Find me

Chapter 54

Gabriel POV

I was holding my sister in my arms.

He was locked up, but I was still afraid to let her go.

She was sitting on my lap, and her head was on my shoulder. My arms were wrapped tightly around her, and I kept turning my head to kiss her temple.

“She is asleep.” Andrew said quietly as he ran his fingers through her hair.

“I can’t believe that we almost lost her again.” Luke mumbled quietly.

Andrew leaned in to kiss her cheek.

“It will never happen again.” Andrew said quietly. “She is safe now. She is back home, where she belongs.”

“Do you remember when we first saw them?” Luke asked as he sat down next to me. “They were both so small.”

Luke placed a hand on my back and rubbed it softly.

“They were both so cute.” Andrew said, smiling softly.

“Ugly, but cute.” Luke grinned.

“Hey.” I said quietly, making Luke chuckle.

He looked down at Aria in my arms and smiled softly.

“I can’t believe how much I love her already.” Luke said, caressing her cheek gently. “I mean, we barely know her. How is it possible to love her this much already?”

“Because she is ours.” Andrew mumbled quietly.

“She is my sister.” I grumbled, pressing her closer to me.

My fear of losing her came back. What if Andrew and Luke took her from me?

Andrew looked at me. He noticed how I pressed her closer.

“She is.” Andrew said softly. “But she is our cousin and we love her a lot, Gabriel. We aren’t trying to take her away from you. Nobody can do that, Gabriel. She is your sister. But it doesn’t mean that we won’t love her and care for her a lot.”

“Andrew is right, Gabe.” Luke said, making me look at him. “She is important to us, very, very important. We love her a lot, but we won’t take her from you. Why are you even worried about that?”

I looked down at my sister and leaned my head on hers. I didn’t know why I was worried about Andrew and Luke taking her. I knew that they wouldn’t. I wouldn’t let them even if they tried.

But a small part of me wondered if Aria liked them better than she liked me.

“Gabe?” Luke called me softly, and I looked up at him.

He was waiting for my answer.

“I’m scared that she will like the two of you better.” I mumbled quietly.

Luke snorted, and I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Of course she will.” Luke smirked. “We are awesome. Me especially.”

I rolled my eyes and kissed Aria’s temple.

“Stop teasing him, Luke.” Andrew said softly. “Do you not see how much this little girl loves you?”

I looked at Andrew. He was smiling at me.

“She adores you, Gabe.” he said. “She reaches out to you when she is scared. She always looks at you first when she enters the room. She smiles when you smile. You don’t have to doubt her love for you. She loves you much more than she will ever love any of us.”

I looked down at my sister.

“Do you really think so?” I asked quietly.

“I know so.” Andrew said. “She adores you, Gabriel. You have nothing to worry about.”

“She will think I’m funnier, though.” Luke said. “You can’t do anything about that.”

I sighed and rolled my eyes, making Luke chuckle at me.

“She doesn’t care about any of that, Gabe.” Andrew said. “She doesn’t love you because you are funny. She loves you because you are her twin. You are her other half. No one can compete with that.”

“Except her boyfriend one day.” Luke said.

Both Andrew and I glared at him.

“Did you really have to say that?” Andrew sighed.

“She won’t have a boyfriend.” I said at the same time.

Luke looked at me and chuckled.

“I love teasing Gabriel.” Luke said as he ruffled my hair. “It’s so easy.”

I rolled my eyes just as Aria stirred in my arms.

I looked down at her and saw her opening her eyes.

“Hey.” I said softly, making her look up at me.

“How long have I been asleep?” she asked as she lifted her head off my shoulder.

“Not long, cutie.” Andrew said, smiling at her. “Are you hungry? You didn’t get to eat anything.”

“A little.” she nodded.

“Let’s go heat up dinner.” Luke said as he stood up. “Dad and uncle Henry will be home soon. They will be hungry too.”

“Can you guys give us a moment alone, please?” I asked my cousins.

I needed to talk to Aria alone. I needed to make sure that she was really okay. We weren’t alone for a second since she told us about that fucker, and I needed a few minutes alone with her.

“Of course.” Andrew said as he bent down and kissed the top of Aria’s head. “We will wait for you downstairs.”

“I will heat up dinner for you, shortie.” Luke said, smiling at Aria.

“Thank you.” she said, smiling back at him.

Luke winked at her and left the room. Andrew followed him, closing the door on his way out.

I looked at my sister.

“Are you okay, Ari?” I asked her softly.

“I am.” she said, giving me a small smile.

She looked down at her hands and took a deep breath.

“I am really sorry, Gabriel.” she mumbled quietly.

“Why?” I asked, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“I almost hurt you.” she said, looking up at me. “I almost left.”

My heart raced. What the fuck would I do if she did leave?

Well, I would probably freak the fuck out.

“You didn’t.” I said softly. “You were brave, and you told us the truth. You stayed and you fought. You didn’t hurt me. Even if you left, it wouldn’t be you who hurt me. It would be him.”

Aria studied my face for a second before she smiled and wrapped her hands around my neck.

“I love you.” she said quietly.

“Oh, I love you too.” I said as I smiled and tightened my arms around her.

I loved her so much. It was like Andrew said - she was my other half.

“Do you want to go eat now?” I asked her as I let her go.

She nodded and stood up. She took my hand in hers, and we walked downstairs together.

“Hey, cutie.” Andrew smiled as soon as he saw her. “The food is almost ready.”

“Thank you.” she said, smiling at Andrew.

Andrew pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head.

“There is no need to thank me.” he said.

“Of course there is no need to thank him.” Luke said. “I’m heating it up. He didn’t do shit. You have to thank me and hug me.”

Andrew rolled his eyes. Aria chuckled, letting go of Andrew.

I sighed and sat down at the kitchen island.

“Thank you, Luke.” Aria said, walking toward him.

He pulled her into a hug. He had a huge grin on his face.

“I will always feed you if it will earn me hugs.” Luke said, running his fingers through her hair.

“I will hug you even if you don’t feed me.” Aria chuckled.

“I will hold you to that, shortie.” Luke chuckled as he kissed the top of her head.

He let her go, and I reached out for her immediately.

She walked over to me with a smile on her face, and I couldn’t help but notice how much her smile made me happy.

I would always make sure that there was a smile on her face. I would always make sure that she was happy.

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