Series: Webs We Weave Series by Krista Ritchie
Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 145038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
Trevor has gray eyes.
Hailey has gray eyes.
And the envelope in her hand will finally bear the truth with real, concrete proof. I intake a deep breath of anticipation.
We all face the fire.
Rocky appraises each of us in a slow sweep. “Before we read the results, I have something to say.”
“Say it fast,” Nova says, tightening his utility jacket around his body. “It’s fucking cold out here.”
Light flickers from the bonfire, and I stare at the glowing embers while Rocky speaks.
“They raised us,” he says. “For better or worse, they’ve molded our lives into what they are, and there’s no going back from what we’ve done. But who we are—a piece of paper isn’t going to tell me that. I already know who I am. I’ve always known who I am.” Flames flicker against the darkness of his eyes. He touches a hand to his chest. “Spider.” He points to Trevor. “I’m your brother.” Then he looks to Hailey. “I’m your brother.” Then to Oliver. “I’m your family.” Then Nova. “I’m your family.” His gaze lands on me and the intensity tunnels through me in a long beat. “I’m yours,” he says in a sheltered breath. The unsaid words cling to the air: I’ve always been yours.
Rocky unfixes his gaze to stare at each of us, emotion circling around like a spinning coin. “My purpose in life isn’t to bag millions. It’s not to tear down miscreants or fuck over rich pricks. It has been, and always will be, to protect the five of you. So I don’t care what that paper says. It’s not going to change this. Us.” He takes a deep, readying breath. “That’s it.”
Nova sways on the balls of his feet. “I’d clap but my hands are too cold to take out of my fucking coat.”
Oliver wears a lopsided smile. “What Nova is trying to say is you’re our family, too, Rock.”
“Same,” I agree.
He glances down at me, the heat of his gaze warming me more than the bonfire.
“Let’s just hope this isn’t a Luke and Leia situation,” Trevor pipes in from the other side of the firepit.
My head whips to him. Ew. The Star Wars reference is not lost on me, and I can’t even imagine Rocky being my actual brother. We’re one hundred percent not related. I’d know.
I scowl. “That’s impossible.”
“Not impossible,” Hailey mentions next to me, and my heart shoots out of my rib cage. “Improbable.”
“Highly improbable,” Rocky clarifies. “Elizabeth, Addison, and Everett have been pushing us together since puberty. They’re fucked-up, sure, but that’d be on a different, disgusting level of fucked.”
“Agreed,” I say.
Oliver sets a hand on Trevor’s head. “Demented.”
Trevor whacks his hand off. “I’m just putting it out there so you all aren’t shocked if the highly improbable comes to fruition.”
“It’s out there, all right,” Nova grumbles with a harsher swig from the flask.
“Hailey,” Rocky says, rubbing at his eyes. “Please get this over with.”
“Okay…” She rips open the envelope with shaking hands. “There’ll be many different results in here. All of our DNA has been tested against Elizabeth, Addison, Everett, and also each other.” She leans closer to the firelight, her widened eyes skimming the results quickly. “Trevor…”
“First up,” he says and swipes his flask back from Nova.
Hailey’s bugged, unblinking eyes reveal the answer before her words do, so I’m not surprised when she says, “You’re not related to any of us.”
“Shocker.” Trevor lifts his flask up to the sky in cheers. Then downs the alcohol for longer than a couple seconds.
“Whoa, save some for the thirsty.” Oliver captures the flask before Trevor can chug it all, and as Oliver takes a casual sip, he exchanges a brief, protective look with Rocky.
Hailey rapidly, frantically sifts through the next three pages. Her eyes dance a mile a minute.
“What is it?” I ask, worry seizing my lungs.
“I-I…” Her eyes grow wider with confusion and another emotion as they ping from me, to Nova, and then stay on Oliver. It takes me a second before I realize she’s happy. “You’re triplets—fraternal triplets. It’s real.”
“What?” I squeak out. My hand flies to my mouth, and a rush of relief surges through me in a tidal wave. Not just siblings. Triplets.
Oliver and Nova come to my side in a quick flash and scoop me up into a brotherly hug. “I knew,” Oliver declares. “I fucking knew it. What’d I say, Nov?”
“You knew it.” Nova grins and lets Oliver skate a hand over his head in affection. I cry into Oliver’s preppy trench coat, and Nova hugs me tighter. I didn’t know how much this would mean to me until right now. My brothers.
My brothers.
“Phoebe,” Hailey says quietly, breaking me from my reverie. “Y-you’re her daughter.”
My ears ring. “Wait…?” I whisper, and Oliver’s and Nova’s arms slowly drop off me as Hailey delivers the news.
She gives me a sad, pained smile. “Elizabeth is your mom, and that makes her Nova and Oliver’s mom, too.”