I pushed open the glass doors and stepped inside the coffee scented cafe. It wasn’t something big and fancy. Just a cozy little space down the street, intended to entertain few people. I knew it would be somewhere like this that my dearest brother would want to meet up for a quick chit chat.

Did I say that right? Step brother.

A part of my brain—the mostly sensible part—was urging me to take a U-turn and head back, away from the potential chaos I was going to get into. It was unavoidable. Whenever Devin Adams and I were in the same room, wars broke out. Not physical of course. The last thing I wanted was to spend the rest of my life behind the bars for having his filthy blood on my hands.

You get it. I hated him.

As I approached the last booth on the far end corner of the cafe, I saw him. The ginger head that I despised with all my heart and collection of heels. Sometimes I daydreamed of setting those lush locks on fire and watch the ashes float up to the sky.

It wasn’t a news that I held grudges. But what I felt for my half brother, was pure unfiltered hatred. After what he had done, after all that I had to go through, it was a surprise he stood six feet tall before me and not six feet under the ground.

Because, again, his murder was not worth it.

I pulled out a chair and sat myself down, across him.

Devin’s eyes shifted up from his phone, toward me, and a shit-eating grin split his face into two, all teeth and hardly any lips.

“Little sis. Hey! What a surprise!” He put his phone away and leaned forward with his elbows on the table, giving me all of the undivided attention I didn't ask for.

I suppressed rolling my eyes at him. There was no way I would let him have the satisfaction of getting on my nerves. Although he seemed to be doing really great job at it.

And he had hardly said five words to me.

“How is it a surprise Devin? Considering you are the one who invited me here.” I shot a look around, and a waitress caught my gaze, and walked into our direction.

“As charming as ever, aren’t you?” The grin never faded off his face, and I had a serious urge to smack it away.

“You mean rude? Yes, I get overly enthusiastic around you.” The waitress approached us and took our orders. After she left, Devin leaned over the table, looking at me with a strange look in his eyes.

Somehow, I knew what was about to spill out of his disgusting mouth. And I didn’t put so much as a strand of interest in the conversation.

“You did not come for father’s funeral.” He stated, hazel eyes turning almost green against the vibrant red of his hair.

“Why would I attend your father’s funeral? Are we friends or something? ” I busied myself in the menu card, although I had no appetite whatsoever. I needed to just get it over with this—hopefully last—conversation with Devin.

A snort broke through him. "I did not expect anything less from you." His voice was calm, yet accusatory. Accusing me of forsaking my duties as a daughter.

I didn’t look up.

“Dad had something for you." He continued after a sigh. "That’s partly the reason why I tried contacting you over the past month. But it slipped my mind that you have always had a natural talent of blending into new places, and forget about the past. Easily.” The last word was whispered into a tone that he supposedly tried to sting me with. I could hear the bitterness in his voice, trying his best to get to me. “How is Michael?”

Now, I looked up.

Something about his smug expression and taunting eyes told me he already knew about my divorce. And of course, even if he didn’t, I never intended on letting him in on the slightest of details of my current life.

A tired sigh left my lips.

“I don’t know, Devin. Why don’t you go and ask him yourself? I’m sure he has more than just salutations reserved for you.” I smiled, all toothy and mouth-hurting grin. It got me a narrowed brow from Devin. He knew better than to mingle with Michael, who had once smacked his rude ass across the room for simply raising his voice at me.

Michael’s temper was bad, but it was worse for people oblivious of it, until he snapped. Or slapped.

And Michael just happened to not appreciate Devin’s existence, as much as me. Of course, for some obvious reasons like waste of oxygen.

“You have a share in Dad’s will.” Devin said, looking much irritated to announce the news. I traced the edge of the menu in my hand, narrowing my eyebrows together in confusion. “And so does Mary.”

My eyes snapped up at the mention of the name. “Mom?”

Devin eyed me with a tired look. And then sighed, bringing a finger under his chin. “Of course, even though you both left him at his worst–”

“More of like, he kicked us out,” I cut him off, raising my voice enough to top the false accusation in his statement. “For you and your mother.”

“We both know that’s not true.” There was that grin on his face, again. I was very close to boiling and it was sill somehow amusing him. “We know who exactly was the reason, you got kicked out.” He leaned forward on the table, fixing me with a look that reeked of a suppressed hatred he was carrying around for me. “Should I remind you about Mary's instabilities? Of how father had to turn to us because all she could give him was stress and restless nights.”

My eyes fell shut for a moment, and jaws clicked. “Keep my mother’s name out of your mouth.” I said, calmly.

The calm that spread before destruction.

Unbidden, images of a dark stormy night slipped into my mind through the little crack that was caused a long time ago. A lady and a little kid, drenched in the downpour, clutching onto each other’s hand like it was the only thing shielding them from the rain. It didn’t.

I opened my eyes, just in time to see the waitress arriving with our order. As soon as she set my cup before me, my hands reached forward and cupped it, seeking the warmth that could possibly melt down the ice that was starting to accumulate around my heart.

Before I had time to regain my equilibrium, Devin spoke. “As much as I believe you don’t deserve a penny out of Dad’s property, I can’t help the sympathy that’s rising inside me.” He blew over his coffee and took a brief sip. “And I feel this is the time you could really use some help.”

He was talking about my separation from Michael. I knew he was. Words could easily spread around, especially when it came to one of the most well-known businessmen in the city.

But I was stuck in a dilemma now which, however simplified, didn’t sit right. If I didn’t accept the money, which was legally signed off to my name by my late father, I would be indirectly leaving it behind for the motherfucker sitting before me. And if I accepted it, his words of pity would drown me with disgust.

And still, I was partly convinced that he was not here for just the discussion of distribution of my…our father’s assets.

“You know, a little bird told me this morning, that my day will be shitty. And it was half confirmed when I received your text.” I pushed aside the coffee, and leaned onto the table like him. “Spill it, Devin. What is the real reason you were so desperate to see me?”

In reply, a surprise-stricken look on his face welcomed me. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I don’t have all day, Devin. And I can assure you this is the second last time I am seeing you.” His brows knit together at my weird remark, and I leaned back in my seat. “Of course, I’ll have to revisit for your funeral. For a quick shout-out to our memorable siblinghood.” I faked a smile, and he shook his head, not amused, but looking like agreeing with me.

“You got me. Maybe there is something you have to know, that I feel obligated to inform you about.” He took another sip of his coffee, and looked at me over the rim of the cup. “Something that just might help your current situation.”

I didn’t like the tone of his voice, or the look in his eyes. Whatever he was up to, it was not good. I could sense it. Or maybe he was just trying to mess with my brain.

I sipped my coffee and let a moment slide, before turning my attention back to him. Whatever was brewing inside his brain, I needed to know it.

“What is it?” I asked.

Devin gauged my expression successfully and let the earlier grin switch back to his face. When he opened his mouth, he spat just two words, and they hung in the air between us, slowly crawling into my ears, and seeping down my throat like bitter honey.

“Blue Heaven.”