Their Hidden Treasure

Chapter 31

“Put them on,” I said as I placed them in front of her.

She did what I said and looked back up at me. My heart clenched painfully.

“What are you doing here, Sophia?” I asked as I took a step away from her. “Where is Alexander?”

I needed to step away from her because I just wanted to pull her to me and hug her. But I didn’t want to scare her. I didn’t want to hurt her more than I already did.

“He is asleep,” she said quietly.

I sat on the bed and tightened my jaw.

“What are you doing here?” I asked her.

She took a deep breath and gulped.

“Why did you say it?” she asked quietly.

My heart raced. I clenched my fists and wished again that I could just rip my heart out of my body.

I took a deep breath and ran my fingers through my hair.

“Because I am an idiot,” I mumbled.

I looked at my feet and shook my head.

“I am not good at expressing emotions,” I added. “I never was. I was afraid that I would hurt you if I let you get close to me. I thought that you would be safe if I kept you far away from me.”

I looked back up at her and gulped.

“I also wanted to hurt Elijah,” I said as I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me. “I didn’t mean for you to hear it. I said it because I wanted to hurt him.”

I never said it before. I never admitted it to anyone else before. But I had to tell her. She deserved to know the truth.

I said it to hurt Elijah. I said it to push him away. I said it because I…

I tightened my jaw and stopped that thought from forming inside my mind.

Sophia studied my face for a moment.

“Were you trying to push him away too?” she asked, making my eyes widen.

I gulped and remained silent. I didn’t know what to say to her.

“You should stop doing that,” she said after a few moments of silence. “Your family loves you. Don’t lose that just because you are afraid.”

I felt tears in the corners of my eyes.

“I am proud of you,” I said, making her furrow her eyebrows a little.

I gave her a small smile.

“You are afraid, but you are talking to me,” I said. “I’ve never heard you talk this much.”

I really didn’t. I had no idea what made her come here, but I was so fucking happy she did.

She fidgeted with her fingers nervously.

“Alex said that he won’t let you see me,” she said quietly and my heart stopped.

I nodded slowly.

“I deserve it,” I said quietly. “I hurt you.”

“I don’t want that,” she said, making me freeze.

She didn’t want what?

“I want to see you,” she mumbled. “You are my brother.”

I couldn’t stop a quiet sob that escaped me.

“You want to see me?” I asked, trying to clear my throat a little. “Even after everything I did and said?”

She nodded.

“I realized something when I woke up,” she said.

“What did you realize?” I asked her.

She took a deep breath and looked at her feet.

“Something wants me to live,” she said. “I tried to take my own life twice now and I failed.”

She tried to kill herself before? My heart almost stopped beating. She looked up at me and I saw tears in her eyes.

“But this time I wasn’t with James when I woke up,” she said, her voice trembling. “I was with all of you and I felt loved. I didn’t feel like a piece of meat or someone’s punching bag. I didn’t feel like you were glad I was alive because you would be able to torture me some more.”

She sobbed and shook her head.

“I decided that I didn’t want to be afraid anymore,” she cried out. “I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”

I jumped up and closed the distance between us in two long steps. I picked her up and pulled her into my arms. She wrapped her arms around my neck and sobbed. I felt tears fall down my cheeks.

“No one will hurt you ever again,” I mumbled as I kissed her temple. “I promise, Sophia. I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again. You don’t have to be afraid, my sweet girl.”

I sat on the bed and placed her on my lap.

“You are safe,” I added, my voice breaking. “I promise, sweetie. You are safe.”

I leaned my head on hers and closed my eyes.

I was so fucking glad it wasn’t Elijah who came to talk to me. I was so glad it was her.