Way Back Home

Chapter 2

The city lights of Los Angeles stretched out beneath me as the plane began its descent. Eight years since I'd seen those familiar streets, but they hadn't left me. They never would. I'd spent every one of those years thinking about this moment-what it would be like to come back, to face them after disappearing into the night without a trace.

My heart raced as the wheels touched down. No more running. I was home.

As I stepped off the plane and made my way through the terminal, I tried to calm the storm inside me. But it was impossible. Seeing Devin after all this time, facing the questions from Mason, Nicolas, and Vincent-it all felt like a weight pressing against my chest. Would they hate me? Would they understand why I left? And could I even begin to explain the darkness that had swallowed me whole?

I spotted Devin before he saw me. Tall, broad-shouldered, every inch the CEO now. His suit was crisp, perfectly tailored, as always. But I could see the tension in his stance, the way he kept checking his phone. It was 5 a.m., and the airport was quiet except for the sound of early morning travelers. I could hear my own footsteps echoing as I walked toward him.

He turned, his eyes locking onto mine instantly. For a moment, neither of us moved. His face was a mixture of disbelief, relief, and something I couldn't quite place-maybe anger, or maybe it was grief. He'd lost a sister eight years ago, and now I was standing in front of him, a ghost came back to life.

"Tori," he breathed, his voice barely a whisper. His eyes scanned me as if trying to make sure I was really there.

"Hey, Dev," I replied, my voice smaller than I'd intended. I tried to smile, but it faltered.

Without another word, he crossed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around me. For a second, I stiffened-unsure how to respond. But then I sank into the embrace. The weight of the last eight years fell away, and for the first time in so long, I felt something close to safe.

"We need to get home," he said, pulling back but keeping a hand on my shoulder as if I might vanish again. "The others... they don't know yet."

A shiver ran down my spine. Facing Devin was hard enough, but the thought of walking into that mansion, seeing Vincent again... I swallowed hard and nodded.

The drive through Beverly Hills was surreal. The palm trees, the sprawling estates, the glittering city skyline-it was like stepping into a life that didn't belong to me anymore. Devin drove in silence, his jaw clenched, lost in thought. I wondered what was going through his mind. Did he resent me for leaving? For putting him in the position of keeping my secrets all these years?

As we pulled up to the mansion, my breath caught. It was just as I remembered-imposing and elegant, the kind of house that screamed wealth and power. The sprawling grounds, the grand stone facade, the perfectly manicured lawns. This place had been my home, but now it felt foreign. Like it belonged to someone else.

Devin parked, and before I could brace myself, the front door swung open. Mason was standing there, leaning casually against the doorway. He hadn't changed much-still the cool, composed brother who always had everything under control. His eyes narrowed when he saw me step out of the car.

"Well, well," he said, his voice low and edged with sarcasm. "Look who decided to show up."

"Hi, Mase," I mumbled, feeling like a child caught sneaking past curfew.

He shook his head, pushing off the doorframe. "Do you have any idea-" He stopped himself, exhaling sharply. "Devin told us you were coming, but seeing you here..." He ran a hand through his hair, looking like he didn't know whether to hug me or throttle me.

Before he could decide, Nicolas appeared behind him, his face etched with confusion. "Tori?" His voice cracked, and he stepped forward slowly. Nicolas had always been the sensitive one, the one who took things to heart. Seeing the pain in his eyes hit me harder than I expected.

"It's me," I whispered, unable to meet his gaze.

Then came the one I was dreading most-Vincent. He stood at the top of the staircase inside, his silhouette shadowed by the early morning light filtering through the mansion. His expression was unreadable as he stared down at me. I hadn't seen him since that night-since I left without a word, leaving him alone in our shared apartment. He had every right to hate me.

We locked eyes, and the silence was deafening. His face was a mask of calm, but I knew him better than anyone. I could see the storm brewing behind those eyes, the questions, the hurt.

"Vin..." I started, but the words died in my throat.

"You disappeared," he said, his voice cold. "You left me without a word. No note. Nothing. Eight years, Tori."

Guilt crashed over me, choking me with the weight of it all. "I'm sorry," I managed to say, my voice barely audible.

"Sorry?" His jaw clenched, and he took a step closer. "You think sorry is enough? You just vanished on us. On me. Do you know what that did to us? To me?"

"I didn't have a choice," I said, my voice cracking. "You don't understand-"

"Then make us understand!" he snapped, his voice finally breaking, raw with emotion. "Where the hell have you been, Tori?"

The weight of their stares pressed down on me. Devin, Mason, Nicolas... and Vincent. I had no idea how to explain the years I'd spent in hiding, running from the danger that had followed me like a shadow. No way to make them understand the fear, the helplessness, the choices I had to make to keep them safe.

"I can't tell you everything right now," I said, my voice shaking. "But I'm here. And I'm not running anymore."

For a moment, no one spoke. The air was thick with tension, every second stretching out painfully. Then Devin broke the silence.

"Let's get inside. We'll figure this out."

Reluctantly, they nodded, and I followed them into the house that once felt like home. But this wasn't the end-it was just the beginning of facing the consequences of my choices. I'd come back to end things, but in doing so, I'd opened a door that could never be closed.