Brothers of Paradise Series

She disappears back into the house. My stomach growls again, but I ignore it. It’s only a nuisance when Gary hears it.

I hate making him feel guilty.

I hate being a burden.

The girl comes running out of the house, a raincoat hastily pulled on and an umbrella in her hand.

She stops by my door and pushes back tresses of long, auburn hair. She’s younger than me, but probably not by much. “Hello? Are you in there?”

I take a deep breath and double-check the Band-Aids across my right knuckles. Don’t let them see that you’ve been fighting, Gary had said, and shook his head when I’d tried to explain that I was only defending myself.

Then I open the door and set foot in Paradise Shores for the first time.

Lily

Lily, 10ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“Lily!!” Parker calls from his room, right across from mine. “Have you seen Atlas?”

I scratch the golden retriever behind his ear. “No!”

Rhys snorts from his place in my reading nook and flips another page in his book. “Liar.”

“He cut my computer time in half yesterday.”

“Ah.”

“Lily, are you sure?!”

“Yes!”

“I can vouch for her!” Rhys calls. Somehow, his voice drawls, even when he yells. My brothers couldn’t be more different if they tried.

Heavy footsteps echo in the corridor, and then Parker’s blond head pops into my room. His eyes zero in on Atlas lying by my feet. “Lily!”

“What?”

“I asked you!”

“You did?”

He groans and heads toward the dog. Atlas bounces up, tail wagging, and Parker pats him on the head. “You know walking him is my chore this week.”

“Oh, that’s right.”

“Screw you, Lily.”

“Mom told you not to say that,” I counter. I know it’s a weak argument, but with three older brothers, I’ve learned to use whatever excuses I can.

Parker rolls his eyes. “Mom’s not listening right now, is she?”

“You cut her computer time in half,” Rhys points out, not bothering to look at us.

“Of course you’re on her side.”

Rhys-older than both Parker and me, although not quite as old as Henry-snorts again, like all of this is beneath him. He’s getting frighteningly good at that. “I’m on the side of truth.”

“When it fits you, asshole.”

“Parker!” Only Dad uses that word.

Rhys shuts his book with an audible snap. “What’s bothering you today, huh?”

“Nothing.”

“Save us both the trouble and just tell me.”

Parker plays with Atlas’s collar. “I don’t think Dad should rent out the beach house.”

“It’s not like we use it all that much.”

“Yes, in the summer we do.”

I frown. I have to say, I kind of get Parker’s point. The little cottage is right by the shoreline, a stone’s throw from our house. Previous summers, Mom would prepare little beds out there for us, and then we’d lie and watch the stars through the window in the ceiling and eat marshmallows. If we were lucky, she would even tell us a story. The best ones were the ones she made up, because you never knew how they ended.

Plus, her stories always involved four very brave siblings.

I look at Rhys. “Why is Dad letting someone else stay there? It’s ours, isn’t it?”

“It’s for the money,” Parker answers, his voice gloomy.

“No, it’s not, you idiot. Dad found a new groundskeeper. The guy is bringing a kid, too, apparently. So they’re going to be living there.”

“Is it a girl?” I ask.

“What age is he?” Parker asks.

Rhys rolls his eyes. “I don’t know anything else.”

“Hey, how come you found out? They haven’t told the rest of us yet!”

“Dad told Henry, and Henry told me.” Rhys shoots us both a superior glance. “They’re coming next week.”

“I hate being the last to know things around here.” Parker clicks his tongue at Atlas. “Come on, boy. Let’s go look at the beach house while we still have a chance.”

Rhys waits until they’ve left my bedroom before he comes over and leans on the back of my chair. He looks over my drawings in silence.

I wait with bated breath for his verdict. Once, he’d called an elf I’d drawn inspired, and I’d been on cloud nine all day.