Page 78 of Through the Storm

His jaw tightens. “And that makes it better?” He steps closer. We’re almost chest to chest now. “I trusted you,” he says, voice raw. Declan’s face is red, his voice breaking. “You left heralone,Ben.”

I close my eyes. He’s right. Not about all of it, but about enough.

“I didn’t know, Declan,” I say again. “But I know how it looks. And I’m so sorry.”

“There isno defense!” Declan thunders.

“Dec.” Ella’s voice cuts through the tension, her tone steady but pleading. “Stop. Right now.” She steps in front of me like a tiny bodyguard, arms out like she could stop her six-foot-something boyfriend if he lunged. “Declan. Babe. Take a deep breath. Please remember, he’s my cousin. You can’t murder him.”

He looks like a raging bull, barely contained.

I keep my voice calm. “El, it’s okay. Go back inside before Katy realizes something’s off.”

She doesn’t listen to me. “I mean it, Declan,” she warns. “You willnottouch him.”

He finally looks at her, then at me, like the math of betrayal just keeps adding new numbers.

“Ella, go back inside,” he tells her.

She doesn’t move. Then her brothers appear next to her, one on each side.

“I can handle him, guys. Take El inside,” I tell them.

“No, I’m not going back inside. Dec, if you want, I can mace him again,” she offers calmly. “But that’s my final offer.”

Declan looks like he might actually explode. “Leo, take your sister inside.”

“No,” Leo growls.

Mateo is beet-red. “You mad your sister got hurt? You think we don’t know what that’s like?”

“That was different!” Declan growls.

“Declan,” Ella says sharply. “I expect you to remember that today isn’t aboutyou.”

The silence stretches. Declan’s jaw works, his throat tightens. And then he exhales one long, furious breath and takes a step back.

Finally, he mutters, low and deadly, “If you hurt her again…”

“I won’t.”

He scrubs a hand down his face. “Jesus. I fucking hate you, Davis.”

“Now you know how muchwehateyou,” Leo spits.

That’s when Katy steps outside, eyes wide and red from crying.

“What’s going on?”

All five of us freeze.

And Declan, the unshakeable, unbreakable big brother, can’t even look at her. He just exhales and mumbles, “Nothing you need to worry about.”

Katy’s chin trembles. “I made everyone mad at everyone, didn’t I?”

Ella’s already wrapping her arms around her, shaking her head. “No, honey. They’re just idiots.”

I swallow hard, guilt burning in my throat. “She’s right. We’re idiots.”