The Fight In Us: A Brother's Best Friend College Romance (The Four Book 4) by Becca Steele (read me a book txt) 📗

“We were wrong not to tell you about your mother sooner.” For the first time since they’d entered the room, my dad’s face fell, and I saw the anguish he was trying to hide. “Caiden and I…we’d planned to tell you sooner, and I’m so sorry that we let you down.” He leaned forwards, clasping his hands and pinning me with a look that was so full of pain and remorse that it stunned me. “I failed you. I thought—” His voice faltered, and he cleared his throat before continuing. “I thought that I was doing the right thing. I only hope that you can forgive me.”

Caiden took over from Dad, his troubled gaze focused on mine. “I’m so fucking sorry, West.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Why didn’t you tell me when it happened? Do you have any idea of how much guilt and regret I’m feeling right now?”

“Yes, I do know!” His voice was a shout that echoed through the hotel room. “I do know,” he repeated more quietly. “Because I’ve felt that way ever since it happened. I was trying to protect you, so you wouldn’t have to feel the way I did.” A glazed expression took over his face, his voice cracking as he continued. “I found her, you know. She was so still. So cold. So…” He buried his face in his hands, and Winter crawled across the bed and into his lap, holding him as he broke all over again.

Fuck.

Some of my anger lessened right then. Rationally, I could see that they’d done it with good intentions, although it still did nothing to temper the betrayal and guilt that was tying my stomach in knots.

“Whether you did it for the right reasons or not, you still really hurt me.”

“I’m—” Cade started to say, raising his head to meet my gaze.

“Wait. I’m just…look, I can forgive you. Just give me time, okay? I need time. I need…I need to work things through in my own head. I don’t want to say anything that can’t be taken back.”

I’m proud of you, Winter mouthed, and I felt a small smile tugging at my lips. Out of everyone, I knew I’d find her easiest to forgive. She had a heart of gold, and she’d proven her loyalty to us all time and time again.

“I just wanna say one thing.” Caiden glanced at Winter, before he returned his attention to me. “Ever since Winter first found out, she was uncomfortable with keeping this from you. She wanted me to tell you. So, please, blame me, but don’t blame her.” He turned back to her. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

She sniffed, her eyes watery, but gave him a smile. “I forgive you. Your heart was in the right place.”

“I forgive you, Winter.” The words fell from my mouth, unplanned, but I realised I meant them. Staring between my brother and my dad, I shook my head slowly. “You two—give me time.”

My dad nodded. “Whatever you need, West. I don’t want this to derail all the progress we’ve made as a family. But I’ll own my mistakes. God knows, I’ve made enough of them.”

I nodded and leaned back against the headboard. “I’d like to be alone now.” My eyes closed.

The low murmur of Winter and Caiden’s voices sounded, before the door opened and closed softly. I let out a heavy breath.

A throat cleared, and my eyes flew open. Winter stood at the side of the bed, her lip pulled between her teeth and hesitance in her gaze. “I just wanted to say something to you quickly, now the others have gone.”

My curiosity was piqued. “What is it?”

“Lena.”

At her name, my insides twisted again. “I don’t want to speak about her. She—her betrayal hurts the most in a way, because this whole fucking time she’s been hiding behind a false identity.”

“Yeah, she told me about that.” Winter sighed. “But has she, really? Maybe she had her reasons for doing what she did.” Gazing out of the window with a faraway expression, she sighed again, before turning back to me. “Please, just go easy on her, okay? She’s been through some things. It’s not my place to talk about them, and it’s up to her whatever she decides to tell you, but please be careful with her.”

“I don’t know how to feel about all this, and I’m still too angry to be rational,” I admitted.

Stepping closer, she leaned over the bed and kissed my cheek. “I know. Just remember, though—she’s strong; so strong, but there’s a vulnerability to her. All I’m saying is, be careful with her, West.”

“Was…is she okay?” I thought back to how she’d completely frozen under me, all the colour draining from her face, and the debilitating terror in her eyes. Fuck. I wished more than anything that I could take it all back. I never wanted to see that look in her eyes again.

Winter drew back, giving me a sad smile. “She will be.”

We both stared at one another in silence for a moment, before she gave another sigh. “Are you sure you want to be left alone right now?”

“Yeah. I need some time. I’m so tired. Tired of it all.”

“Okay.” She headed towards the door, then paused. “One more thing. No pressure, and you need to deal with everything in your own time, but just think about sending Cass a text, will you? I’ve never seen him this down. He’s not the Cass we know and love, and I just…I know it’s not my place, but think about it, okay?”

The door closed behind her, and I reached for my phone.

Time to face the real world.

Ignoring the notifications that lit up my phone with a frequency I’d never seen before, I navigated straight to my message thread with my best mate.

242 unread messages.

I rolled my eyes, unable to help my smile. Cassius Drummond, dramatic as ever. The smile slipped from my face as I scrolled through his increasingly desperate messages.

Fuck.

How did