𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐍𝐄 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐑 is your average do-good lawyer on the rise to fame as a representative of young victims. Except her motivations aren't all that innocent. Rayne's only goal is to run from her past, to leave confrontation for the courtroom, no...
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𝗛e sat at the kitchen table holding a bottle of water, leaning on his palm as he watched Ruby run around the island over and over again giggling. Rayne sat across from him smiling at her, completely in awe of how fast her chubby little legs carried her around. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he was living a normal life.
"Zo go zoom zoom?" Ruby asked, staring at him with her big eyes.
He laughed and rubbed her head, "In a bit baby, I'm with our guest."
She nodded and ran down the hallway into the living room. Rayne looked over her shoulder, still smiling as she watched her stand before the TV and gape at it. She laughed to herself as she turned back to him; she had such a pretty smile.
"She's a character, isn't she?" he started the conversation.
"She is, but it's lovely. She has so much energy."
"That she does," he took a sip of his water.
"Also, I've been meaning to ask..."
"Hm?"
"Is Ruby's mother in the picture? Earlier you only mentioned her father."
Enzo shook his head, "She was for about six months of her life, but then things got too complicated in her personal life; she bumped heads with bad people, so my brother is her main parental figure now. However, he's busy a lot so she's mostly my responsibility."
"Wow," she raised her eyebrows, "That's really nice of you to sacrifice your time to take care of her."
"I wouldn't word it that way, but yeah. It's not that hard; she's a good girl."
"She is."
"What about you? Any kids? Nephews? Nieces?"
She shook her head, "No. No kids – and my family is kind of fucked up."
"How so."
"Well, my father is an abusive narcissist, I haven't seen my brother in three years and my mother died while giving birth to us so – I don't know anything about my family."
"Sounds similar to mine," he leaned back in his chair, "I guess I'm not singular in that experience."
"Can I ask how? If you don't mind?"
He looked around the room, unsure if he should share his past. It wasn't like what happened to him still bothered him, or that it was hard to talk about, but he didn't know if he should let her in so much. Too much information could lead to his cover being blown, however, too not enough information and a stand – offish reaction could push her away.
It's best if I just tell her.
"My birth – mother died when I was four years old. The one I've mentioned to you is my step – mom, but she's basically the only mother I really had," Rayne stared intently at him; there was no way he could lie anymore, she'd know, "—after she passed away, my – ironically – also narcissistic father gave me to the system in the state of Los Angeles. Since this place is so huge, and feeds off money, I got placed in a home for boys that only cared about that – money. I was abused there until I was about eight, when my father adopted me back and sent me away to go live with his lover. There I met my cousin and learned that I had a brother and a sister. My brother and I reconnected, obviously, but my sister and I are still estranged."
