I nod, scooting to the edge of the bed and then heading into the hall before crossing into Parrish’s bedroom. There aren’t any new messages, no missed video chats. My stomach twists into knots imagining what might happen tomorrow.
Whatever it is, I don’t think a single one of us is going to like it.
Focusing on our studies for a bit helps all three of us, I think. It lends a sense of normalcy to the situation, and it also serves to please Tess when she pops into the dining room to observe us. She comes by about every fifteen minutes which is far more frequent than usual. If I’d thought her hourly check-ins were annoying, this is next level.
Of course, Chasm is right.
She has good reason to be afraid.
Her son was literally stolen out from under her in the middle of the night. What she doesn’t know is that her stolen daughter, the one she’s just recently gotten back, was also taken in the middle of the night. I just happened to have been brought back.
Maxx is the first to go, glancing up from the table as he notices Delphine preparing to leave for the day.
“Shit, I’m late for my shift at the barcade,” he grumbles, his acting skills on point. He shoves up quickly from his seat, leaving his laptop where it is, his phone beside it. I’m guessing he’s going to leave it here, just in case. Which means we won’t be able to check in with each other until he gets back.
“What time will you be home?” I ask, as if this is his home anymore than it is mine or Chasm’s. Somehow though, it feels more like home with them in it than it did before. The only missing piece is, of course, Parrish.
“Last call is two-thirty,” he says, pausing beside me. Maxx sat on my left for the majority of the day while Chas sat on my right, at the head of the table. He’s a taskmaster, that’s for damn sure. He didn’t let me slack for even a second.
Not even after making love to me last night.
My cheeks heat—my boobs, too, but luckily, I’m wearing a pullover sweater with a black cat on it and a Hocus Pocus quote—and Maxx cocks a brow.
“Probably around three or so,” he finishes, and then he sweeps past me, pausing briefly to tousle my hair. Not sure how I feel about that for so many reasons. Chasm, too, seems to notice, glancing over his shoulder as Maxx heads for the garage.
Delphine rides a bike to work every morning, so it shouldn’t be hard for him to follow her.
Chas and I both wait until they’re gone before turning back to each other.
“You want to sneak upstairs and fuck real quick?” he whispers as he leans in toward me. I just stare at him.
“Are you insane?” I whisper back, but I know I’m blushing even harder than I was before. “With Tess coming in to stare at us every fifteen minutes?”
“We don’t have to do it in your room,” he suggests, glancing over his shoulder. There’s nobody in the kitchen or living room right now. Just us. Kimber is holed up in her bedroom; Tess is working on details for the press conference; Paul has been tasked with keeping the little ones entertained.
Just after we moved our study session downstairs—at Tess’ insistence, mind you—I heard Amelia wailing, crying for her ‘Pear-Pear’. The sound of her pained cries hit me so hard that I had to slip into the bathroom and cry myself out for a few minutes.
“We could get in the pool,” he starts, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms behind his head as he looks me over. I do the same, returning his stare, studying the beautiful almond shape of his eyes, the rare golden color, the pink fullness of his mouth. The black studs on either side of his lip add just enough edge. With the colored hair, the plugs in his ears, and the tattoos, there’s just enough gritty to balance out all his prettiness. Also, he has like perfect skin. Fucking perfect. I’m jealous. “I’m just trying to give this all I’ve got, Little Sister. It isn’t my fault that we have to operate under a certain someone’s rules.”
“Don’t call me Little Sister anymore,” I whisper back at him, flicking his iPad’s stylus across the table toward him. He catches it with one hand and then brings it up to his mouth, chewing on the end while he watches me. He’s making light of this, but I know what he means.
I’ll give you until Sunday to impress me.
That was a crystal clear message if I’ve ever seen one.
“Mianhae,” he says with a bit of a laugh. I know for sure that one means I’m sorry. At least, I think it does. I really have no idea what I’ve been saying when I keep meaning to say good night. Chasm keeps saying it back to me, so it must be at least somewhat relevant. “Should I say naekkeo instead? I like it, but there’s not much ring. Little Sister flows off the tongue.” He leans in toward me, putting his palms flat on the table. “Besides, it helps ground me.”
