I hadn’t meant to confess that, and the tears in my eyes grew heavy as I took in Kiera’s horrified expression. She swallowed back her emotion so she could speak, and once she did, I instantly wished she hadn’t. “He didn’t know…Maybe you should see him so you can tell him, so you can finally talk about this stuff with someone.”

I didn’t need her implying that I was broken again. I wasn’t. Needing movement, I brushed past her. “I don’t need to talk about it, Kiera. I’m fine.” I started pacing, started embracing the anger I felt brewing. “And I don’t need to see him…ever. Besides, I do have family. I have one aunt who despises me as much as my mom did. But I don’t care. I don’t need them. I’m fine on my own.” I strongly suspected Mom had told her sister the lie, that I was the result of her being raped, and that was why my aunt hated me. I wasn’t sure…I’d never asked her, and I was never going to ask her. Because none of it fucking mattered.

Kiera stepped in front of me, halting my movement and calling me on my bluff. “That’s just it, you aren’t on your own anymore. You have family members out there that want to get to know you.” I tried to look away, but she followed me, reinserting herself in my eyeline. “You have a sister, Kellan…don’t you want to know her?”

That eased some of my anger. Yes, I did want to know her. And Riley. Looking over Kiera’s shoulder, I told her that my family was bigger than she knew. “Hailey told me I have a brother too…” A brother I’d yet to talk to directly. I hated that I hadn’t.

There was happiness in Kiera’s voice when she said, “Hailey? Is that your sister?”

I nodded, then looked down at her. “I gave her my cell number once she told me who she was, and we’ve kept in contact.” Remembering our conversations made me smile, made me laugh a little. “She’s pretty funny. Pretty smart too. We’ve been talking a lot lately…she’s a good kid.”

Kiera’s eyes widened. “That’s who Jenny saw you talking to on the phone when she was visiting Evan? Your sister, right?”

Confused, I shook my head. “Jenny? In Texas?” Glancing away, I tried to remember Jenny’s visit. I supposed I had been on the phone with Hailey a few times while she’d been there, but why would Kiera ask Jenny about that? Why would me on the phone seem weird to her? Unless…

My eyes returned to Kiera. “Is that why you thought I was cheating on you? Because Jenny saw me laughing on the phone with someone else?”