Page 70 of Extraction Play
“That’s not what even pissed me off the most. You might not have told them, but you never toldme. Instead, you spilled to Mom andDad first. And I’m sick, so fucking sick, of the people most important to me leaving me out.”
That was aimed at both Pixie and her. She gripped the chains tight.
“I never wanted to tell Dad.” Her palms sweated at the memory of that afternoon. At how Dad had made a comment about Micah’s departure being for the best, and she’d snapped. “I was so sick of their digs to you, to me. And the confession leaped out before I could stop myself.”
Neither of them pushed hard, just a lazy sway of movement, but that was where they were—stuck and muddling, trying to find a way to soar forward.
“Was the whole reason you wanted to stay in San Francisco because of Pixie?”
The whiplash change of subject caught her by surprise, and she slowed the swing. Micah always had the ability to pare to the heart of issues, so it should’ve been obvious he would take the scalpel and cut.
“Those are two separate questions. Do I want to be with Pixie? Yes. But she was in flee mode when I met her. What drew me to San Francisco was you, Micah. I might’ve found friends along the way as well as a woman who makes me believe in love again, but you’re my brother. You’re my only damn family left and the only one I want to keep. If you’re asking if you’re important to me, yes, you are. I’m just sorry I did a shit job at showing it.”
She squeezed the chains on either side of her tight, staring down at her sneakers, which circled over the beaten wood chips.
“Fuck, you’re making it really hard to stay mad at you.”
Eva snorted and glanced up, her heart thumping a bit faster. “This is your free pass to call me a shithead. After today, there are consequences.”
Micah shook his head, his curls moving with the motion. He’d also slowed to a sway on his swing. “She makes you believe in love?” His gaze snapped to hers, and she couldn’t look away.
Eva swallowed hard. “Yeah. Between Mom and everyone I ever dated, I was pretty sure finding love was hopeless. After all, who’d want to deal with this mess? But Pixie? She sees me. I can be myself around her and not feel like I’m too much.”
“I’m so mad you guys hid this from me. Why the fuck didn’t you think you could tell me?”
Eva cast him a look. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the whole ‘don’t date my best friend’ thing.”
Micah let out a noise through his nostrils, sounding so much like he had when he was five and frustrated that a laugh escaped her.
“I didn’t want either of you getting hurt. Pixie planned on leaving, and I’d gotten you back after all the bullshit Mom and Dad put us through. Sue me for wanting my best friend and my sister in my life.”
A soft smile lifted her lips. “You’ll regret saying that when I’m all up in your business, hanging out with your crew.”
“What about Portland?” Micah asked.
Eva shrugged. “Pixie needs to tell you. Hell, she needs to tell you a lot. She’s been holding on to too much in for far too long.”
Micah’s gaze shifted to the ground. “And of course she spilled to you.”
“Hey, none of that.” Eva nudged his foot. “She and I were at the same fucked-up rock bottom and happened to find each other. You know who suggested where to find you? Your best fucking friend.”
“That she didn’t trust to confide in about you. Or about her past. I know she’s got issues with her mom. I’m not blind, and I’ve overheard some shit I shouldn’t have over the years.” Micah raked a hand through his curls.
“That’s where she and Parker are heading now. She got a call that her mother is in the ICU.”
Micah’s face whipped in her direction. “What the fuck are we doing here, then?”
“Hey, you’re sitting here, worrying we don’t care about you. Pixie, Parker, and I all agreed one of us needed to come get you. Because we all love you. I volunteered because we’ve got a ton to sort through, a lot that needs unearthing. Mom and Dad might’ve fucked us up, but we’ve got a chance now to build the family we always wanted.” Eva’s chest burned with emotion at the idea. Of settling down with Pixie, of a renewed relationship with her brother, of finding space with the crew at Whipped.
“You asshole,” Micah said, turning his head to the side as he let out a sniff.
“Pixie’s waiting for us, so why don’t we get in my car and go to the hospital?” Eva pushed up from the swing, her feet surprisingly steady on the ground.
“Only if we can talk about how shitty Mom and Dad are. We dodge around it a lot, but we were both just trying to survive their criticisms so much and fit in their mold that we ended up distancing ourselves in the process.”
“I’m staying in San Francisco, so we’ll have plenty of time to trade war stories,” Eva said, taking a step toward Micah. “Can I hug you?”
“You fucking better.” He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her in a bear hug as if he tried to crush the life out of her, or more like hammer in how much he cared. Her ribs creaked, and tears stung Eva’s eyes as she sank into her brother’s embrace. This was more than she could ever have hoped for.