Tiny Dark Deeds: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Court Legacy Book 3)
Tiny Dark Deeds: Chapter 32

Dorian

Me: Where are you and Brielle at, little fighter? We’re all kinda starting to worry about you.

I think we were past that point, Wolf, Ramses, and me. Brielle had texted my god dad she was taking Sloane out of school for the afternoon, and Noa had confirmed this when she messaged me before school let out. I hadn’t had much of a thought about that other than the fact the whole thing was cooler than shit. Sloane and Brielle hadn’t been doing a whole lot of bonding since she’d come back, and it sounded like they were headed to city hall to check out where Brielle worked.

I hadn’t heard from Sloane since her initial text but didn’t find any of that particularly alarming. I figured I’d see her by the time school let out, but she wasn’t home when I got there. Wolf and Ramses were the only ones who had been, but even Ramses hadn’t heard from his wife. He’d gotten the same message from Brielle that Sloane had sent me about the two going into Brielle’s office, but that’d been it.

They should’ve been home by now.

I had started to worry when, every time I did see Ramses, he was on his phone. He’d been leaving voicemails, his wife’s name on his lips, and that was when Wolf and I had started texting people. I hit up Bow first, but she had academic shit after school. She hadn’t heard from Sloane, and Thatcher and Wells were out lifting weights at the gym. Meanwhile, Ramses, Wolf, and I were chilling at the Mallick house with little to no answers. It was pushing dinner time, but none of us had heard from either of the women.

“Hey, Jersey girl, where you at? Let me know something when you can, okay?”

Wolf and I gazed up to find Ramses on his phone again, entering the room with his hand in his hair. Jersey girl was a reference only he used for his wife of almost twenty years, Brielle from New Jersey. Ramses hung up the phone, then spotted us, a frown on his lips.

“I’m sure they’re fine,” my god dad stressed, but he didn’t look fine. In actuality, he appeared just as worried as I felt, and Wolf and I didn’t even bother hiding our phones when he walked into the room anymore. We’d pretended we weren’t texting the shit out of half the town in search of Sloane and Brielle earlier tonight, hiding our phones and pretending to play video games whenever he was around. Ramses cocked his head. “Seriously, I’m sure they’re just caught up. They might have gone shopping or something.”

I started to say something, but then Ramses was on his phone again. He was leaving another voicemail, and Wolf pushed off the floor before his dad could finish.

“This is stupid. I’m going to go look for them,” Wolf growled, but his dad snapped his fingers at him.

“You sit and wait,” Ramses stated, covering his phone. Wolf sat with clenched teeth, and only after he did, did Ramses finish leaving the voicemail. Sounded like he was trying Sloane this time. He looked at us after he hung up. “There’s no need to scour the city. They’ve only been MIA for a few hours.”

My god dad was doing a good job at keeping his voice even, but he definitely was freaking out. He’d been leaving just as many voicemails as I’d been sending unanswered texts to my girl. I started to leave another, but my head shot up when a door slammed in the house. Almost instantly, Wolf and I shot up, and Ramses stalked toward the archway out of the living room.

Someone entered first, rushing the fuck inside, and nearly collided with Ramses when he did.

I think we were all surprised to see him.

Bruno Sloane had his keys in hand, his phone in the other, and when he and my god dad almost intersected, the guy just about dropped both. “Ramses. Sorry.”

Ramses blinked. I did too, and Wolf angled around the couch. Wolf braced his arms. “What are you doing here?”

Right away, Ramses shot him a look, but Wolf raised his hands.

“No shade. Just an honest question,” Wolf said, and I believed him when he said it. He’d felt terrible for the way Bru had ended up leaving, and though it hadn’t been his fault, he’d taken responsibility.

I was seeing a lot of change in my friend, good changes mostly, and I had all but put away my research regarding Sloane’s adoption. I’d done it out of respect and because he’d asked me to, yes, but also, I wanted to enjoy some of this happy too. Things had also been tense when Bru had left, and I hadn’t wanted to aid in that.

Even with what Wolf said, Ramses took a second before letting up his look. He studied Bru. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, and I used my key,” Bru said, raising them. “That okay? Dorian texted. Said you couldn’t find Sloane.”

I had texted him, but when he hadn’t seen her, I’d believed that was the end of the conversation. He had sounded concerned when he’d texted back, but I’d told him once we found her, I’d message.

I suppose he hadn’t wanted to wait. I angled around the couch too. “Yeah, I did. We still haven’t heard from her, bro. You hear something?”

“Nah, no.” He frowned. “When was the last time you heard from her or Brielle?”

“Before school let out,” Ramses said, back on his phone again. He put a hand on Bru’s shoulder. “Try not to worry, okay? I’m sure they’ll both turn up. Why don’t you hang with us for a bit until they show? And of course, it’s fine you used your key. It’s yours and always will be.”

And I knew my god dad meant every word of that. He hadn’t wanted Bru to leave, none of us had.

Bru nodded at my godfather, but before he could take him up on his proposal to hang out, another door slammed in the house. Feminine laughter followed, and this time, no one barreled into each other on the way out of the living room.

“Hello. Hello. We’re home,” came Brielle’s voice, and Sloane’s followed. The two were laughing when we all did get to them at the door, and upon seeing all of us filling basically the entire fucking hallway, the laughter curbed off. Brielle’s expression fell. “Everything all right?”

“Bru?” Sloane pushed forward, shopping bags filling her arms. Brielle had about double the same, and it appeared Ramses had been right about them shopping. Sloane shook her head. “What are you doing here?”

I wasn’t going to put out there that her twin brother had asked the exact same question and even in the same way. It was already freaking me out enough I was going with my boy’s sister, but the fact they were twins only added another layer of weird. Honestly, I tried not to think about it most days, and I think my buddy was doing the same.

“Uh, Prinze texted. He didn’t hear from you so he texted me. Thought I’d swing by,” Bru said, and addressed, he came forward. His jaw moved. “You guys were shopping?”

“Um, yes,” Brielle said, beaming. I hadn’t seen her smile that big in a long time, and it only brightened seeing Bru here. She scanned the room, but stopped on her husband when he approached. “I’m sorry. We lost track of time. We didn’t worry you guys too much, did we?”

Before Wolf, Bru, or I could say anything, Ramses waved a low hand to shut that shit down. Our mouths closed about the same time he greeted his wife.

“Just called a few times since we hadn’t heard from you. Not a big deal,” Ramses said, kissing her cheek. He reached for her coat while he directed us to help with the bags. Wolf took the bulk while I got the rest and Sloane’s.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Brielle let Ramses take her coat, then hugged her husband. “We were at city hall when Sloane noticed all the shops downtown. I suggested we check them out.”

“No need to apologize,” Ramses said, an inquisitive look with his smile. She eyed him right back, and I’d seriously never seen Wolf’s mom this lively. It’d been a long time.

Sloane held a similar look about her when I grabbed her bags. I kissed her too, which momentarily broke her gaze away from the shock of her brother being here. “Hey.”

“Hi,” she returned, hugging me when I hugged her. “Sorry we worried you guys. I would have answered my phone if I heard it. The shops were loud and busy with the holidays coming up.”

“No, it’s fine. Sounds like you two had fun.” Ramses had his arm around his wife. He kissed her head. “I was just about to call in dinner. You girls pick.”

“Excellent, and, Bru, please tell me you’re staying to eat.” Brielle grinned at him. “It’s been a while. We’d love to have you.”

Saying Sloane begged her brother with her gaze was an understatement, but I think none of us expected him to say yes. I mean, the dude had left.

But then, he smiled. He laughed too, scratching his neck. He nodded. “Sure. I haven’t eaten yet, and you’re right. It’s been a while.”

“Great.” Surprised herself, Brielle reached for Bru’s hand. She squeezed. “You can tell us all your news. How’s Thai food sound?”

“Sounds amazing.”

“Good.” Sloane looked at me, my girl fucking glowing, which did crazy shit to my insides. I was finding it harder and harder to not feel the same around her, and maybe Wolf was right.

Finding a little more happy in our lives might not be such a bad thing.

*

Sloane

I’d been surprised when my brother stayed for dinner, delighted. I’d already been on a high from hanging out with Brielle today. She’d given me a complete tour of city hall, and I got to meet all the people she worked with. I’d thought this would overwhelm me, but it hadn’t. It’d been good, and when she took me shopping, even better. I related to her in ways I never thought I would.

I’d lost Marilyn really young, a woman who was supposed to have been my mother but I’d never really gotten to know. It was nice to experience that relationship with Brielle, that of a mother and a daughter. Biologically, Brielle was my mom, and I think that overwhelmed me most today. It was the realization to know she was my mother and that I could have that.

I did have that.

Things only got better at dinner. Bru actually engaged, and he seemed lighter, happier even. When we were at school and I bugged him about how things were, he was always tight-lipped, but today, he talked about all the fun things he’d been doing outside of school. He’d joined a few science and math clubs, getting really involved with the business ones too. It seemed his time with Callum had been good for him, and that relieved me so much. He laughed and entertained the questions and almost seemed happy too.

He was happy.

It was all so weird considering where we all were only weeks ago, and things only got weirder when I noticed Ares sneak Bru away after dinner. I volunteered to do dishes with Brielle since the guys let us pick takeout, and by the time I saw Bru again, he was laughing, Ares by his side. The two even shook it out before Ares took the stairs two by two up to the second floor.

Bru stayed with me downstairs. I only even ran into them both because Bru texted me he was about to take off. I guess he had a science club meeting in the morning. I’d been finishing up with Brielle and the dishes when I got the text.

Upon noticing Ares leave Bru in such a way, I was curious, though, and I eyed Bru as I walked him to the door. He laughed. “What?”

“You, what?” I nudged him, and he shrugged.

“He actually apologized to me,” he said, my eyes flashing. Bru scratched his neck. “Him and Prinze. They said it was shit how everything happened and apologized.”

It was shit how it had all happened, but I think that was a collaborative effort. I even felt I’d played my own part. I hadn’t seen that he needed space.

“I told them it wasn’t their fault, though. At least not completely.” His eyebrows narrowed. “And I really am sorry for how I left. I didn’t want to hurt you. That was definitely fucked.”

He’d needed space, and I got that now. He did seem lighter and more at ease. We got to the door, and my toe followed the line separating two polished tiles. “Just tell me you’re okay. You seem okay.”

“I am,” he said, causing my heart to dance. Especially when he smiled. He braced his arms. “And it seems like I’m not the only one. You and Brielle going AWOL freaked the shit out of us all, by the way.”

I figured that’d been the case. I mean, why else would Bru show up out of the blue?

“But it seems it was worth it.” Bru eyed me, and I laughed too.

I nodded. “She’s great. And we had such a good time.” I released a heavy breath, stupid emotions always betraying me. I smiled tight. “It was like having a mom. It was nice.”

My gaze averted, my brother grabbing my shoulder.

“You do have a mother, and it’s okay to have it,” he said, but it didn’t feel okay. Not after everything that had happened. How did I get to have all this, but he felt the need to run? It wasn’t fair. His head cocked. “I think this all just overwhelmed me. This house. This family and this world.” His smile lifted. “But all this is you, and you need to experience it.”

“It can be yours too, you know?” I questioned, and Bru acknowledged that with a bob of his head. I squeezed his hand on my shoulder. “You are a part of this family, and they want you in it.”

“I know that. I do.” His eyes warmed. “But I also know I needed to figure out what all these changes mean to me first, which is what I’ve been doing. It’s been great actually.”

“You really do seem happy.”

“I feel it.” He laughed like he couldn’t believe it himself. He pocketed his hands. “I do, and it’s been amazing. I’ve been doing all those campus visits, seeing stuff and where I could be in a couple years, which is nice, and staying with Callum has been great. He’s not home a lot, but that’s been okay.”

“Where’s he been?”

“You know how he works. Travels?” His shoulders popped up. “Really, it’s been great not to have the hover. My head got to clear, but when he is around, we travel a lot.” He chuckled. “We even went to India to visit one of his airports over Thanksgiving break. Did I tell you that?”

He told me he’d been busy, but that hadn’t consisted of international travel. I shoved him. “No. What the fuck?”

“Right? It was fucking sweet, and he’s been showing me all kinds of things regarding running a business. It’s actually been piquing my interest to go the business route in college.” He popped his coat collar. “Can you see me as a business major in a couple years?”

He could be anything he wanted to be. He was brilliant. I grinned. “You’d be an awesome businessman. Though, maybe a little stubborn.”

“And who do I get that from?” He leveled me a look, making us both chuckle. He folded his arms. “I really am happy, so you don’t need to worry about me. I do think I just needed time, and I’ll try to be here for the holidays. I miss everyone. It was just overwhelming, you know?”

I did know that, still overwhelmed, but it was getting better.

“And I hope this isn’t a weird ask, but maybe you should swing by too. See what’s going on with me and where I’m staying, yes, but also to talk to Callum. He’s been asking about you. I think he just wants to know you’re okay like he asked me.”

His boot followed that same line dividing the tiles, this a tricky ask but not necessarily a weird one. Bru knew things were more complicated for me. Even if I was ready to address all that… see Callum and all that, doing so would open up a lot of things I wasn’t sure I wanted to open up.

“He’s hurt a lot of people, Bru,” I said, and my brother chewed his lip.

He squeezed my shoulder. “You do what you need to do. I just want you to know that’s out there, and I get it. He does too.”

I supposed there was a reason Callum had been planning for a liaison to continue reuniting me with my family.

“Just don’t rule it out if that’s something you want, though,” he said, his head tilted. “And anyway, I’m glad you and Brielle decided to ignore your phones today and freak us all the fuck out. It was nice seeing everyone and for us to talk.”

He brought me in then, a tight hug.

“Thank you for giving me the space, sis,” he said, my heart warming. “And I’m so glad you got yours too.”

I was as well, all of it the best kind of change.

It was hard to let my brother go back, go away from me, but it was easier knowing we seemed to have the lines of communication open again. I watched him leave at the door, then decided to handle a couple items of business myself. I found Dorian and Ares both in Ares’s room. They were blowing shit up in a first-person-shooter game, but they stopped when I knocked.

“Can I talk to Ares for a second?” I asked, and Dorian got up.

Ares twitched. “What the fuck? Am I in trouble or something?”

My eyes rolled to the heavens about the same time Dorian tossed his arm around me. Meaty and weighted, the thing about made me collapse at the knees, and he tickled me when I faked my knees buckling.

“I’ll give you both the room,” he said, before smacking my ass. He popped a kiss on my mouth. “Come find me in yours. We’ll see how long I can get away with it before your dad realizes I’m in there.”

His eyes dancing, he seemed lighter too.

Ares made a gagging noise as Dorian left, which caused the dark prince to double back and flip him off. Ares threw a pillow at him, and dodging it, Dorian chuckled before giving him both fingers.

Ares’s eyes lifted. “Yeah, never going to get over the fact you two are fucking.” He dry-heaved. “You’re my goddamn sister, and I’m sorry but that shit’s gross.”

“Oh, fuck you,” I laughed, crossing my arms. “It wasn’t weird before.”

“Oh, it was always weird. I just didn’t know it.” He chortled. He shot some stuff on the screen before getting up too. “And believe me. He thinks about that shit too. He’s just not saying it. I mean, you’re my twin and…”

He dry-heaved again, and I punched his arm. He rubbed the spot, muttering something about me being an asshole, and my God we were siblings. It was kind of crazy really how quickly we’d both fallen into the roles.

“I actually was coming in here to say thank you,” I said, almost regretting that now. I laughed. “Bru told me you apologized to him. You and Dorian.”

“Wasn’t a thing.” He stretched his long wingspan before tossing his controller on the bed. “And I think we both know he wouldn’t have left had I not been such an asshole to him.”

The humor fell from his face as he stood before me. I chewed the inside of my cheek. “I think we all have some regrets that day.”

“Yeah, but mine are a fucking stack.” His lips pulled together. “I told you I wouldn’t make you choose, and that was exactly what you ended up doing.”

It was all more complicated than that, and I think we both knew it. “Bru needed his time, and it seems to have done him some good. He definitely looks a lot better.”

“I noticed that.” He grinned. “And though I’m not happy with who he chose to take that time with, I’m glad the kid got some clarity.”

Ares studied the floor after what he said, and one person we definitely didn’t discuss was Dorian’s grandfather. This was for obvious reasons, and as I myself still had a hard time with that, I wasn’t arguing about the fact. I’d needed time too, but Bru was right I probably should talk to Callum too. If anything, for clarity.

Bru had had time to make his own conclusions about our former guardian, and I think I’d been too scared to do the same. It almost felt like me doing so would betray this new life I was in, and I didn’t want that.

Again, it was complicated.

“Anyway, I’m glad you and Mom got to spend some time together today.” His smile stretched. “You seem to have made her day. I haven’t seen her smile like that in a long time.”

My heart fluttered. “It was nice. We had a good time.”

This only made his eyes warm more, and when he asked for more details about the day, I gave it to him. Actually, we chatted so long Dorian started blowing up both our phones. He was wondering why the fuck I was in here and not in bed with him.

This only made Ares gag again, but he dodged when I attempted to punch him again. I started to leave to go to Dorian when Ares held his finger up.

“Wait. Before I forget,” he said, bounding across the room in like half a stride. Dude could reach the entire expanse of his big-ass room in like a couple steps. He opened his desk, and when he brought something out of it, it was attached to a chain.

I recognized the emblem from our baby blankets right away, and I thought it was his until he pulled his own out from beneath his shirt.

“I got yours restored,” he stated, dropping mine into my hands. He’d had it shined, the thing completely flawless. His shoulders popped up. “Now, we both have one. I mean, if you want it.”

I studied it, then his, which he still held. We both did have one now, didn’t we?

His expression fell, his hands raised. “Look, little. You don’t have to wear it. I just wanted you to have it cuz it’s yours so—”

I hugged him, and he froze. Like literally locked up in my arms. He hadn’t been expecting this.

And neither had I.

My throat and eyes burning I hadn’t expected either, a frog in my throat. “God, would you shut the fuck up, big.”

“Big?” he questioned, and it sounded like he had a little bit of that frog in his throat too. His arms fell around me, hugging me back. His chin touched the top of my head. That was how tall he was. “What the fuck is that? Me?”

He said it with a laugh, a throaty, raspy one that made me swallow.

“Yeah, that’s you,” I said, smiling. I came away. “Little and big. I’ve officially decided.”

“Little and big,” he repeated, like we were cementing it. He watched as I put my necklace on, the same one he wore. We matched, and it felt like our own little thing. Like his Court stuff with the rest of the guys and Bow. We were little Mallick and big Mallick.

And I finally felt like we’d be okay.

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