Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100493 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100493 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
My hand flies to her throat, yanking her flush against me. She doesn’t flinch. She meets my aggression with the stubbornness only someone who has a mother like hers can.
Every muscle in my body fights the impulse to do something stupid, and I shove her back until she hits the floor with a dull thud.
She recoils, wrapping her arms around her body.
“You’re a fucking asshole, Asher!” Her voice cracks before she grabs her robe from the foot of the bed, slipping it on with jerky movements. “Enjoy your empty bed along with your empty fucking life.”
As her footsteps die out, I drop onto the edge of the mattress, elbows braced on my knees.
Who the fuck are you really, Ivanya…
Atlas rounds the corner with a smirk that guarantees he’s gonna end up with my fist in his face. “Okay, don’t get mad…”
My jaw sets. “What is it?”
I didn’t get much sleep last night after kicking Camille out. Had Ivy running circles in my head until early hours of this morning.
“Khloe’s here.” He drags the words out, loving every second. His smirk widens. “And she brought Aléia.”
I set the blender bottle down hard enough to rattle the granite. “She what.”
Atlas lifts one shoulder, useless bastard, and leans against the doorway in his thermals with snow melting off the hem of his jacket. “Relax.”
“Fuck off,” I snap, twisting the lid on the shaker before leaving it on the counter and heading for the front door.
I close my hand around the handle, but it jerks inward before I get the chance.
Khloe throws her arms wide. “Surprise!”
“Oh good,” I deadpan, but fight the smile already spreading over my face. “My least peaceful sibling.”
She gasps. “Rude. I bring joy.”
I lift a brow. “You bring noise.”
She launches at me anyway, and I catch her around the waist because reflex doesn’t care how much of a menace she is.
Her face presses into my chest for half a second before she rises on tiptoe, mouth against my shirt. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t stop Aléia from coming.”
“Figured,” I mutter, as Aléia ghosts in behind her, mouth already locked in that tight-ass line she wears when she’s contemplating how she wants to ruin someone’s life.
Sinead takes her coat, throwing me a lopsided glance before disappearing.
“Huh,” Aléia mutters, as if we’re all beneath her. “I expected… more.” She doesn’t have to say it for me to know she means the house.
Atlas stretches his mouth into a fake smile that shows all his teeth. “Lovely to see you too, Aléia.”
“Atlas.” Aléia barely spares him a glance, plucking the gloves from her hands.
Footsteps click overhead, and Mom appears at the top of the stairs in a smoke-colored cashmere set, one hand sliding along the railing as her whole face warms the second she sees Khloe.
Actually warms, stripped of all her usual polished bullshit.
“My girl.”
Twisting out of my arms, Khloe darts up the first few steps to meet her.
Mom pulls her in, kissing her temple, then frames her face with both palms as she draws back. Khloe’s smile goes soft, holding right up until Aléia moves deeper into the foyer. Then it changes.
She stiffens, eyes narrowed on Aléia.
Before it gets even more awkward, the terrace door opens behind Atlas, and Ivy slips in, shoving her goggles into her dark hair.
Her tanned skin is flushed, green eyes bright, breath still loose from the cold bite of winter. I can’t help it, my eyes drop down her body. Tight black long-sleeve top, black tights, cropped puffer, and snow stuck to her calves like the mountain is still on her skin.
Pride hits me clean in the chest.
Fuck me.
I almost grin.
Aléia turns then, her eyes landing on Ivy like she’s been waiting for her. “So this is the wife,” she says, mouth flat. “I expected less… athletic wear and more shame.”
Heat rips through me so fast it locks every muscle in my body, and I step between them. “Aléia.”
She hesitates, tilting her chin out while refusing to look at Ivy. She knows better than to push me, and if she’s forgotten, well… I have no problem reminding her.
Ivy looks up at me from below, brow raised and gloves half off. No doubt she caught my tone. The fact that she always finds it amusing when I’m pissed off should have been enough for me to stay away. Instead, I fucking married her.
Aléia shrugs dismissively. “What? She shot you. I assume etiquette died before your pulse came back.”
My lip twitches. “Keep looking at her like that in my house and you’ll find out just how much etiquette survived.”
Khloe claps loud, because she doesn’t give a fuck as a person, but also hates Aléia. “Okay. Great energy in here. Love that for us.”
Camille gasps. “Mommy!” She flies down the stairs in a silk set, barefoot, hair bouncing.
Khloe sticks her finger in her mouth to gag, and Camille shoulder-barges past her on purpose, earning a death-promise scowl from my little sister.