With a heavy heart, I walked home. I was too tired to face my family and Jax, so I decided to slip in quietly and be interrogated tomorrow. I also didn't want my family to see the large swollen bruise on my face or my red eyes, as that would lead to questions I didn't want to answer right now. I just wanted to be left alone for a bit.

I shut the door carefully. Everyone seemed to be in the living room. Surreptitiously, I started climbing the stairs.

"Iris? Is that you?" Lisa called and I froze.

"Yep," I managed to say, "I'm quite tired, so I'm gonna go and sleep."

"Rainbow, are you okay?" Jax called. Damn it, it will be difficult to lie to Jax.

"Just dandy!" I shouted back and mentally face palmed.

"Iris, can you come down here, please?" David said. It wasn't a request.

Sighing, I hung my head and walked to the living room. I stuck my head in, careful to angle the bruise away from the others, and said, "what?"

"Are you okay?" David asks.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I replied, "well, I'm going to sleep. Bye!"

"Jax told us about Alex," David continued quietly.

I closed my eyes and leaned my forehead against the frame of the doorway, "I'm okay, okay? I'm just tired, so I want to go and sleep," I quickly walked away.

"Rainbow," Jax said suddenly, "why are you hiding your face?"

I let out a silent scream and inhaled, "I'm not!"

"Rainbow, please don't insult my intelligence," I could practically hear the eye roll, "and don't even try lying to someone you've known for more than half your life."

With my head hanging low, I traipsed into the living room. I stood in the doorway and determinedly glared at the floor.

"Iris," Lisa said gently.

I lifted my head up and everyone gasped.

"Who did that?" Daimen growled.

"John," I studied the wall above my family's heads. The very interesting white wall. Or is it cream?

Dude. Sort out your priorities, my conscience snapped.

"That's it," Julian snarled, bringing out his gun, "I'm gonna find him and kill him."

"Iris, I'll get you an ice pack," Elijah said.

"Does anything else hurt?" Brandon asked.

"My ribs are bruised, but it should be fine," I whispered.

Elijah returned with the ice and pressed it gently against my cheek. I hissed in pain, but didn't flinch. I held the pack and sat next to Jax on the floor.

"I'm sorry," Jax murmured, "I should've guessed when you didn't come to class... or respond to my text messages."

I nudged him, "don't beat yourself up. I should've told you. Next time, I will."

Jax wrapped his arm around me and gave me a side hug, "there won't be a next time, Rainbow."

Suddenly, Daimen stormed off.

"Oh for heaven's sake!" Julian groaned, "Daimen! This is getting stupid! Get over it!"

"I'll go talk to him," I said, getting up and following him.

I searched the rooms and found my second oldest brother in the garden. He had a cigarette in his hand and was staring mindlessly at the sky.

"Daimen, are you okay?" I asked tentatively, frowning darkly at the cancer stick.

"Just dandy," he snapped harshly, "go away and leave me alone Ris- Iris."

"No," I replied, standing next to Daimen.

Daimen leaned against the wall and clenched his jaw, "Iris, I said, go back in."

"And I said no," I said, "are you okay?"

Daimen laughed sarcastically, "No! I'm not!"

I didn't reply. There wasn't any need to.

Daimen exhaled a puff of smoke. I grabbed the stick, threw it on the ground and stamped it out, "those things will kill you."

"Like I care," Daimen scoffed and grabbed out a packet from his pocket.

"What is your problem?" I mumbled.

"My problem is my bratty little sister won't leave me alone when I want a smoke!" Daimen snarled, "what is your problem?"

"My problem is I don't want my brother to get lung cancer," my temper was rising dangerously, "but he's too pig headed to listen!"

Daimen growled and stepped towards me. Suddenly, an old jolt of fear struck me and I threw my hands up and cowered away, squeezing my eyes tight.

"Iris," Daimen's voice was surprisingly gentle. He tugged my hands away from my face and enveloped my shaking frame in a hug, "I'm not going to hurt you. Ever. I would rather walk through fire and get stabbed, shot and beaten than see you in pain. I'm sorry."

Daimen let go and leaned against the wall, resting his elbows on his legs and his head between his hands. His shoulders racked with sobs. I rubbed his back and kissed his head and whispered calming words in his ear, like he used to do to me when I was little.

"When Elise took you," Daimen took a shuddering breath, "it was the worst day of our lives. Elijah, Brandon and I begged Dad to fight for you, but it was too late. He wanted to get you back, but Grandpa West forbade it."

"Who's Grandpa West?" I asked.

Daimen chuckled bitterly, "Richard West- or Grandpa West- is Dad's father. He's sexist and we hate him. He's the biggest Don in the Mafia and placed Elijah and Dad in a binding legal contract which prevented them from doing anything against his wishes.

I remember when you were about three years old, Grandpa West came to visit you. You were the cutest little bundle of joy and Elijah, Brandon and I were hovering over you, incredibly protective. At one point, you stumbled in front of Grandpa and gazed at him innocently. He scowled and walked past you, kicking you in the stomach. You started crying and he had the audacity to remark that you were 'weak' because you were a girl.

It took six gang members to hold Elijah, Brandon and I back from beating up our grandfather.

A couple days after you were taken, I tried to call you, but found the line blocked. I tried every means of communication; hell I even tried running away to visit you. Each time Grandpa West or one of his men caught me and I got the same speech of 'your sister is worthless brat, we don't need her,' but that made me even more determined. The others also tried, but gave up after a while.

Then you come back and it turns out you've been abused," his eyes darkened for a second.

"It makes me so angry and guilty that I wasn't there to protect you. I was scared of getting close to you, Iris, and that's one of the biggest mistake I've made in my life. I was also jealous of how close you were to Jax, because it reminded me of what we were like when you were younger. I'm so sorry. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I'm still sorry," he began crying and I stood stock still, stunned into silence.

The youngest West-Brown snapped out of her reverie when she saw her second oldest brother crying. Hesitantly, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"I forgive you," she said softly, "and I'm sorry for acting like a brat when I first came."

Daimen was surprised, but hugged his little sister, "it's okay, we kinda deserved it."

Iris pulled away and wiped her brother's tears, "I love you, Day."

Daimen's face lit up at the old nickname, "I love you too, Riss."