Köhler Lies and Deception Book 11 of The Köhler Series

Complications

Xerxes was trying to wrap his head around everything that had happened that led up to this point. Melody... his lovable little sister, lied to them. He understood what happened to make her want to leave, but she should have known they had always worked through their problems. Yeah, it may have been the end of her and Valentino's relationship, but she still had her family to stand by her side. How could she not understand that's all she needed? She understood it for him, and he would have done the same thing for her. Yet, X was happy to have her back home. However, he couldn't stop thinking about what she hadn't told them.

He wasn't a fool. Xerxes knew there was more to her story, and one way or another, she was going to tell him. They all knew trust was a big thing in their family, and he wasn't about to break that chain with her. Melody was going to tell him the full truth, or she could leave. If they were about to be dragged into another war, he wanted to know about it before it was too late. It wasn't good he was thinking about what she could have done besides his father, who was getting open-heart surgery. He knew his dad was strong, but his heart stopped for a good six minutes, and it caused them to fear the worst.

"Xerxes.... Baby, it's cold out here. You need to come back inside." Xerxes turned to Riley with a sad smile causing her to quickly wrap around him. He wanted to break down but knew it wouldn't help a thing. X should have been the one in the operating room, but they also knew it wouldn't do any good. He had to trust his team... trust they would do everything possible to save his father's life. "I'm numb to the feeling. Ri, I don't know what I will do if I lose him. We don't know if this will bring him back or if it will be all for nothing. Fuck, BabyGirl, his heart stopped for six minutes... six minutes which means he could be brain dead."

"Okay, we're not going to talk like that, Adriel. Da Luca is strong, and he'll fight for his family... Ma Dele and his children. He knows we all need him; therefore, he's not going anywhere. That's what we have to believe. Plus, we got Mel back. It can't get any better than that." Riley was right, but it didn't mean Luca would fight the odds. However, it did give them hope. They had to hope he would get through this because he had to be there for their wedding and everything else. The Köhler Family couldn't survive without Luca Köhler.

"Are y'all trying to freeze to death?"

"Xavier—"

"No, but what are you doing out here?" Xerxes spoke, cutting off Riley before she could start fussing about their grown-ass son getting a cold since the boy didn't have the sense to put on a coat. She had to remember Zay took ice baths for fun, and he and the others loved to jump into the lake in the dead of winter. The cold didn't affect them.

"Oma sent me out here to check on you. She's worried, Dad... I'm worried."

"We, all, are Zay, and I don't have the answers since I'm not the one in there. We have to put our trust in my medical team, but I need you and Elias to do me a favor." Xavier cocked a brow, knowing X was about to say find out all the places Mel had been over the four years and who she was associating with. "Dad, you don't believe—"

"What I believe doesn't matter. Melody is my sister, and I know she wouldn't hurt us intentionally, but I have to make sure she didn't start some shit and brought it back here."

"Then talk to her. As you said, she's your sister, and I think you are avoiding her." Xerxes laughed. He hated how much his son was like them and how it seemed he could read his fucking mind. Xavier drove him crazy with the mess, and he knew it. Still, he was right. He needed to talk to Mel to find out exactly why she came back home.

"I will, but later. We need to focus on your Opa, and I want you to look into her life over the past four years. Riley go back in with Zay. I need a few more moments alone."