Fight For Me: A Ransom Family Novel Read online

  Alex doesn’t say anything else. She just sits on the bench next to me, my hand in hers, and lets me breathe.

  Wyatt

  “I want you to come back to the house with us tonight,” my mom says as the wake finally winds down. There’s mostly family left, my aunts and uncles and a few cousins. Most of the younger kids went back to the hotel a while ago.

  “I’m not sure,” I hedge, even though I have no intention of going back to their place in Seattle.

  “I don’t want you alone in your apartment,” she says, her voice a little shaky. You’re worrying her, I tell myself. Stop being a dick.

  I’ve actually been thinking I might stay at my grandparents’ house in Huntington tonight. It feels right, somehow. Like it’s my last chance to feel close to them. But I don’t tell my mom that. If she’s worried about me staying by myself in my own apartment, she’ll be even more concerned at the idea of me staying at the old house alone.

  “Will you let your brother stay with you?” she asks. “I really don’t want you to be on your own.”

  “I’ve been surrounded by people all day, Mom. Alone doesn’t sound so bad.”

  “But we’re not people, Wyatt. We’re your family.”

  Across the room, Will is sitting on one of the couches, our little sister CeCe snuggled up next to him while he talks to his fiancée, Eva, and our cousins Rose and River. I watch while CeCe’s eyelids grow heavy until she nods off, her head lulling over on his shoulder. Seeing them sitting there like that sends an aching throb to pulse low in my chest and I’m not sure why.

  They’re my siblings, for fuck’s sake. Why does looking at them make me feel…left out?

  “Did you convince him to come home with us yet?” My dad joins us, sliding an arm around Mom’s waist.

  “Your house is thirty minutes away,” I point out. “I’m exhausted.”

  Dad frowns. “I wasn’t talking about the Seattle house. I meant home to LA.”

  Ah. So we’re going to do this again already. “Dad.”

  He holds up a hand. “I get why you put off the surgery and didn’t come home a few months ago. And I’m glad you trusted that instinct—you were in the right place, here with Alice.” His familiar dark blue eyes search mine. “But now the right place is with us. You shouldn’t be alone, kid.”

  “Where am I supposed to stay? My apartment is here.”

  Something like excitement flashes in his eyes. “You still have a room at the house.”

  “Oh, Lord.” My dad’s older brother, Reed, walks up to join us. “You know this is his most enduring wish, right? To have all his kids back under the same roof?”

  “Yeah, Wyatt.“ Their younger brother Lennon joins us. “You have the power to make all his dreams come true.”

  Dad scowls at his brothers. “Real easy for the two of you to say—none of your kids have moved out yet.” He sighs dramatically, looking over at me. “First you, kid, then your brother had to get that damn apartment.” He tightens his arm around my mom. “Silas and CeCe are never leaving the house.”

  She smiles up at him. It’s faint, but it’s the first real smile I’ve seen on her face in days. “And how are you going to accomplish that?”

  He shrugs. “Figure I’ll lock them in their rooms the day they turn eighteen.”

  My mom laughs softly, but both Reed and Lennon are looking like it isn’t the worst idea they’ve ever heard.

  Anyone who followed their early days of rock and roll stardom might be surprised to hear it, but the famous Ransome brothers are nothing if not overprotective of their kids. Somewhere around the time they switched their focus to the record label they founded, the four of them became very domestic. I swear, they like nothing better than being at home with all the kids under the same roof. Barbecues and movie nights are a far cry from the partying and wild antics they used to get up to as rock stars, but they all seem pretty damn happy with their lives—so long as their kids don’t stray too far from home.

  So far, I’m the only one who’s done any real straying, first at Julliard and then when I took the symphony position in Seattle, and I don’t think my dad ever quite got over it. The idea of him locking the younger kids in their rooms isn’t all that farfetched, knowing him.

  “Well, I guess I’ll leave you psychopaths to discuss the best way to imprison your offspring,” I say, beginning to edge away. Reed stops me with a heavy hand on my shoulder.

  “Not so fast. Don’t think we came over here to rescue you from his nagging.”

  “Right,” Lennon agrees, his expression serious. “We all want you to come home.”

  “Wyatt’s coming home?”

  I turn to see Daltrey, the youngest Ransome brother, approaching. He wears a hopeful expression on his face, and I stifle a groan. Excellent. All four of them are going to be on my case. Just what I need.

  Then I realize that Levi is next to Daltrey, and my entire body tenses.

  “He’s concerned about where he’s going to live,” Reed explains, like LA is a foregone conclusion. “For some reason he doesn’t want to bunk in his childhood bedroom.”

  Levi grins at me, his eyes dancing with amusement. He knows exactly how annoying his best friends can be when they get something in their heads, and he loves nothing more than to rag on the Ransome brothers. “Can’t imagine why you wouldn’t want to move back in with your parents at your age.”

  I try to laugh, but the sound comes out strained. At your age. An age that is in no way suitable for dating this man’s daughter.

  Stop it, I tell myself. That’s not something you should even be thinking about.

  “Who said you had to live at home?” Daltrey asks. “They do have apartments in LA, kid.”

  “Or we could get you a house.” Dad turns to Reed, looking excited. “Isn’t the Gilbert place around the block from you for sale?”

  “Oh, Jesus,” I groan, looking over at my Mom. She’s watching me, clearly trying not to laugh at their antics. “A little help?”

  “I don’t think Wyatt needs a six-bedroom McMansion, babe,” she says to my dad. Then her expression grows serious. “But an apartment nearby sounds pretty reasonable.”

  “Hang on.” I hold up a hand. “I never said—”

  They all talk right over me, already making plans for what neighborhoods they should check out on my behalf when they get back to LA.

  Levi shakes his head at me. “May as well just go with it, kid. You know they’re not dropping this.”

  I have a pretty good feeling he wouldn’t be encouraging me to come home if he knew the reason I want to stay away.

  Without conscious thought, my gaze drifts away from the group around me until it lands on her. Alex is sitting on the far side of the room with Everly, Reed’s oldest daughter, and Fox, Daltrey’s middle son. Everly is talking to Fox, her demeanor far more subdued than the bubbly cheerfulness I’m used to from her. Alex doesn’t appear to be listening to them, her gaze locked on the floor, and I wonder what she’s thinking about.

  I always wonder what she’s thinking about. Anytime I’m near her, I find myself staring at her, wondering what’s going on in that head. Of course, it’s hard not to stare when someone that beautiful is nearby, but it’s more than that. I want to know things about her—know what she thinks and feels. What makes her happy. What she’s afraid of. I want to know—

  As if feeling my eyes on her, she looks up, her gaze immediately locking with mine. For a second, it feels like I can’t breathe, like all the air is sucked out of the room. I’m barely conscious of the people surrounding me. Barely conscious of anything but Alex and her calm, steady gaze.

  “I’m not coming home,” I blurt out, not realizing how loud I was until the silence around me registers. It takes a lot to get my dad and his brothers to shut up when they’re on a roll, so I must have practically shouted it. Jesus.

  “Sorry.” I run my hands through my hair, suddenly exhausted. I can’t look at any of them. I certainly can’t look back over to Alex. I wonder if she heard me. I wonder what she’s thinking—

  Stop.

  My mother’s voice cuts through the heavy quiet. “Why don’t you guys head back to the hotel,” she says. I finally look up to see she’s addressing my uncles and Levi. “Take the rest of the kids over.” Her gaze catches mine. “I think Wyatt is ready for a little space.”

  No one moves for a long moment and I feel eyes on me, way too many eyes. Finally, Lennon straightens and moves toward me, wrapping me in a hug. “I’m so sorry about Bruce and Alice,” he says. “We love you, kid.”

  The lump is back in my throat, heavier this time. And it only grows as the other brothers follow suit, each of my uncles hugging me tight, telling me how sorry they are. Telling me they love me. When Levi does the same, I’m pretty sure I’m going to lose it. I see my aunts approaching, a few of the older cousins behind them, and I just can’t. I can’t stand here and hug all of them, can’t handle any more of their sympathy—of their love.

  I inhale a ragged breath, pulling away from Levi. I see concern in all of their faces, my dad’s hand reaching for me, but I know I can’t do this.

  “Hey.” My mom is suddenly in front of me, her eyes steady on mine. I’ve always been able to read her, could always see every emotion as it crossed her face since I was a little kid who spent far too much time worrying about her. Right now, her eyes have a singular message—you’re okay.

  But I don’t feel okay. I don’t know what I’m feeling. But I know it’s not good.

  “You’ll see everyone tomorrow before they head home,” she says firmly. “No need to do a million goodbyes right now.”

  I’m so relieved my knees feel weak. I keep my gaze glued to the floor as my aunts and uncles gather the remaining kids up and say their goodbyes to my parents. My mom stands firmly at my side, and I feel like an asshole. She probably wants to hug the family before they take off. Her cousin Penny—her best friend in the world—is out there in that lingering group of people, and I’m sure she wants to talk to her. But I can’t seem to find the words to tell her she doesn’t have to stay with me.

  “I’m not leaving,” a shrill voice says, and my eyes finally snap up to see CeCe across the room, standing with her arms crossed, glaring up at Aunt Daisy. “I’m staying with them.”

  “Sweetie,” Daisy attempts, reaching for her. “We’re just going to give you a ride. Your mom and dad will be right behind—”

  CeCe jerks away. “I’m staying with Wyatt!”

  My baby sister might be small, but she’s a spitfire. She’s the youngest of all the Ransome offspring, the baby of the whole family—a fact she uses to her advantage. She might look cute and sweet, but you can’t let that fool you. The kid is sassy as hell and stubborn and I can tell just from looking at her that she’s not backing down.

  “Let her stay,” I mutter to my mom. “Silas, too.”

  She must wordlessly communicate something with my dad because he heads over to get CeCe. I concentrate on taking deep breaths and stare at the ugly carpet while everyone else trickles out. When it’s just my parents and my siblings, I finally let myself sink onto one of the couches.

  CeCe immediately climbs up next to me, her arms going around my middle. Silas sits on my other side, his worried eyes searching my face. “I’m okay, you guys,” I tell my younger siblings, glad my voice sounds more normal. “I’m just getting tired. It’s been a long few days.”

  My baby sister squeezes me tighter and Silas’s eyes remain every bit as concerned. Will takes his suit coat off before taking one of the arm chairs across from us and Dad is already pulling at his tie. I grin in spite of the shitty day. I’m used to dressing up for symphony performances but it’s pretty rare to see Dad or Will in anything but jeans and t-shirts. “I’m surprised the two of you managed to wear suits all day.”

  Dad makes a face as he tugs at his collar. “I can’t believe there are people who wear this shit every day,” he grumbles.

  CeCe pulls away from me to point at our dad. “You owe me five dollars.”

  He groans. “Why the hell did I agree to the damn swear jar?”

  “Because you have a damn dirty mouth,” Will says.

  CeCe holds out her hand. “That’s two more each for damn and hell.”

  “Why doesn’t Will have to pay for his cursing?”

  She grins. “Because you’re the one who’s supposed to be setting an example, Father.”

  He grumbles and pulls out his wallet. I catch Silas’s eye and smirk at him. This is not the first time Mom has attempted to clean up Dad’s dirty mouth in front of the kids. She used the swear jar when we were younger, too. But CeCe is the only one who really stays on him about it—and the only one to be so gleeful to catch him when he messes up.

  After paying his daughter, Dad joins Mom on a loveseat. “Did Eva leave?” he asks Will, and I realize that my brother’s fiancée is gone.

  “She’s gonna hang out with Rose at the hotel for a while,” he says.

  I should probably tell him that it wasn’t necessary for her to go. She’s going to be a member of the family soon. But even though I truly like Eva—and think she’s perfect for my brother—I can’t help but feel a little relieved. As we sit in silence together, I feel the tension slowly easing from my body. I hadn’t realized how much I needed this, to sit for a few minutes with my family. Not all the extended family—just the six of us.

  “Are you going to stay at the Seattle house tonight?” CeCe asks. “Mom said we could get pizza.”

  I tug at the end of her pigtail braid. “I don't know, kid.”

  “Why not?” She looks up at me with big, blue eyes, so much like our dad’s. “You don’t want to hang out with us?”

  “No, I just—”

  “Because it sounds like you don’t want to come home to LA, either,” Silas cuts in.

  My stomach churns. “It’s not that I don’t want to come home.”

  He stares at me. “I don’t get it. You always say the reason you’re away so much is because of work. You aren’t working right now.”

  “And you’re sad,” CeCe adds. “You shouldn’t be alone when you’re sad.”

  Jesus. I glare over at Dad, wondering if he put them up to this. It’s certainly a more effective strategy than my uncles bugging me. But he holds out his hands, expression innocent.

  “We just miss you,” Silas says, his eyes darting between me and Dad. I get the feeling he knows exactly what I’m thinking. It’s strange to realize that he’s getting so intuitive. Sometime in the last few years, my youngest brother started growing up.

  “Come home, Wyatt,” CeCe says, her expression far more serious than I’m used to seeing on her. “I promise I won’t be too annoying. I won’t bug you.”

  The kid sure knows how to cut me deep. I feel guilty all the time for staying away so much. I just don’t see any other way.

  “Wyatt.” The sound of Mom’s voice has us all turning to her but her gaze is locked on me.

  Our mother is a strong person, the strongest person I know. She’s been through some shit—loss I can’t even imagine—and she came out on the other side. After everything that happened to her, she put herself through school, took over our family’s charitable foundation, and managed to raise four kids. She’s fierce and confident and pretty much everything a person should want to aspire to.

  But she doesn’t look very fierce right now, and she doesn’t look very strong. She looks like someone who suffered a horrible loss. She looks like she’s just barely hanging on. Her familiar brown eyes are swimming with pain as she looks at me.

  “I want you to come home,” she says, and I can tell it’s taking all her effort to keep her voice from shaking. Her eyes plead with me, even more than her words. “Please, Wyatt. Come home.”

  A weight settles into my stomach. I already know I’ll agree. There’s no way I can say no to her, not when she’s hurting like this. Not when she needs me.

  For the last two years and three months, I’ve done my best to keep far away from Alex. The idea of spending the next several months in the same city as her sounds like torture.

  But I guess I’m just going to have to deal with it.

  “Okay,” I tell my mom. “I’ll come home.”

  Alex

  “This is such a bad idea,” Everly moans.

  I glance over her shoulder to meet Fox’s eyes. I’m sure my expression matches his—barely controlled exasperation.

  The three of us are huddled together in the kitchen at Uncle Reed and Aunt Paige’s place—Everly’s parents. The entire family is here for Sunday lunch, most of them out back in the yard. And that makes this the perfect opportunity to do the thing we should have done weeks ago—hold a family meeting.

  “What were we thinking?” Everly continues. “A family meeting? That’s crazy. Our family is crazy!”

  “She’s not wrong about that,” Fox says drily, and I narrow my eyes at him.

  “You’re not helping.”

  He steps toward his cousin, squeezing her shoulders. “It’s time, Lele. We’ve already put this off for too long.”

  Too long is an understatement. We were supposed to do this a month ago. We’d made excuses for ages, and then Wyatt’s grandmother had passed and the whole family went to Seattle for a week—

  I have to swallow hard to push back memories of brown eyes filled with enough pain to take my breath away. I cannot start thinking about him, not now. The thing I need to focus on is the fact that we’re mere days before the deadline to make our decision, and we haven’t even told the family yet.

  “What about tomorrow?” Everly asks hopefully.

  Fox groans and I do my best to keep my patience. God knows I’m nervous too. But… “Lele, every day that we delay this, the worse the whole thing is going to go over with everyone.”

  My best friend is still wringing her hands. “I just think it’s a bad idea to do it with the whole family here. Why don’t we just pull our own parents aside?”

  “We’ve talked about this,” Fox reminds her. “Multiple times. What we want to do affects the whole family, so they all need to hear it. Let’s just get it over with.”