Let them go

Chapter 26

Lucy POV

I needed to talk to Ezra.

I saw how hurt he got when detective Peter mentioned that Sienna could be behind the notes.

I didn’t want to think that she was so cruel. I didn’t want it to be true. What she said to me was enough. I didn’t want Ezra to hurt even more because of her.

I was looking toward the living room door, biting my lip, and trying to gather some courage to go talk to Ezra.

I didn’t need courage because I was afraid of him. I needed it because I knew that my heart would break if he was sad.

And he looked sad.

“Are you okay, Shortcake?” Dylan asked softly.

I looked at him and gave him a small nod.

“I need to talk to Ezra.” I said as I tried to stand up.

Theo pulled me back down.

“I will be in the kitchen, Theo.” I said softly.

Theo took a deep breath and nodded. He moved his arms, and I stood up.

I gave my family a small smile before I turned around and walked out of the living room.

I heard Liam’s quiet voice. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but his voice sounded soothing.

It was another sign that Ezra wasn’t okay.

He was hurting. My Bear was hurting.

I took a deep breath, released it slowly, and walked into the kitchen.

My brothers were sitting at the kitchen table, talking quietly. They looked up at me immediately.

“Hey, love.” Liam said, giving me a small smile. “Is everything okay?”

Ezra looked down at his hands, trying to hide his puffy eyes from me.

He was crying.

I wanted to scream.

“Can I talk to Ezra, please?” I asked quietly, keeping my eyes on him.

Ezra closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He glanced at Liam and gave him a small nod.

Liam stood up, approached me, and kissed my forehead.

“I love you, Sunshine.” Liam said softly.
I finally looked away from Ezra.

“I love you too, Bubba.” I said, giving a small smile to Liam.

He smiled back at me and looked at Ezra one more time before he left the kitchen.

Ezra looked up at me and gave me a fake smile.

“Is everything okay, honey?” he asked me.
I didn’t answer.

I approached him and pulled him into a hug.

“I am sorry, Ezra.” I said, trying to stop myself from crying.

Ezra wrapped his arms around me immediately.

“Why are you apologizing?” he asked, confused. “I am the one who should be apologizing to you.”

I looked at him and furrowed my eyebrows.

Ezra sighed and pulled me onto his lap.

“I brought her into our home.” Ezra said quietly, looking down at the table. “I let her near you. I let her do that to you. It’s my fault.”

Was he serious?

“No, it’s not.” I said immediately, making him look up at me. “How could you have known, Ezra? You love her. You saw a future with her. You wanted her to get to know your family. How could you be blamed for that?”

A tear fell on Ezra’s cheek, and my heart broke into a million tiny pieces.

I raised my hand and wiped his tears away.

“Honey, I…” Ezra started speaking, but I interrupted him.

I knew what he was going to say. The guilt in his eyes was proof enough.

“It’s not your fault, Ezra.” I said. “I don’t blame you. I could never blame you. I am angry at her because she hurt you. I am angry at her because she had an amazing guy in her life, and she just threw it all away. I am angry because we don’t even know why she did it. But all I feel for you is love, Ezra. Nothing else.”

By the time I was done talking, tears were running down Ezra’s cheeks like a waterfall.

“Oh, honey.” Ezra cried out as he pulled me into a tight hug. “I love you so fucking much. I am angry as well. I am angry that she hurt you. I am angry at myself because if it wasn’t for me, she would have never been able to come near you. But you made it a little easier, baby. Thank you for that.”

“You are welcome.” I said, feeling the first tear fall on my cheek. “And I love you so fucking much too.”

Ezra gasped and let me go.

“Language, little miss.” he said, giving me a playful glare.

I chuckled, and Ezra wiped the tears from my cheeks.

“I don’t think that she had anything to do with the notes.” I said quietly.

Ezra furrowed his eyebrows and bit his lips.

“I don’t know why I think that.” I continued. “Maybe because I don’t want her to hurt you even more.”

“Oh, honey.” Ezra said softly as he leaned in and kissed my cheek. “What did I do to deserve you?”

“You give the best hugs.” I said, smiling. “It was probably because of that.”

Ezra chuckled and pulled me into one of his bear hugs.

“I love you so much, my little girl.” Ezra said.

“I love you too, Bear.” I said, smiling.

Ezra held me tightly for a few minutes. I didn’t mind. I wanted him to hold me. I needed him to hold me.

I was actually kind of sad when he let me go. His hugs were so warm and comforting.

“Should we go back before Theo comes here looking for you?” Ezra asked, giving me a playful look. “I am afraid of his glare.”

I laughed and nodded. Theo’s glare really could be scary.

“I would be too.” I said as I stood up.

I took Ezra’s hand in mine, and we walked back to the living room.

Theo reached out for me as soon as he saw me.

Ezra kissed the top of my head and let my hand go.

I walked into Theo’s arms.

Noah took my hand in his and gave me a small smile. I smiled back at him.

“Are you okay, Ezra?” grandpa asked my brother softly.

“I am.” Ezra said, looking at me. “Lucy helped me a lot.”

Ezra smiled at me, and my heart grew double.

I helped him. I helped my brother.

“I am proud of you, Luce.” my uncle said.
I looked at him and smiled.

“So, it’s decided then?” Dylan asked, looking at Liam. “She won’t go to school until the bastard is caught?”

“Yes.” Liam nodded. “One of us will always be here with her. She won’t be left alone.”

“Yes, because Theo and I won’t go to school either.” Noah said, making Liam look at him.

“Don’t even try to fight us on it.” Theo said. “You will have to get a fucking bulldozer to drag me away. I am not going.”

Liam looked at Ezra, who sighed tiredly.

“We can talk about this tomorrow.” Ezra said.

“There is nothing to talk about.” Noah said, squeezing my hand tightly. “We are not going, and that’s the end of it.”

Liam sighed and looked at our family.

“Go home, guys.” Liam said. “We will see you tomorrow. We are going to bed.”

Our family started getting up. They kissed and hugged Theo, Noah, and me as they left to go home.

As soon as the door behind them closed, Liam stood up and opened his arms.

We looked at him questionably.

“Family hug.” he said. “Come on.”

A few seconds later, I was sandwiched between my four big brothers.

“I love you guys.” Liam said softly. “We will go through this together.”

We would.

We were a family. They would always be here for me, and I would always be here for them.

I couldn’t believe that I almost let Sienna make me forget that.