Read Never to Keep (Accepting Fate #1) for Free Online Page B

once everyone was inside.
    “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this happy before.” Tate smiled at my sister with unadulterated love in his eyes.
    “Can you blame me? I thought I was all alone in this world, and now I have a brother!” She bounced on her toes and turned her attention back to me.
    “It’s so cool that you’re a teacher.” Marina looked around the room with the wonder of a child.
    “It’s fun. This will be my third year teaching fourth grade. The kids are great at this age, so full of energy and curiosity.”
    “It’s admirable that you teach in an underprivileged neighborhood,” Tate said as he looked through the barred window.
    “Please, back up, Mr. Parker. There may be bars on the windows, but I bet the glass isn’t bullet proof.” The huge bald man made a move toward the slender actor. Almost all of the drive-by shootings in the neighborhood happened after dark, but I couldn’t fault his thoroughness.
    The actor took a seat at the small table I used for reading groups, and his bodyguard seemed to approve of his new location. Marina and I joined Tate at the round table while Sam moved to the opposite corner of the room to keep watch.
    “These kids don’t have much, and neither does the school. I try to do as much as I can for them, but it’s hardly enough.” I looked around the room that was far too small for the number of students on my roster. “I tutor kids with learning disabilities after school. We usually crowd around this little table.” I tapped the yellow melamine surface. “This community really needs a rec center, so the kids have a safe place to go. I’m working on a grant proposal to get the project funded.”
    “Tate and I can autograph a few things for you to auction off as a fundraiser.”
    “That’s very generous; I’ll keep it in mind. I don’t want to take advantage of either of you, so I’m going to try other methods first.”
    Marina nodded and pulled a file folder from her giant purse that was probably worth more than I made in a month. “I found out recently that my mother had a baby boy about a year before I was born.” She fiddled with the corner of the folder as she spoke. “She was pregnant with you when she met my father. He didn’t want to raise another man’s child, so he forced her to give you up.” Her sad, blue eyes were strikingly similar to mine. “I’m so sorry.”
    “Don’t be—my parents are great. I still live with them. I have no regrets.” I could have done without Thomas’s drama over the years, but, for the most part, my life had been wonderful. “I have two brothers. Thomas is three years older, and Finn is seven months younger. Mom didn’t realize she was pregnant with Finn when they adopted me.” I knew it wouldn’t have changed anything if she had known. “I actually just got back from Finn’s wedding in the Midwest.”
    “Let me get this straight,” she giggled, “your parents named their kids Tom, Sawyer, and Finn?”
    “Yeah, Mom’s a retired middle school English teacher and a big fan of Twain. She used to introduce us that way: Tom, Sawyer, and Finn. That’s why Thomas refuses to go by Tom.” I’d always been grateful she didn’t name me Huck.
    “What about your dad, what does he do?”
    “He’s a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills. He’s probably worked on most of your co-stars.” Marina listened attentively as I told her more about my family and my childhood.
    “It sounds as if the adoption was a blessing for you,” Marina said when I paused. “I’m so glad you grew up in a happy home.” Tate took her hand in his as her eyes fell. She obviously hadn’t been as lucky. Marina and Tate were the biggest movie stars in the world, yet she’d looked at me wistfully when I told her the tale of my ordinary life. Something was haunting her. Something unspeakable had happened to my baby sister, and I hadn’t been there to protect her.
    “Can I meet our mother sometime?” My stomach churned at