Chapter 3 IN BLACKTHORN ESTATE

NOVA'S POV

I couldn't answer him. My throat had completely closed up.

"Well?" Callum was still crouched down in front of me, rain dripping off his hair. "You called us after six years of complete silence. What made you think we'd just come running?"

"I didn't think you'd come running," I managed to say. "I honestly didn't even think you'd answer. I thought maybe you'd changed your numbers or just forgotten I existed."

"Forgotten you existed?" Elias let out this laugh with zero humor in it. "Are you serious right now?"

I looked up at him standing behind his brother. When did he get so tall? So broad? When did he turn into this man who looked like he could break me without trying?

"I figured you both hated me after what happened. After how I left."

"Oh, we definitely hate you," Elias said casually, and it made my chest hurt. "But that doesn't mean we were going to leave you sitting in the rain like garbage."

"So you came out of pity?" I pushed myself up because I couldn't take sitting there anymore. "You saw pathetic Nova and decided to throw her a bone?"

"Don't put words in our mouths." Callum stood too. "We came because despite everything you did, despite you running away and making sure we couldn't find you, we're apparently still stupid enough to care what happens to you."

"I looked back," I whispered. "You think I didn't, but I did."

"Bullshit." The word came out sharp. "You blocked both our numbers within twenty-four hours. Changed your email. Deleted your social media and created new accounts under a different name. You made damn sure we couldn't find you."

My stomach dropped. "How do you know all that?"

Callum and Elias looked at each other.

"Because we tried to find you," Elias finally said. "For months after you left, we tried everything. Hired investigators. Called everyone. Checked every database. But you'd covered your tracks too well."

I didn't know what to say. While I was trying to disappear, they were searching for me.

"Why would you even want to find me?" I asked.

"That's what we'd like to know." Callum stepped closer. "So explain it to us, Nova. Explain why you let things go as far as they did that night and then disappeared like we'd done something horrible to you."

My face went hot. "Can we not do this here? In the rain where anyone could hear?"

"Why not? You embarrassed?" Elias moved next to his brother. "Embarrassed to talk about what happened between us?"

"Yes! I'm embarrassed, okay?" I wrapped my arms around myself. "I was eighteen and stupid and I let myself get carried away with feelings I shouldn't have been having."

"Feelings you shouldn't have been having for us. Your stepbrothers," Callum said.

"You weren't really my stepbrothers. Your dad was only married to my mom for six months."

"We knew each other for three years," Elias said softly. "Don't pretend we were strangers."

"Fine. But people would have judged us. Would have said it was wrong."

"So you ran because of what strangers might think?" Callum's eyebrows went up. "That's the reason?"

"No! I ran because I was terrified. Terrified of how I felt about both of you. Terrified of what happened that night. And especially terrified because I realized I didn't want to choose between you."

Complete silence except for the rain.

"Say that again." Elias's voice was barely audible.

"You heard me."

"Look at me and say it again."

I forced my eyes up. "I didn't want to choose between you. I wanted both of you."

Something shifted in Elias's expression. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear."

"We're taking you to the estate," Callum said. "You can stay there while you figure things out."

"Just like that? No conditions?"

"Oh, there are conditions," Elias said. "But we'll discuss those later. Right now, let's get you inside."

We walked to a black SUV at the corner. Elias threw my bags in back while Callum opened my door.

I climbed in and sank into the warm leather seat.

Nobody spoke for ten minutes as we drove.

"We need to tell her," Elias finally said.

"Not yet," Callum replied.

"Tell me what?" I leaned forward.

"Sit back and buckle up," Callum ordered.

I did. "Tell me what?"

Elias's voice hardened. "We found out about Marcus when we started digging."

"What about him?"

"Marcus Anthony doesn't exist," Callum said. "Or didn't until four years ago. His entire identity was fabricated. Before that, there's no record of him anywhere."

"That's impossible. He went to college. He has a job."

"He has very good fake documents," Callum said. "Whoever created his identity had serious resources."

I felt sick. "Why would someone do that?"

"We think someone sent him to get close to you," Elias said. "We just don't know who or why yet."

"You're saying my relationship was fake? That Marcus was assigned to me?"

"That's what it looks like," Elias said.

"Why would anyone care about me?"

"Because of your mother," Callum said carefully. "Because of what happened to her. What she might have known before she died."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your mother was looking into some things before she died. Business dealings. Financial records. We think she found something significant."

"And then she died," Elias added quietly.

The implication hung there.

"You think someone killed her."

Neither answered for a long moment.

"We think her death wasn't straightforward," Callum finally said. "Too many things don't add up."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you were gone," Callum said. "You made it impossible to reach you."

"Pull over," I said suddenly. "I'm going to be sick."

Callum pulled over. I barely got the door open before throwing up.

Elias held my hair back, rubbing circles on my back. "I know it's a lot."

I climbed back in, shaking. Elias got in next to me this time.

"There's more," he said. "About Marcus."

"I can't handle more."

"You don't have a choice," Callum said. "Because whoever sent Marcus, whoever drained your account and got you evicted, they're not done. And we need to figure out what they want before things get worse."

"Worse how?"

"Worse like what happened to your mother," Elias said quietly.

"You think someone wants to kill me."

"We think someone wants something from you," Callum said. "And when they realize you don't have it, things could get dangerous."

"But I don't have anything!"

"They don't know that," Elias said, hand on my knee. "Which is why you're staying where we can protect you."

We drove in silence until the Blackthorn Estate gates appeared.

The mansion loomed ahead, every window lit.

And on the front steps stood Richard Blackthorn.

He looked older. Thinner. Leaning on a cane. But his eyes were sharp as he watched us.

"I can't do this," I whispered.

"Yes, you can," Callum said. "You're not that scared girl anymore. You're a woman who survived today. You can handle this."

"What if I can't?"

"Then we'll be right there with you," Elias said, squeezing my knee.

We got out. Richard watched us approach.

"Nova Sinclair," he said when we got close. His voice sounded tired. "It's been quite a long time. Six years, if my memory serves."

"Mr. Blackthorn."

"You've certainly grown up." His gaze moved to his sons. "I assume you two brought her back?"

"She needed help," Callum said simply. "We're providing it."

"How charitable."Richard's expression was unreadable. "Well, come inside. I imagine there's much to discuss." He turned toward the door, then looked back. "Welcome back to Blackthorn Estate, Nova.”