Chapter 144
Chapter 144
VENUS
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The photo blurred as tears burned my eyes. That little girl-that messy-haired, bear-clutching girl-was me. I didn’t remember her. Not her laugh, not her bear, not even the way her small hands looked curled around that toy.
But staring at her didn’t feel like looking at a stranger either.
It felt like looking at a ghost I’d been carrying inside me all along.
“That’s… me?” My voice came out small, like it belonged to that child, not the woman I’d become.
Colton gave a short, rough nod. “Yeah. You loved that bear. Dragged it everywhere. Mom kept sewing the arm back on until she finally said, ‘If it falls off again, you’ll just have to deal with a one-armed bear.” His mouth twitched into the smallest smile. “You cried like the world was ending when it finally did p>
A weak laugh slipped out of me, more a gasp than a laugh. My throat ached, my chest ached. I covered my mouth with my hand, but the tears still fell.
Aaron’s hand tightened on my shoulder. “Breathe, Venus,” he murmured, low enough that only I could hear. His thumb rubbed once against my back before settling into that steady, grounding pressure he always gave when I was close to unraveling.
Across the table, Colton’s hands were clenched together, knuckles pale. He wasn’t watching me cry, he was staring at the photo, like if he looked hard enough, he could step back into that day and pull us both out of it.
“I remember when they took you,” he said finally. His voice wasn’t dramatic or sharp, It was quiet, matter-of- fact, but the kind that makes your stomach hurt. “You screamed for me. I heard you. And I froze p>
The words hung there. He swallowed, his shoulders hunching slightly. “I was twelve. But I still froze. And then you were gone p>
For a second, I couldn’t say anything. I just stared at the slump of his shoulders, the tired guilt in his eyes.
“You were a kid,” I said softly. My voice shook, but it was steady enough to be true. “You couldn’t have stopped it p>
He finally looked at me, eyes red-rimmed but steady. “Maybe. But I was your brother. I was supposed to try p>
The way he said brother knocked the air out of me. It didn’t feel heavy like a declaration. It felt simple. Obvious. Like it had always been true, and I was the one who had forgotten.
I sat there, silent, trying to stitch the pieces together-this stranger with familiar eyes, this boy from a past I couldn’t remember, this man who hadn’t stopped carrying me even when I was gone.
“What about our parents?” I asked.
“Our parents never wanted you. Or maybe they did. They were broke, running on fumes. They couldn’t afford to raise another child. So they gave you… out. But I did. I wanted my baby sister. As soon as I had the
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Chapter 144
resources, I started searching for you p>
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“So I was never wanted by either my real parents or my foster parents. Great.” I let out a humorless chuckle.
“Venus p>
My chest tightened, my hand twitching against the table before I could stop it.
Slowly, I reached across.
He hesitated-like he wasn’t sure he had the right to take it—but then his hand closed around mine. Warm. Calloused. Solid.
It wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t some world-shaking moment. It just… fit.
Like it had been waiting to.
My throat tightened again, but this time I didn’t hide it. “I don’t remember you,” I admitted. “Not your face, not your voice, not even your name. But… this feels real.” I squeezed his hand. “You feel real p>
His jaw worked, his eyes brightening in a way that almost hurt to look at. “Good,” he whispered, voice cracking. “Because I never stopped waiting for you p>
Silence stretched between us, not heavy, not awkward, just full.
For the first time in years, I didn’t feel like I was floating alone in some endless dark.
Aaron’s hand was still steady on my back, Colton’s hand was firm in mine. And me-stuck between the two- finally, for once, didn’t feel so lost.
The silence broke with a small cough. Colton leaned back, letting go of my hand reluctantly, like his fingers weren’t convinced yet. His voice was steadier now, though his eyes still carried that raw edge.
“I’ve got… questions,” he admitted, glancing between Aaron and me. “But I don’t want to push. Not today. Not when you’ve just had this dropped on you p>
I nodded, wiping at my damp cheeks with the edge of my sleeve. “I have questions too. A thousand, probably. But I don’t even know where to start p>
Colton gave a faint, almost sheepish smile. “Start anywhere. Even if it’s small. I’ll take it p>
That cracked something in me again. Small. I could do small.
“What… what was my favorite food?” I asked, the words tumbling out before I could overthink them.
He blinked, then let out a breath that was half laugh, half groan. “Spaghetti. You hated vegetables, so Mom used to puree carrots into the sauce. You never noticed p>
I let out a weak laugh. “That sounds like me p>
Aaron’s hand, still at my back, flexed slightly. I didn’t have to look to know his jaw was tight. He wasn’t angry
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at me. He was angry at how much of me had been stolen and how someone else had pieces of me he couldn’t give back.
Colton went on, quieter. “You hated bedtime. Always wanted one more story, one more glass of water, one more reason to stay awake.” His mouth tilted into a soft smile. “You’d crawl into my bed and refuse to leave until you fell asleep p>
Something in my chest fluttered, a pang of longing for memories I couldn’t touch. My lips parted, but Aaron’s voice cut in, low and edged.
“She doesn’t need a bedtime story now p>
I startled a little, turning to him. His expression was calm on the surface, but his eyes…. his eyes burned.
Colton’s gaze flicked to him, reading the undercurrent instantly. A smirk tugged at his mouth, wry and sharp. “Yeah. I figured as much p>
Heat climbed up my neck, and I pulled back slightly from both of them, pressing my palm to my forehead. “God. This is… so much p>
Aaron leaned in just enough that his breath brushed the shell of my ear. His voice dropped, meant only for me. “You’re overwhelmed. I can tell. But you’re not alone in this-not anymore. I’m not letting you slip away in it, Venus. Understand p>
My pulse jumped. His tone was a promise, a warning, and something that curled low in my stomach all at
once.
Colton shifted, dragging his chair back a little, like he was giving me space. “We don’t have to keep going tonight. I just… I wanted you to see. To know I’m real. That’s enough for me p>
I turned back to him slowly, my voice soft. “And if I never remember p>
His answer came without hesitation. “Then I’ll just remind you. However long it takes p>
Something in my chest eased at that. My eyes stung again, but I held it back this time, nodding.
Aaron’s thumb traced a slow line against my back-subtle, grounding; but possessive enough to remind me exactly where I belonged.
And me?
I sat there between them, held by a brother I didn’t remember and a man I couldn’t forget, realizing that maybe family wasn’t always about memory. Maybe it was about presence, the people who refused to let you go, no matter how much you fought, no matter how much time stole.
i
I could feel Aaron’s simmering heat at my side, and I knew-eventually-I’d have to decide how much space I’d let Colton carve into me.
And how much Aaron would allow.
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Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.