Page 72 of Lost Prince
Lana turns, her eyes meeting mine. For a moment, I see a flash of the sister I've been told about. The one who never gave up looking for me. But it's quickly replaced by the guarded expression I've grown accustomed to.
"Did Elio tell you to drag me home?"
“No.” I shake my head, not sure how I got here. “I’ve been driving. I felt a pull here, I guess.” I lean against her car next to her.
Her eyebrows raise slightly. "We used to come here a lot, before…" She trails off, leaving the words unsaid.
I stare out over the water toward the city. I feel a familiarity, but no memories come.
“The first time we came, we were fourteen. You stole Dad’s car, and we came here.”
I guess I was incorrigible even as a kid. I can almost see it. A younger version of myself, reckless and carefree, dragging my sister along on an adventure.
Lana's expression darkens as she continues. "Some assholes showed up, started harassing me. I froze, but you…" She pauses, looking at me with a mix of admiration and sadness. "You didn't hesitate. You put yourself between me and them, even though there were more of them."
My fists clench involuntarily, a surge of protectiveness washing over me. Even without the memory, I know I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
“You beat them all to a pulp, and I know you don’t like hearing that about yourself, Lazaro, but you protected me. I never wanted to come back here, but you said I couldn’t let thosefuckers make me afraid to go anywhere. So you brought me here again and again until I wasn't afraid anymore."
I swallow hard, moved by the depth of our bond, feeling guilty that I haven't fully appreciated how difficult my disappearance and memory loss have been for her.
“It's more than just a spot by the lake. It represents everything you've always been to me. My other half. My protector. No matter what, you've never failed to keep me safe, even when it meant putting yourself in harm's way. And when you disappeared, it became the place I could feel close to you.”
“I’m glad I was here. I’m sorry that I’m not?—”
“Stop.” She holds her hand up. “I’m not telling you all this to make you feel bad or try to make you remember and be the old Lazaro.”
“Then why are you telling me this?”
Lana turns to face me fully. "Because you’re not different. You’re still my brother that I spent nine months in the womb with. Whether you ever get your memories back or not, you're still you at your core."
I furrow my brow, not quite understanding. "What do you mean?"
"You're doing it again, Lazaro. Protecting me—protecting our family—by considering marrying Ava. Even though I can see it's eating you up inside."
I shrug. “I’ll deal?—”
“Matteo said you nearly beat someone to death.”
My jaw tightens. “Maybe I’ve been a little tense lately. I’ll deal with it.”
Lana squeezes my arm gently. "You don't have to pretend with me. I know this isn't what you want. But you're willing to do it to keep us safe, to secure our family's future. Just like you've always done." She makes a distasteful face. “It was more than Elio was willing to do.”
“He loves Piper. You can’t blame him for that.”
She studies me. “You called him out on that. Called me out on being with Henry.”
I look back over the city. “I was mad.”
“But you’re not wrong. Why can Elio and I have love, but not you?”
I roll my shoulders to try to rid them of the tension growing in them.
"I'm so sorry, Lazaro. I didn't see it before. I thought I was protecting you, but I was just pushing away the one person who truly helps you." She looks down. “Or maybe I was jealous of her.”
I look at her, not sure what she’s telling me.
“You’ve always been the one to keep me even keeled. I wanted to be that for you. I wanted to save you like you saved me. But Diana is the one who did that for you.”