Nights Burn With Regret — by Nathan Perez 167
Chapter 167
Chapter 167
Violet
I watched quietly as Hades stepped around the car and helped my brother out of the passenger seat. Sebastian hesitated for just a second, his shoulders stiff, clearly nervous about being touched by someone like Hades, but he didn’t protest. He simply let Hades support him, gripping the edge of the door as he carefully shifted his weight.
The sight was almost surreal. Hades Sinclair, the man everyone feared, patiently helping my brother as if it were the most natural thing in the world. I felt a laugh bubble up in my chest, but I swallowed it down immediately. If Sebastian noticed even a hint of amusement, he would only grow more self-conscious, and I didn’t want that.
Once Hades was done, I stepped forward with a smile and handed Sebastian his crutches.
“Here you go,” I said gently.
Sebastian’s face flushed a deep red as he took them.
“T-thank you, Violet,” he murmured, then, after a brief pause, he glanced at Hades, swallowed hard, and added, “You too, Mr. Sinclair.”
Hades only nodded, his expression indifferent, as if helping him was nothing worth acknowledging. I looked between the two of them, smiling softly. They were both strange in their own ways, and no matter how hard I tried, I still couldn’t fully understand either of them.
“We’re almost there,” I said, turning to Hades. “Let’s walk.”
He glanced ahead at the path, then back at us, before replying simply, “Okay.”
I moved closer to Sebastian, staying at his side in case he lost his balance. Lowering my voice, I leaned toward him and whispered, “You should really stop calling Hades, Mr. Sinclair, you know. You can call him by his name. He’s your brother- in-law.”
Sebastian let out a small sigh as he carefully moved forward on his crutches. “You know I can’t help it,” he said. “I really want to call him that, or even just say his name, but my brain freezes every time I look at him. It’s like this instinctive fear kicks in, telling me if I mess up, he’ll get rid of me.”
I nodded slowly. I understood exactly what he meant. I’d felt it too when I first met Hades, that sharp instinct whispering that he was dangerous, that I should stay away. I glanced over my shoulder at him then. He was walking a few steps behind us, silent as always, but when he caught my gaze, a lazy smirk curved his lips. Without thinking, I smiled back.
“You’re right about one thing,” I said to Sebastian.
“Huh?” he asked, looking at me in confusion.
I met his eyes and spoke firmly. “You don’t need to be scared of him, He’s not a dangerous person.” I hesitated for a second. then added, softer but certain, “And most importantly, you don’t need to be scared of him because your sister likes him. He’s good to me. Really good, Sebastian.”
Sebastian looked at me for a moment, clearly taken aback by what I said, then his expression softened, and a small, genuine smile spread across his face. He nodded slowly.
“I’m happy, Violet,” he said quietly. “You’ve changed. You speak your mind now instead of hiding everything inside. And if he’s the one who helped you become like this, then he can’t be a bad person.”
His words made me happy. I smiled back at him and reached out, rulling his hair the way I always used to. “Look at you,” I teased. “Acting all grown up now.”
21:15 Tue, Jan 13
Chapter 167
Sebastian immediately swatted my hand away, not too hard but firm enough to make his point. “Hands off, sis,” he protested. “I’m not a child anymore.”
“As if.” I replied, snorting. “You’re still a little kid.”
We continued walking side by side, our steps slow and careful. After a moment of silence, Sebastian spoke again, his voice quieter this time. “Do you think they missed us?”
I didn’t hesitate. “Of course they did. They loved us so much. How could they not? You’re asking a question you already know the answer to.”
Sebastian nodded, a tired smile tugging at his lips. “You’re right. It’s such a foolish question.”
When we finally reached our destination, I stopped and looked down.
“We’re here,” I murmured. “Mom. Dad. Skylar.”
Three graves lay before us. I smiled, though it hurt, and for a moment it felt like my chest might cave in. Sebastian stood beside me, trying to smile too, but I could see the sadness in his eyes. I knelt slightly and placed the flowers gently on each grave. “How have you guys been? I’m sorry it took us so long to visit.”
Of course, no one answered. I hadn’t expected them to, but the silence still made my heart ache. I missed their voices more than anything. I would give anything just to hear them again. Swallowing hard, I forced myself not to cry and glanced at Sebastian. He was staring down, his jaw tight, clearly fighting his own tears.
I suddenly pointed at him and said loudly, “Skylar, you owe me ten dollars. I told you Sebastian wouldn’t grow up tall and attractive. He’s seventeen and still doesn’t even have a girlfriend.”
Sebastian gasped. “Violet! That’s not true!”
I raised an eyebrow innocently. “Oh? Am I lying? Do you have a girlfriend?”
He hesitated. “N-no, I mean-”
I shook my head dramatically and looked back at Skylar’s grave. “See? I don’t know where we went wrong with this one. You were so popular with women back then.”
Sebastian rolled his eyes, finally letting out a small huff of laughter. “You’re so annoying, Violet.”
AD
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