Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Yes, that was the word that came to mind as I took in bookcases, comfy white couches, and a small table set for two placed before the window-paned doors. Alistair turned a cozy little reading nook into our dining room. As promised, risotto and scallops waited for us.
We sat down, making small talk and trading stories about our childhoods while eating the most delicious meal I had ever put in my mouth. Of course, I didn’t expect the Burkhardts to hire anyone less than the best chefs in the world, but it still had to be mentioned; the food was damn good.
“Wow. If you’d told me you left Mom so you wouldn’t have to live without Laura’s cooking, I’d have understood.”
His laugh rang out through the terrace and into the garden. “I offered Laura a blank check to get her to come with me. The woman was frustratingly loyal.”
“Where’s the bathroom?”
“Turn left down the hallway and it’s three doors down on the right. Want me to show you?”
“No, I’ve got it.”
Pushing back, I walked out with a weirdly warm feeling. I was back in Regalia with my guys. Mom was on her feet, doing better than she had in months. Alistair was here—protecting and spending time with me. I’d forgotten this feeling, but it was coming back to me. I think I used to call it happy.
Turning the corner, I skimmed my fingers over the embossed wallpaper, thinking of what I’d say to William Burkhardt. I didn’t want to hold on to a twenty-year-old grudge. In the end, my parents split up because of Everton Starling, not because of him. Besides, Alistair’s childhood stories made it sound like it wasn’t all bad times. Movie nights, fishing, camping, and driving lessons. He might not like the comparison, but William sounded like his counterpart, John Wilson. He tried to be a good father. William just didn’t realize that the trade-off for good parenting isn’t the right to run your children’s lives forever and make all their decisions for them.
I lit on the third door, already picturing what passed for a bathroom in Burkhardt paradise.
I bet there’re gold toilet seats, pearl bidets, and a bathroom attendant who wipes my butt for me.
A door flew open, jarring me out of the fantasy. Saylor stepped out, carrying a food tray. Our eyes met and we froze.
I scanned her up and down, biting my lip hard. There was no other way to describe her. Saylor looked terrible.
Her normally sweet-smelling halo of blonde loveliness hung in greasy hanks around her face. Puffy, red-rimmed eyes blew up at the sight of me, cracking the dried crust around her lids. Gone were the designer clothes. In their place were stained sweatpants and a blue tank top that had a streak of something orange across her stomach. I think it was Cheeto dust.
Saylor goggled at me, clearly not informed that I was dropping in for a visit. She flicked down to her tray. I followed her gaze, both of us landing on the steak knife. Her eyes narrowed to slits.
Oh, shit.
“Saylor,” I said slowly. “No. Whatever you’re thinking—”
Crash!
She snatched up the knife. Glass and porcelain shattered at our feet. “Argh!”
“Nooo!” Twisting around, I hauled ass—screaming my head off.
“You evil bitch! You ruined my life!” I felt Saylor on my tail like the breath of Hades scorching my neck hairs. “Did you come here to rub it in? Big mistake!”
“Alistair! Alistair!” Lucien was teaching me self-defense. Unfortunately, we hadn’t gotten to the lessons on how to evade a knife-wielding lunatic. “Dad!”
Alistair shot through the door. Snatching me off my feet, he threw me behind him and swung up, blocking Saylor’s wild jab.
I tripped over my feet, clutching my chest and gasping. Holy fuck, she swung. She really tried to stab me.
“Let go of me! Let go!”
Alistair wrestled the knife from her grip, then restrained her when she dove for it again.
“You don’t know who that is,” she shrieked, “or what she’s done. Let me go!”
“I know who she is. She’s my daughter and your cousin.”
I don’t think anything could’ve stopped her from trying to kill me... except those words.
Saylor went limp, her eyes huge. “Excuse me?”
“Luna is your cousin.” Alistair set her on her feet, tossed the knife in the room, and shut the door. “I thank you for bringing this up so quickly. The war between you two stops now. I’m sure you’ll find you’re on the same side.”
Saylor looked from me to him, back to me, and then to him. “No.”
“I had the same reaction,” I snapped, stepping out from behind him. “I don’t like it any more than you do, but—”
Saylor pounced—seizing the chance I stupidly gave her. We went down in a screeching flail of punches, kicks, and scratches.
“LET’S TRY THIS AGAIN.”
Saylor and I glared at each other from opposite sides of the room. She nursed a fat lip while I held an ice pack to the lump on the back of my head.