Chapter 18

—Ellie—

I lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, worrying about my family, especially Mateo. He was so protective of me, what if he did something stupid like attack and get himself killed? I wanted to be saved but if something happened to Sam, I wouldn’t survive.

I’d rather suffer pain and endure Tristan’s presence than see my cousin get hurt. A heavy weight settled in my stomach when I remembered the look in his eyes when Tristan had put the knife against my skin. That look had hurt so much more than the shallow cut. But the cut had given me an important piece of information about Tristan.

He had a weakness, and it had something to do with those scars and his brothers. Steps sounded in front of my door and someone knocked. I sat up, surprised. Nobody had bothered to knock.

The lock sounded and the door swung open as I stood, and a young woman with dark hair and dark eyes, wearing a yellow summer dress, stepped in. She was shorter than