Gurney City - Book Two

Brother

It’s been two days since the wedding. I notice that I’ve been acting like a chicken. No one knows about Nate’s and my interaction except for Augustus. After the wedding, I immediately went home without talking to anyone. My parents asked me about the wedding and I answered with a curt, “Fine.”

They knew something happened and I am grateful they didn’t try to squeeze out the answer from me. Nero still locked himself in his room, unwilling to get out. We’ve tried persuading him to at least come out and have some fresh air. Instead, he would yell, “Go away!”

Augustus is my personal leech after the wedding. He would stay close to me as I train everyday with Ziggy. At night, he would disappear to visit Aurora and then he’ll be back in the morning. I can see the bags under his eyes due to the lack of sleep. Not only he has to take care of his pregnant mermaid sister, but also keep an eye on me.

“You should sleep, Augustus!” I argue with him in the morning. It scares me to see him looking half-dead.

“I’ll be okay,” he says weakly, taking a seat on the sofa. His eyes droop.

“No, you won’t unless you get your butt on your bed.”

Augustus is about to reply when suddenly his head drops and snores leak out of his slightly cracked lips. I smile at how adorable he looks when he sleeps.

Augustus and I share kisses once in a while, but we have never talked about us. That worries me.

What if he only kisses me because I’m a good kisser? What if he only wants me temporarily? It’s not like us shifters have mates like werewolves. We have to pick our own mates, just like how mum and dad picked each other.

I glance at the clock in the kitchen. It is eleven in the morning. My training won’t start till four so I have lots of time to spare.

Lisbeth must be with Caleb and Eleanor, Wendy is with her grandmother, my parents are God knows where. I have no idea what to do.

I take a peek at the small piece of paper again. I’m so tempted to dial the number and see what Nate has to say. Another part of me urges me to just stay low.

If Nate somehow knows that I’m his sister, the demons might go after him once again. I don’t want him to be in danger once again! Especially since he has a family of his own.

But Nate deserves to know.

With a little building courage, I steal Augustus’s phone and call the number.

“Hello?”

My breath hitches. I’m not ready for this. I feel like vomiting out my breakfast.

“Hello? Anyone there?”

I take a deep breath and try to calm myself down. “Hi.”

Nate is silent for a moment, maybe processing my voice. “Is this Laney?”

He doesn’t know is me. My shoulders slump in defeat. “Yes,” I answer softly.

“I know you know something about my sister’s disappearance,” he says almost sternly.

I gulp. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t give me that garbage!” he snaps angrily. “I was kidnapped by a bunch of people who is after my mother who I thought been dead for almost eleven years. I was forced to live in silence until someone rescued me. I was told that my family betrayed me!”

I keep quiet, unable to speak. Inside, I’m angry at Tyler and Thomas for what he did to Nate.

They are going to pay.