Page 98 of Delirium
Storm looked at me, then at Kieran, his eyes narrowing at the man in question. I knew this was hard for Storm, especially after all the things we went through together, but we all needed to move forward. We had to try.
With careful movements, Storm came closer to Kieran, taking his hand for a handshake, his eyes never leaving Kieran’s face.
“Storm,” he grunted, squeezing Kieran’s hand more than necessary. “Storm Knoxx.”
“Kieran Nightingale,” K grinned, satisfied with the outcome, and the lead weight on my chest suddenly disappeared.
“You’re not related to Logan Nightingale by any chance, are you?” Storm asked, mischief shining in those green eyes.
And he had to go there.
Kieran looked at me, then at Storm and started laughing again. “I unfortunately am, but I can assure you, the blood is the only thing that connects us.”
“Hmm,” Storm grunted. “We will see.”
“I was hoping you would have kicked his ass by now, Storm. This wasn’t what I expected.”
A voice I knew all too well rang around us, pulling all of our attention to the front door, where the girl I haven’t seen in years stood, her dark hair pulled into a high ponytail, and those piercing blue eyes looking straight at me.
It was still Maya, still the sister I wanted to find, but instead of the fear she so often wore whenever we were back home, there was something else in her eyes. Something vicious, dangerous even, and I knew that whatever she went through changed who she was back then.
“Maya,” I breathed out, unconsciously taking a step toward her. Storm’s hand wrapped around my upper arm, stopping me in my tracks.
“Hello, Mouse.” She smiled brightly, looking at me, using the old nickname she had for me.
I couldn’t move, could barely breathe as she descended the stairs, coming straight for me. Storm stepped in front of me, blocking her path. She cut him with her eyes, glowering at the overprotective man in front of me.
“Storm Knoxx, right?” she said. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Can’t say the same,” Storm replied. “Except for some things Ophelia told me.”
“Well, let me introduce myself then.” She smirked. “My name is Maya Aster, and if you don’t move out the way so that I can hug my sister, you’re not going to be able to use that dick of yours ever again.”
And that did it.
Storm smiled at her, nodding as he stepped aside, leaving me open to her.
Back in the day, she always towered over me, being two years older, but now we were the same height, and the same colored eyes that stared back at me whenever I looked in the mirror, stared back at me now.
“I’ve missed you so much,” I breathed out, still unable to move. “So fucking much.”
My voice wavered, the emotions clogging my throat, my mind. Without a second to spare, Maya hugged me, holding on tightly. My arms wrapped around her, holding on for dear life, and I never wanted to let go.
I finally had her back.
My sister was finally back.
* * *
I’d imaginedthis moment so many times, played with the scenarios, the words, the things I would tell her, but as the two of us sat in the kitchen, drinking tea of all things, I had no fucking idea what to say.
She was still the same Maya, the same mischievous glint shone in her eye, but it also wasn’t the girl who pushed everyone away and ran that night when Nikolai threatened to take me away to Russia. We should’ve known that he never would’ve done that, but she thought she was protecting me by getting away.
She thought she was redirecting his attention to her, sparing me, but we were both so wrong.
“It’s a stupid question, but…” I cleared my throat. “How are you?”
She kept looking down at the ceramic mug in her hands, and I couldn’t help but notice the scars over her hands, over her arms. I wondered how many scars she had that weren’t visible to the eye, but lived deep inside her soul, eating her alive. I wondered how many wounds never really healed, only getting patched by the sheer force of will, because she knew she had to survive.
