Pawned Virtue - #wattys2015 BK4 TPBS - Completed 1st draft

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Not edited.

Lucas and Keiran were sitting at the desk in the office. Lucas couldn't drag his eyes away from the screen.

That was his sister. His younger sister. She looked like him. Same hair. Same eyes... same wariness beneath them. The more be looked the more he realised if she was male then she could easily pass as his twin. Though she'd probably be better looking.

How could his father keep such a huge secret from him? Even his mother didn't mention anything... did she know?

"I went looking further and..."

"What?" Lucas turned quickly to look at Keiran. His eyes darting back to the screen as Keiran clicked on a small blue link.

"She knows she has a brother and talks about not seeing her father for a few years but they talk every week."

Lucas fell back in his chair. She knew about him? She knew...

"Lucas? She says she wants to meet her brother one day."

His mouth dropped open. Surely...no... why... what... no... the words Keiran spoke finally making sense.

Seconds passed to minutes and he gulped down the bile that spread through his mouth before it invaded his mind. His father had been keeping contact with Gemma. No doubt supporting her as a true parent should. Then why? Why hide the fact that she was born? His mother knew of his affairs so why keep a child a secret all this time? Ellie was one of many and he shifted his eyes back to the screen and spoke out loud the question he tried to force to the back of his mind without success.

"I wonder how many more brothers and sisters I have?"

"Well" Keiran began "if you have any more then Gemma doesn't know about them."

"How can you be so sure?"

"It's there in front of you Lucas. Her facebook profile is open for the world to see. She talks about her older brother who got married nearly two years ago. She talks about a father who lives in England. She talks about " he grinned "a mother who's like a bítch on heat, but nowhere does she mention any other children."

Lucas was looking at him intently.

"Seriously... seventeen?"

"I'll be eighteen in two days!" Keiran boastly quickly "Tara and me are going clubbing and..." he stopped as Lucas' expression narrowed "well... um..."

"I believe my wife is only seventeen."

"Nope. She's older than me. Her birthday was a while back" he stopped talking again as he saw the wince Lucas gave to his statement before speaking quickly "You weren't together. It was when she moved in with us and..."

"and I forgot" Lucas said flatly before running a hand over his face.

"It wouldn't have made any difference" Keiran said matter of factly "She didn't want a fuss made and it took everything we had to get her to agree with a simple dinner out at a restaurant."

"Still... she's my wife and..."

"Oh for God's sake Lucas. She didn't want to know you. It woudn't matter what you did she wouldn't have accepted it."

He shook his head and made a promise to Tara that he'd make up for it... soon.

"Ok. Look. We know where Gemma is. At least she's in one of the best places to study and board in. So" his mind was running a thousand miles an hour "I think I need to talk with Grayson for a bit."

Keiran nodded and left the office, leaving Lucas to make his call. He himself had his own worries about Ellie and Tara.

Where the hell did things go from here?

Damon and Maxon were waiting in the kitchen. They knew what Keiran was telling Lucas and while they both would have preferred to be in the room they didn't want him to feel overwhelmed. The potential of him being confused had them waiting until they were needed.

They talked quietly as they listened for footsteps through the house. The appearance of Keiran shocked them both as he walked into the room.

"He's talking to Grayson" were the only words he said as he walked to the fridge and grabbed a can of lemonade before he joined the men at the table.

"Where the hell do we go from here? That man down there is a wreck. Is Tara really safe or will Ellie's minions cause problems? How many other secrets is his Dad hiding?"

Keiran slumped in his chair as Damon and Maxon looked at one another.

"I plan to speak with Marcus this evening" Damon started before Maxon cut in.

"We'll all be talking to him. He has a lot he needs to tell us about."

"Well he needs to man up and be a fúcking adult then because this" Keiran waved his hand at nothing in particular "this is shít."

Damon looked at him with a wry smirk.

"You know, for someone your age, I'm glad you're in our corner and not an enemy."

Keiran stood up before he replied.

"I may not have the resources that Lucas has but I do have my loyalty. As much as I like you all and consider you all to be friends if not family, my first priority is to my sister. She's lived through so much shít she deserves to be happy and I for one intend to make sure she gets it in every way possible."