Serving Leo [Book 4 of the Stavros Series] ✔️

28

It was like I was staring at the tooth fairy or Santa Claus. He couldn't be real. My brother could not be standing in front of me. My eyes were betraying me and eventually my vision would clear to show a man who resembled my brother.

But what I saw in front of me stayed the same.

"This isn't . . . you aren't . . ."

"Hold on a second," I noticed Leo speak up but his voice was in the back of my head. "You two are . . . ?"

"Come 'ere," Isaiah spoke, a grin on his lips. He took one giant step forward, reaching out for me. Instinctively I took a step backwards, getting out of his reach. He smile dropped into a frown. "Ives, come on. Stop playing around."

"You . . ." I seethed, my throat closing up and my eyes wet with tears, "you are supposed to be dead! I saw your dead body!"

He licked his lips, something I remember he did whenever he was caught in a lie by our parents. "I know what you thought you saw Ivory, but I'm alive. That's all that matters."

He reached for me again and I quickly dodged his hand, bumping into a table and knocking over a couple bottles of alcohol. "Don't touch me," I screamed, feeling the panic in me take control. "I don't trust you!"

"Ivory," he begged, his bright eyes shining in the light with desperation. "Don't say that."

"Do you know what the hell you put me through," I yelled, reaching for a bottle behind me. I blindly grabbed one and chucked it at his head. He ducked at the last second. The bottle smashed against the wall behind him while Leo's wide eyes rested on me.

"Darling," he said softly. "Calm down okay?"

"You bastard," I yelled again, charging at my brother. My fists found their way to his chest immediately. I punched him repeatedly, sobbing and screaming at the same time. Eventually he wrapped his large arms around me and encased me in a hug.

The fight in me gave out as he softly spoke into my ear. "I'm here Ives. I'm not going to leave you again."

I went limp against him. He sat us both down on the ground gently, rubbing my back and smoothing my hair out as I sobbed into his chest. I let out all the grief I held in for years, which was a lot. At one point Leo kneeled down beside us and grabbed my hand.

"How dare you," I whispered, my voice hitching on every word. "You made me mourn for a soul that was not lost."

"I was trying to protect you Ivory," he whispered back. I could hear the awkward hitches in his voice which made realize that he was crying too.

"How," I snapped, pulling away from him and into Leo's chest. "You left me alone! I had no one Isaiah!"

"I would rather you have no one then Adrik."

I sighed, feeling the same exhaustion I felt whenever I had this conversation with my brother. "Not this again Isaiah. You never wanted me to be with him."