, I’d play on it. I’m sorry I missed your texts, but it was probably for the best, don’t you think?

  Taegan: Yeah, I guess.

  Me: You’re mad.

  Taegan: No, my heart is broken.

  Me: So is mine.

  Taegan: I love you.

  Me: I love you.

  Taegan: Do you want me to stop texting you?

  Me: If it will hold you back from living your life, then maybe so.

  Taegan: I don’t know.

  Me: Neither do I.

  When she doesn’t answer back right away, I set my phone down, running my fingers through my hair and then down my face. Each bump of my scars graze my hand as my eyes fall shut, and I just feel empty. Wrong. I don’t want to say good-bye, nor do I want to stop loving her. This is all such bullshit. Standing up, I go to the bathroom, showering before getting ready to go down to the meeting. I’m unsure what it is about, but I am sure it will be so much fun.

  Not.

  Checking my phone once I’m dressed, I see Taegan hasn’t answered back, and I don’t know if that is a good thing or a bad one. Swallowing hard, I tuck my phone into my pocket before heading down to my father’s office. When I get there, Father, JJ, and Samuel are waiting.

  “Oceanus.”

  “Father,” I say, sitting down and crossing my arms over my chest. “Where are Cyrus and Rebekah?”

  “They’re on their way, I’m sure, but while I have you,” my father says, and I lean back, fully expecting to be reamed for the way the meeting went with Fredrick. “If you ever talk to me the way you did yesterday, in front of the other clans, I will make sure you never, in the rest of your existence, lead this clan.”

  I nod. “I apologize for having an opinion.”

  His eyes narrow with a glare. “It is your job to do what is best for this clan.”

  “And what’s best for this clan is to have a free mind as I lead them, not to be distracted by a girl or any of that other mess, especially when my heart isn’t in it.”

  “No one said you had to love the girl, just marry her,” he says, and I scoff.

  “Because that’s fair to her, for me to never love her or even want her. No, I refuse.”

  “We know,” he snaps, his eyes still narrowed with anger.

  “But while we are discussing my leadership, when will that happen?”

  “We—”

  “Soon,” Samuel says then. I look to him, as does my father. “It’s well past time, and we’ve discussed traveling, William. It’s time, I feel.”

  “Well, I don’t,” my father snaps, and Samuel laughs as Cyrus comes in, looking around the room.

  “We’ll discuss this later,” Samuel says as Cyrus sits down, his eyes meeting mine.

  “What can’t I know?”

  “Hush,” Father says, his narrowed gaze landing on my brother. “I was told you demanded JJ leave Rebekah be.”

  Cyrus shrugs. “Yeah. So?”

  “So you don’t control that!”

  He affects a bored expression as the door opens, and Rebekah comes in, looking beyond tired. Her hair is in a mess on her head, like she hadn’t tried after staying up all night. It makes me think she went down to see the shifter, but surely not with JJ being home.

  “How nice of you to join us,” Father says, and she drops into a seat between Cyrus and me, her eyes on our father.

  “Let’s do this,” she says impatiently, and I’m unsure what is going on. She’s a tad bit angrier than normal.

  “Did you not get any sleep last night, Rebekah?” Cyrus asks, and she shakes her head.

  “I’m fine.”

  He scoffs. “Oh, sure, you’re not angry at all,” he teases, and she glares back at him, which he thinks is funny.

  When my father clears his throat, Rebekah looks from Cyrus to our father. But I watch her. She doesn’t seem to have anything wrong, physically, but I worry about mentally. Has the shifter been messing with her mind?

  Before I can ask her if she is okay, my father speaks. “I really don’t know what to think, but I’m pretty sure the threat against Rebekah is over. With this Killian person gone, I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”

  What the hell? Sitting up, I lean on the table and say, “I don’t know, Father. Rebekah told me she heard from some drunk shifter that Christiana had shifted into Samuel and came in here for Rebekah some time ago. I fixed the problem, hence the new bracelets everyone has, but maybe we should stay on high alert for a little longer.”

  “What’s the point? We’ve been on high alert, and people have still gotten to me. I can take care of myself, I’ve proved that time and time again,” Rebekah snaps from beside me, causing me to look over at her.

  Before my father can speak, Cyrus nods his head. “She can. I’ve seen it.”

  “Me too,” I say, clearing my throat. “But I still feel the extra security is needed.”

  “But not JJ?” she asks, and my brows come up as I look to her.

  “I never thought you needed JJ, my sister, but it does help to have him.”

  “I get not being able to go anywhere,” she says, looking to our father. “Until we get a formula that works, that’s fine. But I don’t want to be babysat. I want to be my own person.”

  “She did great while you guys were gone, which is what I wanted to speak to you about, Father,” Cyrus says, and to my surprise, Father nods his head.

  “And that’s fine. JJ will only accompany you if, for some reason, you leave, which you won’t until your immortality is intact.”

  “But why will I need him then?” she asks, and even I am confused. “If I’m immortal, I can leave, go do what I want, just like everyone else.”

  But Father shakes his head. “I don’t know about that yet. Let’s wait and see.”

  Crap. That’s not what she wants to hear, and I can tell that by the way her face twists in anger. Before she can go off, though, I notice my brother’s hand come to hers before he whispers, “Baby steps.”

  She glares at him, and I don’t blame her.