"Sisssyy!?" He stepped up to her and held her shoulder a little too painfully. Ian did not badge.
’The boy is interesting.’
The whole roll-out of the events with Rocky could have been solved with just a little explanation from them, but Ian, especially, wanted to find out the relationship between the siblings.
’It seems like Currey’s deductions about the brother were right!’ He nodded in satisfaction.
"Thank you for looking out for me," Shelby smiled, slightly burning off some of his anger.
Rocky got dazed looking at his sister’s beautiful blue eyes.
He was also affected by his sister’s unusual beauty, but for Rocky, it was a badge that he wore with honour to have such a sister.
"What?" Shelby asked innocently but was happy that Rocky had caught on.
"You are not going to get away with a smile. I will not brush this under the rug."
".... And I am not telling you to. I really am in good hands. Do you see me distressed or maltreated in any way?"
It was then that Rocky took a good look at his sister. It had been a long while since he saw her. Also, considering the fact that they had grown up together, he was in the best place to note the changes in her.
Her cheeks were rosier, she had a lightness to her body that he had never seen in her. Even though Ian towered over her, she looked safe in his arms and around him. It was like she was at ease in her own body with nothing to fear at all!
’When have I ever seen sisssyyy this way?’ He wondered,
Rocky had never seen a relaxed Shelby ever in his life. It was true that Shelby always tried to brush things aside and show him that she was okay under James’ emotional abuse but then, Shelby did not even need to go to that length to prove it to him. Rocky could see it for himself!
He took a step back, uncertainty coating his frame.
’If Shelby was as relaxed as she looked, then that meant that she was not forced into the contract? But that did not make sense!’
Ian could see the emotions flickering across the young man’s face, showing his internal battles.
He signalled to Currey.
Currey already knew what was expected of him, so he stepped forward and handed the last contract with James to Rocky.
"Young master Rockwell, please take a look at this."
Rocky looked between the two of them, sighing; he stepped back and took the file. After he had read the contents, understanding dawned on him.
’So, it was as I guessed, Daddy did this!’ He closed his eyes tightly and clenched his fists.
’At least, sis has someone who will take care of her.’
He nodded to himself and then looked straight at Ian,
"We need to talk.... Privately!"
"Of course, brother-in-law," Ian kissed Shelby’s hair and rubbed her shoulders fondly. He side-stepped her and walked a few paces off with Rocky.
"I thought you were here to plead for your father," Ian said suddenly.
"Huh? Hahahaa..... No, I would never do that."
"That’s interesting! Your father does seem to have a soft spot for you. He’ll be crushed to hear this from you."
"Who’s going to tell? Certainly not me!"
Ian took a moment to study the young man in front of him and finally broke into a smile.
"I like you Rockwell Wendover!"
"....and I hope you take care of my sister. You’ll have me to answer to if you hurt her!"
It sounded funny, but Rocky’s threat and demeanour said it all to Ian. The boy meant every word he had said to him. Rocky’s lanky and barely tall enough frame was totally overshadowed by Ian’s thick, giant-like frame.
Rocky was a thick, tall man in his own merit, just slightly on the thin side at nineteen. The fact that he was threatening a man almost twice his size was what made the situation funny. However, Ian took his words very seriously.
"I have no doubt about that, Rockwell! Your sister is in a good place now, so you don’t have to worry about that."
Rocky nodded. He was pleased with the answer he got.
Ian draped his hand over Rocky’s shoulders.
"Finally glad to meet you, Rockwell...."
"Please call me Rocky, Master Ian; all my close friends call me that."
"Oh, I got upgraded to close friend? Thank you, Rocky!"
Rocky beamed just as Ian added, "It’s just Ian for you. You don’t need to call me by any titles!"
Shelby let out a breath of relief that she had not known she was holding. She knew just how protective Rocky was of her. In the Wendover household, Rocky had been her pillar of support. Even though she had not told him of her issues in the house, she knew that the observant Rocky knew of most of them. She also appreciated the fact that he never confronted her about most of them and just remained by her side like the dutiful brother he was.
Thinking of the Wendover mansion, she thought back to James.
’What is going to happen to Mum and Rocky now? Also, Rocky should have known of James’ arrest already, but why did he only storm in there for her issues?’ She looked over at where the two were, and Ian sent a wink her way, making her blush.
"Do you have nothing to ask me?" Ian asked Rocky,
"That’s interesting! Do you not want to plead for your father?"
Rocky did not even miss a beat.
"I know what’s right and wrong. What dad did was unforgivable! He has to pay for his crimes!"
"That’s interesting! Why do I get the feeling that there is more to this statement than this?" Ian skewed his head to the side, studying Rocky.
Ian couldn’t have been more right on this. In as much as Rocky was angry with his father for Shelby’s issue, his main anger stemmed from the fact that his dad’s minions had nearly hurt Ava! His one and only Ava!
At the thought of that, his anger started bubbling up.
Ian smiled knowingly. "Have you thought of how you will survive without your father?"
Rocky nodded, "I already have some savings set aside, so my education will not suffer. It’s probably Mum who will have issues with the way she spends. Dad always indulged her so it will be a hard blow to her on this."
Ian nodded, ’Such a smart young man!’
Not many people would have had a contingency plan in place like he had done. That said a lot about his character as a person. When one looked at both Shelby and Rocky, it was hard to imagine that they had both been raised by Clara and James.
The adults were selfish individuals, and the actions of James showed that he was the true definition of a misogynist.
However, both children turned out to be the complete 360-degree version of their parents: kind, selfless, and objective!
"Do not shoulder such a burden on yourself. I am your brother-in-law. Leave such details for me to worry about."
Rocky looked up at Ian in surprise.
"What?" He had never expected in his wildest dreams for such a feat. When Rocky had said that he had savings for school, it was very true. He had saved most of his pocket money for as long as he could remember. It would have been enough to take him through maybe one and half years of school, so Rocky’s thought had been to find a job to support himself.
"Oh no! I can’t impose on you!"
"Who else are you going to impose on then, if not family? Or do you not regard me as family? Do you want your sister to worry about you?" Ian knew which buttons to push for Rocky. The boy looked like he adored his sister to a nonsense degree.
"Eh? No, I don’t mean it like that; I-"
"It’s settled then. Welcome to the family, brother-in-law!"
Ian turned and signalled to Shelby, who hurried along to him.
He whispered something into her ears and then turned and left the siblings.
"Are you really okay sis?"
"Of course, why won’t I be?"
"Dad got a lot of money out of the second contract, you know?"
"I don’t really care much about that, Rocky," Shelby answered quietly. Rocky turned fully to look at her and nodded.
"All that matters is that you’re okay, Sis! Nothing else matters! Besides, I think all that more will go into attorney fees and maybe fines. I have to verify all that, though..."
"Rocky, I -" Shelby hesitated as if what she was about to say was too heavy for her.
"Who?" It then dawned on Rocky who Shelby was referring to and he snapped.
"What is wrong with you sis? Too much of everything is bad... I personally think that too much kindness is bad, too! Dad never treated you as his daughter! Why would you be concerned about him now?"
Shelby looked up at her younger brother and sighed. ’How do I explain this to him.’
"James is family. Family cannot be torn apart that easily. No matter his crimes, he will forever remain our father. He may not have treated me right, but he treated you right, and you are my brother! That connection can never be severed!"
Rocky studied his sister because no matter how much she explained, it just did not make sense to him.
Shelby asked something as he was lost in thought, catching him unawares; his surprise, then, was quite obvious!
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