I'd known Phoenix would fit right in with my family. He was nowhere near as extroverted as the rest of us, but that didn't mean he couldn't be a part of the Nyx clan.

The way my dad had integrated him into house work showed just that, his trust in him obvious when he'd sent him up the roof. Phoenix had been climbing around there all day, exposing himself to the July heat while doing all kinds of work Dad hadn't gotten around to.

He was shirtless, wearing a black overall that did all kinds of things to my body with the way it clung to his glistening muscles. It wasn't fair having to watch him work and sweat and getting dirty all day, when all I wanted to do was get that dirt on me ASAP.

Adjusting the cap on his head, he looked so much more like his juvenile self that I had to do a double take at first. I blinked a few times to make sure this was actually my thirty-year-old Phoenix. His gaze found my own from several feet away as he ran his arm over his forehead, flexing his tattooed bicep with ease.

The wink he shot me short-circuited my brain.

Fuck me.

"He's doing good work." My mother appeared by my side, a palm raised to shield her from the sun.

"Yeah." I cleared my throat when Phoenix grabbed the electric drill to get back to work on the roof window. His muscles flexed as he pressed himself against the drill, using his weight to get the screw in place.

It took all of my self-restraint to not start fanning my face from the mere sight of him. Why were men with tools so irresistibly hot?

"Do you need something to drink?" The amused tone of my mom's voice made me turn to look at her. She had a brow raised at me, a smirk playing on her lips as she handed me the pitcher of homemade lemonade.

"I'm not thirsty."

Her trademark mother-knowing grin appeared on her lips. "Sure you aren't."

I rolled my eyes in response, but couldn't deny that my mouth had been as dry as the desert the second Phoenix got up on that rooftop. Shame on them for making me endure this beautiful torture all day...

"Give me that," I muttered, grabbing the pitcher and an empty glass from my mom's hands. She kept throwing me sly glances as I downed a whole glass, desperately needing to refill my juices.

"Need more?"

"Ma!" Slapping her arm, I couldn't help but laugh. She never minced her words, so I couldn't expect her to do so now.

"Just saying..." She grinned and raised her hands in defeat, slowly backing away from me.

"Yeah, you better run."

"No, I think you better do that." Ma nodded to the house behind me, where Phoenix now emerged from the backyard, looking sinful as ever. I could practically feel the drool coming from my lips when he raised the cap from his head and ruffled his wet hair like he was the protagonist of a perfume commercial, the sun hitting him in a way that his dark strands appeared almost bronze.

He was ridiculously sexy. And usually, I'd thank the heavens for bringing that stunning specimen into my peripheral. But in times like these, when my parents watched our every move, Phoenix's presence was an active threat to my sanity.

I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the inappropriate thoughts. "Yeah... I think I'm going back inside now."

My mother's laughter followed me into the house, where the air-conditioned hallway gave me a good cool-down from the unbearable heat outside.

The air conditioning itself didn't help, though. And so I went for a cold shower, changing into a dark green knee-length summer dress by the time dinner rolled around. By the time I had settled in the living room, I hadn't seen Phoenix for a few hours, which was probably for the best, but couldn't deny that I already missed him.

Talking about corny, Flo...

"Mamá?" Rafael's voice made me jump from the sofa and dash into the hallway.

My brother stalked down the corridor, pulling a suitcase behind him. He grinned when he spotted me, and even though I'd seen him two days ago, I still ran into his arms. This house just hadn't been complete without him.

"You're not my mother," he quipped, hugging me tightly.

"Shut up." A laugh fled my lips as he squeezed him once more before I let go, taking in the sunbathed glimmer on his skin. "How was your extra day in Portugal?"

Rafael threw me a look I couldn't quite interpret. There was a hesitancy to his words and movement that made me suspicious, though I couldn't tell of what.

"It was good. Sunny. Relaxing."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Did Amara stay with you?" It was unusual for me to dig into his private life, but since my best friend told me she was only going to be back in the States by the end of the week, I just couldn't help but wonder.

My brother didn't seem fazed, though. His cocky grin broadened as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and ruffled my hair, eyes sparkling with amusement. "To use your words, favorite sister of mine... That's none of your business."

I nudged him with a laugh, shaking my head. "Yeah. You're right."

He shot me a thankful smile, his grip on me tightening and pulling me in for another quick hug. I couldn't help but return the favor, squeezing him like I hadn't done in a while. We were a tightly knit family, but the two of us dedicated their life to a business that left little room for bonding time with my brother.

Maybe that's why I'd felt like we were losing our connection sometimes. His job made him preoccupied more than he'd liked to admit.

"So, where's your boyfriend?" The question made me look up at him, his clear blue eyes sparkling with amusement. I had yet to figure out what Rafael thought of Phoenix. Maybe now was the time.

"Cleaning the roof, as far as I know."

"Dad let him on the roof?" he asked with a raised brow, clearly impressed.

"Yup." I couldn't help but grin. Dad was wary about who he'd allowed to work on the house he'd helped build so many years ago. It was the most precious thing he owned.

"Damn... Well, let's hope he doesn't break anything. I'm not going up there again soon."

"Scaredy cat." I smirked, nudging his ribs.

"I will have you know, acrophobia is a real thing. Anything above ten feet is just a suicide mission."

"Says the man driving 200 miles per hour in a corner."

"That is not the same." Rafael looped his arm around my own and led me into the kitchen, grabbing himself a glass of water. "I can control my car. I can't control gravity."

He took a large sip of the liquid before he put it on the counter, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Well, you kinda can. Just don't fall." I grinned.

His head shook in amusement as he looked at me, the warmth of his brotherly stare making me feel safe and cared for. "You just got to have the final say, huh?"

"I just always do, 'cause I'm smart."

"Yeah. Big brain." He laughed out loud, reaching over to ruffle my hair once more. It didn't bother me — never had. I simply combed my fingers through my hair while he put the empty glass in the sink and reached into the cabinet to grab a bag of potatoes. "Now, bright little sister of mine... You up for dinner?"

A snort fled my throat when he started juggling the potatoes, but failed horribly. One almost hit my foot, making me dance around the raining vegetables of doom.

"Depends. Are you cooking?"

***

Spoiler alert: Rafael hadn't cooked dinner.

In fact, Mom sighed in relief when I told her I'd prepared the tortilla de patatas. Much like my father, Rafael had never learned how to cook. Not because Mom hadn't tried to teach him, but simply because his palate was practically non-existent. His food was either too salty, or bland as all hell.

"That looks delicious, hija. Thank you." Mom smiled as I placed the large pan onto the table, presenting it similarly to a family-sized pizza we all could get a slice of.

"Can I just have on record that I peeled the potatoes?" Rafael chimed in, pointing at the steaming dish. "I'm practically the sous chef."

"Yeah. Whatever makes you sleep at night, son." Dad snorted as he pushed himself toward the seat next to Mom, leaving Rafael at the head of the table and an empty seat next to me.

"Where's Phoenix?" I wondered, glancing at the empty chair to my right.

My question was answered a split second later, when I felt a strong hand on my shoulder and sensed the overwhelmingly familiar scent of lemon around me.

"Right here," Phoenix whispered and sat down next to me, his wet hair brushing over my skin as he placed a quick kiss on my cheek.

The move was so swift and unexpected that I couldn't help but stare at him, along with the rest of my family. It wasn't that I didn't like it or that he did anything wrong. It was that it felt like he was used to doing it, like he'd been kissing me every morning before he went to work and wished me a great day.

I had to swallow from the warmth spreading in my chest, and much more from the heat creeping into my cheeks as I felt my family's eyes on me.

"Hi," I croaked out, trying to ignore how overpowering his scent was with him so close to me.

"Hi." He shot me a wink before glancing around, gaze settling on the head of the table. "Rafael. Good to see you."

"Phoenix." My brother nodded, stifling a laugh. I shot him a glare, but that only had the opposite effect. Rafael ended up hiding behind his napkin, clearing his throat while his eyes danced with amusement and something I couldn't quite place. "How's the roof?"

"Fixed." Phoenix's response made me look back at him, the smirk on his face telling me he was proud of today's achievements. After eight hours of crawling around on that roof, he definitely deserved a little appreciation.

"Well, that's good. Means I don't have to go up there." Rafael said, reaching his hands out to me and Ma, who sat by his side.

My mother got the hint and gesticulated around the table, waiting for everyone to join hands. She said her usual prayer, and soon we started to eat, the focus shifting from Phoenix and me to the food.

Finally.

"I gotta say, I've really outdone myself this time..." Rafael mumbled, taking another bite of potato tortilla.

"You cooked this?" Phoenix asked with a raised brow.

"Well, I mean, I—"

"Florence cooked, but Rafael peeled the potatoes," Dad chimed in with a laugh. "Really, Phoenix, you have to recognize the true master of this dish. No one peels like he does."

"Of course." Phoenix chuckled, glancing over at me. "It's really good."

I could practically feel the ice in Rafael's glare as he stared at Phoenix, waiting for him to continue. It took him a second to catch up, but soon Phoenix turned to my brother, a thin smile on his lips. "And the potatoes are... uh... peeled perfectly."

"Thank you! Finally, someone said it. Good God..."

Laughter erupted in the dining room, and as I watched my loved ones sit around the table, all four of them enjoying themselves, I couldn't help but hate myself for having to ruin the mood soon. There was no way I'd get around telling them about Cem tonight, and I had no idea how they'd react.

Dad had always been hellbent on letting the past be the past, not wanting any of us to dig into things that couldn't be changed. He'd insisted he'd loved the life he was living, no matter if that included a wheelchair or not. There was simply no need for him to investigate anything further.

I'd always admired that about him: the unmistaken desire to enjoy his life to the fullest, letting nothing stop him from doing so. While many saw wheelchairs as a hindrance or disability, he saw it as an aid. It was what helped him through the day, let him be as mobile as he could be.

It might've taken him a little while, but by now he was thankful for the wheels that carried him through life.

And now I had to inform him someone was going against his biggest wish by digging up the past.

"I have to tell you guys something," I blurted out without thinking, resting the fork on my empty plate.

Phoenix caught on immediately, his hand finding mine underneath the table. The look in his eyes reminded me of what he'd said in the car yesterday: He'd jump in when needed, but would let me lead the way otherwise. It meant the world to me.

"Are you pregnant?" my mother asked. Dad almost dropped his glass of wine but kept it upright before he stared at me, wide eyes filled with an entire array of emotions.

"What?" I squeaked. "God! No, mom! Why is that the first thing you — You know what? Just... just don't." A sigh fled my lips before I took a deep breath, redirecting my gaze to look at my father, who was blinking rapidly. "I'm not pregnant," I stated again, trying to ignore the heat in my cheeks.

"Okay." Dad cleared his throat and glanced around the table before looking at me again, and as he studied me for a few seconds, his gaze turned pensive. The way he furrowed his brows showed me he knew something was coming, and that he wouldn't like it. "What is it?" he asked.

I scanned the others once more, surprised when I realized how nervous Rafael had become. His bouncing leg tapped against my own, making me raise a brow. The way he bit the insides of his cheeks reminded me of the time he'd stolen my toy car and broke it when I was five.

Shaking my head, I focused back on my father, who was still waiting for a response.

"The other day, a private investigator approached me."

Rafael's leg bumped against my own beneath the table, the pain on my shin making me glare at him now. What the hell was his problem?

"His name is Cem Alir," I shook my head at Rafael before I continued, focusing on my father, "and he said he... he was hired to look into your crash ten years ago, Dad. He said it wasn't an accident and that he knew how to prove it."

A deafening silence wrapped around the table, almost suffocating me with its intensity. I didn't know whose gaze was the worst, though: Mom, who simply stared at me with an emptiness in her eyes that chilled me to my bones. Dad, who blinked rapidly, a flurry of emotion in his irises as he tried to process my words. Or maybe it was Rafael, who by now had his face hidden in his palms, not even daring to look at me.

"He never told me who he suspected. Connor Williams was with him, though, for whatever reason... " A sigh left my lips upon the memory of the two. "I told the guy to stop the investigation or I would sue him, so I don't think we have more to worry about, but this is still bad."

"You what?" Rafael chimed in, glaring at me. "You threatened to sue if he doesn't stop?"

I furrowed my brows. "Yeah. Of course."

"Why would you do that? Are you insane?" My brother's gaze was almost unrecognizable at that moment, his usually so warm eyes now flaring with rage.

"Why wouldn't I? If I'm not allowed to investigate, then neither is some random person who can't even do the work themselves and hires an investigator."

"I can't believe you." My brother muttered, rubbing his hands over his face.

"What the hell is your issue? I just stopped this guy from digging into things that are none of his business."

"They are his business, Florence!" he raised his voice at me, something he hadn't done in years. It rarely happened, mostly because my parents were intent on leading a respectful household.

My brother was very much out of line.

"If it's anyone's business, it's ours." I made my point once more.

"Exactly!" Rafael pulled at the hair on his head, a frustrated groan leaving his lips before he looked back at me. "It is our business because I hired him! And now he refuses to give me info because you told him you'd sue him!"

Silence.

Pure and utter silence. That was all I could hear in the dining room of my childhood home. The look in my brother's eyes frightened me — not because I was afraid he'd do something to me, but because I could see the truth in them.

He was the one breaking my heart.

He really was the one who'd hired Cem Alir to investigate the case we all agreed on letting go.

And that alone just broke my fucking heart.

"Why would you do that?" My mother's soft voice interrupted my train of thoughts, her gaze glassy as she held Dad's hand above the table. "Why, hijo?"

Rafael's eyes fought a war between rage and sincerity, neither of the emotions surrendering to the other. I could feel the turmoil boiling in his mind as he took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak, but shut it a second later.

"Connor Williams approached me when the season started," he finally spoke. "Said he suspected something about his father and that he wanted to bring him down. I didn't think much of it until he showed me the texts his dad had sent to an unknown number, asking if it was possible to rig the brakes of an F1 car..."

For some reason, I wasn't surprised. Not that my dad's car had been tampered with, not that Sebsastian Williams was somehow involved... I wasn't even surprised by Connor wanting to bring down his father. We all knew how much he loathed Sebastian.

What did surprise me was that he'd come to Rafael with all of this.

"How was I supposed to let that go, Ma?" Rafael asked, swallowing hard. "I couldn't just go about my life, not knowing what had happened that day. I had a right to know—"

"You didn't." My father's deep voice vibrated through the room, taking every ounce of attention without having to raise in volume. "You had no right to dig into something we all agreed on not pursuing. This family has sacrificed a lot to stay out of the spotlight of the media. Do you know the hell that'd break loose if the press got wind of this?"

"They wouldn't. I'm not stupid, Dad. I can take care of myself, and Cem is a professional."

"Not professional enough to hide his P.I. status in the paddock..." Phoenix muttered under his breath. His eyes widened when he realized he'd said it out loud, and he quickly turned toward me to explain. "Idir recognized him when Cem showed up at the gala. He didn't think much of it since we didn't know why he was there, though. I swear, I would've told you if I'd known..."

"For fuck's sake..." Dad's curse didn't even let me think about what Phoenix had just told me, the sound of a cuss from my father's lips stunning me momentarily.

"I don't understand why you're all acting like I did something wrong." My brother threw his hands in the air. "Honestly, it's ridiculous how neither of you have any interest in finding out what happened that day! He put you in a fucking wheelchair, Dad!"

"Rafael!" my mother and I exclaimed simultaneously, leaving him staring at me with wide eyes.

"What? Why are you not on my side, Florence? I know you want to know what happened back then as much as I do. You've always said how bad you felt about the way things went down, but still never even bothered to find out! That was your responsibility! But all you did was—"

"That's enough, Rafael." Dad interrupted him, his words clipped and final. "One more word to your sister in that tone, and you can spend the night in a hotel. We respect each other in this house, and if you can't do that, then you don't belong here."

My heart sank. Never in my life had my dad kicked anyone out of his home, and I'd never expected him to do so, either. Especially not my big, dorky brother.

Just looking at him sent a tidal wave of pain through my chest, the betrayal of his actions running deep in my veins. This was so unlike him that I had a hard time wrapping my head around it, a headache knocking on my temple the more I tried to do so.

For ten years, guilt had eaten away at me. For ten years, I had respected my father's wishes and stayed out of his matters, letting the spiraling thoughts of what if I hadn't worried him before the race and what if I'd pushed him to retire sooner consume my mind.

I'd learned to live with it, to relieve my guilt by respecting Dad's boundaries, no matter what they'd cost my sanity. If anyone had a right to investigate what'd happened, it was me.

But now my brother stole that chance from me.

"I need to get some air," I muttered, letting go of Phoenix's hand. He shot me a questioning and empathetic glance, but I shook my head in response.

I craved space. A shit ton of it, too.

And so I left.

Author's Note

Hey, folks!

Soooo... Who'd expected that, huh?

What are we thinking? Team Rafael? Team Flo?

Or, obviously... Team Flonix? :D

Hope you're all doing alright! Next chapter is already halfway there, so you'll get it soon.

Lots of love as always,

xx Jane