Page 42 of Unbound

“It’s true! MOMMY!”

A stunning redheaded woman is hot on the girls’ heels. She beams at me, waving as she walks down the sidewalk.

“Hi, Eden! Oh my gosh, it’s so great to meet you. You’re so pretty. My word. Sterling!” She approaches me, a wide grin on her face. “Welcome to the ranch! My name is Rosie. These little wild things are my girls, mine and Holden’s. He’s the oldest of Sterling’s crazy brothers.”

She engulfs me in a hug, smelling like cinnamon and wine. “I hope you feel welcome here. You need anything, make sure you let me know, okay?”

She pulls back, a sincere look in her eyes.

“Thank you. I appreciate it. Sterling has told me a lot about everyone.”

“Oh, did he? What did he say about me?”

“Um, he said that …”

“I told her you dated Duke in high school. Then, after Holden got out of prison, you went for the older brother who hated your guts, nearly breaking the entire family apart.”

Rosie rolls her eyes. “I didn’t almost ‘break’ the family apart. And Holden went for me! Not the other way around. I told him to get lost.” She winks at me.

“Is my wife lying to my new sister-in-law? Angel, we’ve talked about this.” A slightly older version of Sterling walks out of the house.

Sterling sets one of the girls down, and she immediately runs toward the newcomer. He scoops her up and kisses her on the cheek.

“Daddy!”

He turns to me, extending a hand. “Hey, Eden. Name’s Holden. Welcome to the family.”

Together, he and Rosie create such a beautiful family with their identical twin girls.

“Thanks for having me.”

Sterling comes up behind me, cupping my elbow. “Let’s go inside, huh? We’ve been on the road for a while. I need to piss.”

A few hours later, a gorgeous dark-haired girl shows up with an armful of baked goods that smell like heaven. After she deposits them on one of the enormous kitchen islands, she engulfs me in a hug.

“Eden! Oh my gosh, I am so glad you’re here! I’m Dolly, Sterling’s sister. You are just the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. No wonder he upped and married you! But I must say, I insist on a family ceremony on the ranch so I can cry and make a wedding cake.”

She finally pulls back, beaming at me with a wide, pretty smile.

“Hi, Dolly. Great to meet you too.”

“This is my handsome fiancé, Sam. He was Duke’s best friend before I stole him and made him become my best friend.”

A tall, good-looking man with reddish-brown curls walks up behind Dolly, carrying several aluminum pans. He sets them on the counter before offering me his hand.

“Nice to meet you.”

I shake it, feeling Sterling’s presence behind me. He and Sam shake hands as well.

“By the way, congrats, you two. When is the wedding?”

Sterling hugs Dolly, who flashes her left hand toward us. A sparkly diamond blinks in the overhead light.

“We haven’t set a date, but I want all my brothers and my new sister there! When will you be able to make it?”

Hearing Dolly call me her sister right after we met, when our marriage is a complete sham, makes me feel like I need to vomit.

I thought they all knew it was fake?