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"Oh otten into some dumb situations, but this took the cake "Does everyone in town know?"

She hadn’t been back to her small town in over a year She’d been very happy to be able to visit Mindy in Lubbock instead of having to go back to that place where she’d been judged for her every htrope because the old biddies of the town had been like haatching her everyfor the moment when they had a reason to take her sister away It had been a sick garin filled the screen "Well, the townsfolk here have figured out a couple of things One, that you’re odless heathens who apparently take you three at a tiod" Her sister shouldn’t know that

Mindy was utterly nonplussed "Two, said godless heathens are totally gorgeous and kind of rule the world because they have all that money My friends back home say it’s a standoff Half the toants to ask for a loan and the other half thinks you’re going straight to hell, but even that half is sure you’re heading there first class"

Piper let her head find the desk

"Sis? Why are you so upset? In those pictures, you look so happy that you’re glowing I’m thrilled for you Hell, I’ up at the co in, a soft sround, Piper could see a display of red and black Texas Tech logos on the wall "Because I was told today that my tuition and books and room and board have been paid for the rest of ht? Noat the pizza place for grocery money I can really do this I can be a doctor"

Now tears filled her eyes, but for so "I didn’t I’m sure it was Rafe"

She’d talked to Rafe about her sister She’d opened up and let him knoorried she alas

Mindy shook her head "They told ned the check was naht you strong-ar it Except you didn’t use your arm You used that part of you that is absolutely not all over YouTube"

She laughed There was nothing else to do "At least tell me I didn’t look wretched"

"Like I said, you looked hot Although I have to admit, I really didn’t look at you once the hottie walked out without his shirt on And then the second one And the third one Holy crapballs, Pipe! You hit the jackpot Those men are superhot, and I saw the way they looked at you I a to co thingee, but then so had Piper Although according to everything she’d read this , more like a pro the me? You landed in a country where no one blinks an eye that you’rethree hot billionaires"

How did she ht be fine here, but ill everyone else think? What will the people at home think?"

"Who cares? Piper, the people at home made your life hell Don’t you dare think you have to live by their standards Do you understand what you’re being given? You’re being given the chance to not give a damn what anyone thinks"

Her sister was a little naïve "Oh, sweetie, that’s just not true That’s not what a princess is Or a shaykhah Don’t you know that every eye will be on lobal scale Everyone would watch her Everyone would be waiting for her to make a dumb move The press would live for her mistakes They would be splashed across the tabloids

Mindy threw her arms up in obvious frustration "Who cares? Piper, they can’t do anything to you Who cares what they say? You have the power You just have to take it You’ll be a queen"

But was she ready for that? No Not at all

And still, with her heart yearning for the sense of belonging and connection she’d felt last night, she wasn’t sure she could walk away

"I don’t know, Min What the press didn’t tell you is that those incredibly hotto ht they could just sort of fool roaned "God, it is so good to know that men are dumbasses all over the world Look, do you care about theht, she was pretty sure she would never love anyone else But they had lied How could they start any sort of ether like that? And Talib had been so cold this one The inity to, had fled, and she’d been forced to deal with a sheikh instead

"I’h"

Mindy sighed, sitting forward, her hand on the screen "I love you, sister I’ave one You stayed hoo to school because I knew everyone would pity me What did you say to me?"

Piper reo She’d been so young, but the responsibility had weighed on her Mindy’s first day of high school Their parents should have been there Piper had tried to coht have said Piper put her hand to the screen, the need to touch her sister so strong, she couldn’t resist "I told you to be brave I told you that this was your world, and you were the only one who could build it"

Her sister nodded, the words heavy between the so no one can tear it down I’ll be there no matter what"

"I love you" Her sister had turned into a strong woht

"You, too Call ee catches those hot hunks in various states of undress" Mindy grinned just before her hand moved and the connection was broken

Piper shut the lid on the coh her head Build her world It had been a silly thing to say She’d struggled to find the words to give Mindy strength that day, but they had proven true She’d ed to build a world for theer needed it, she’d started building her own

Was she willing to shut Rafe and Kade and Tal out because they hadn’t said the right things? Before she truly kneas in their hearts? Or should she try building a world and then tell them how to live in it?