Page 96 of Hell Burns Between Us

“You’ve done enough. I mean, you’re my little brother! I’m supposed to protect you, and I’m worried I’ve done a shit job of that so far.”

He didn’t know how to respond, so he turned his gaze away instead.

“Something happened to you, didn’t it?” Wisteria pushed. “Something bad—probably our father’s doing—and I wasn’t there to stop him.”

“I—” Oleander swallowed his guilt, the words thick in his throat. “I asked him for jobs. For bargains to make. I wanted him to depend on me, to bring me into his Circle like you and Hemlock.”

“What?” she gasped, eyes widening. “After everything we sacrificed to keep his attention off you?” Wisteria stalked over, dropping the towel to shove him hard with both hands. “You idiotic fuck!”

The words spilled from him in a rush. Fury swelled inside him, molten hot and raw. “Yes, well maybe… just maybe, I wouldn’t have done all of that if you hadn’t kept everything such a damned secret!”

“Are you honestly angry because we protected you?” Wisteria threw her hands up, frustration seeping into her every movement. “We’re his firstborn children! We had no choice! But he was never interested in you, and we just wanted to protect—” Her voice cracked.

He reached for her.

“Don’t fucking touch me.” She jerked back, her anger flaring. “All my life I’ve sacrificed everything so that you could be safe. So that at least one of us wasn’t ruined by our father.”

Oleander’s stomach churned. He shook his head slowly, the deep-seated fear taking root inside him. “If you had only told me that’s what you were doing… I would’ve understood!”

She was sobbing now, but the sound twisted, breaking into a laugh that was bitter. “You should have realised it!”

“How?” Oleander was shouting now. “You always left me alone! How were all these sacrifices supposed to help me if you never explained to me what they were for?”

“I tried!” She shoved him again, and this time he stumbled back into the water. “How many times did I warn you to stay away from him? Look at what happened to our mother—his own mate! How could you ever have trusted him?”

When she moved to push him again, he grabbed her hands, his grip tight.

Through clenched teeth he said, “All I’ve ever wanted was to be as good as you!”

She was shaking—fury and terror flashing in her eyes. They stood there, locked in that turbulent silence, both of them panting, both furious. He exhaled long and slow, the weight of the moment settling in. And, with one last breath, he let go of her hands.

“I know you just wanted to protect me,” he said, giving her a jerky nod. “I know.”

Slowly, the fury hanging in the air ebbed, leaving behind a heavy, aching silence. He let out a long, ragged sigh, as though releasing the last of his anger, before finally continuing, “I think maybe you just never realised that I don’t need your protection anymore. I can—I can be part of your team if you’d let me.”

Her shoulders trembled, rising and falling with deep, unsteady breaths. Her gaze softened, filled with tears that threatened to spill. After a beat, she nodded sharply, a single tear slipping down her cheek.

“Oleander, I—we shouldn’t have kept you in the dark as much as we did.” Her anger crumbled, giving way to sorrow. “I just needed to believe that I could keep you safe.”

“You did. But I’m grown now. It’s not your responsibility anymore.”

She looked at him for a long time. “Has he done something to you?” Her voice a sharp, anguished arrow that pierced him right to the core.

“It’s a long story that I’ll tell when I’m ready for you to mock me mercilessly about it.” He reached for her hands, holding them gently in his. “You’re right that he did try to hurt me. But I figured a way out and I’m fine now. Really.”

“Ugh. I’m going to hug you now.” Then she was yanking him into a fierce embrace. She groaned dramatically, her arms still wrapped tightly around him. “You really are the fucking worst.”

He laughed softly into her shoulder, her wet hair tickling his face. She gave a begrudging huff of laughter in response.

Then she shoved him away, still laughing but wiping away stray tears. “Alright, fine. I’ll help you break the bargains when Hem can’t. I’m honestly a tiny bit proud of you for doing this, you know.”

He grinned, lifting an eyebrow. “A hug and a compliment? Have you been ensorcelled? Because the Wisteria I know would never do two sentimental things in a row.”

“Oh, shut up.”

Oleander walked her to the lilac-leaved tree where her small home hung, its warm lights flickering on as she moved around inside.

A single raindrop landed on his cheek like a tear, trailing slowly down his skin before it splashed onto the towel still draped around him. He lifted his gaze to the sky, and within seconds, the gentle drops turned to a heavy downpour.