Total pages in book: 184
Estimated words: 188108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 941(@200wpm)___ 752(@250wpm)___ 627(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 188108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 941(@200wpm)___ 752(@250wpm)___ 627(@300wpm)
“Hey, I bought you a jacket the other day,” Con complained.
“It was a rain poncho and it cost you a pound,” Erica replied. “That cardigan is epic. Bloody hell, Salem, I never knew you had such good taste. I need you to get me for Secret Santa.”
“Secret Santa?” she asked, feeling confused as Salem’s mum disappeared.
“It’s what we do at Christmas,” Salem explained. “We each draw out a name and that’s who we have to buy for.”
“That sounds fun. Can we do that?” she asked.
Where would you find the money for a gift?
Hmm. She could steal something.
But she was hardly likely to be around at Christmas.
“Perhaps if I get you, I could give you this cardigan.”
More silence.
“Oh! Sorry, you probably wouldn’t want something I’d worn.”
She was messing everything up.
“No, no, I totally would. It’s just . . . you can’t give me something that nice.”
“Why not? You obviously love it. Here.” She attempted to take it off.
“Wait!” Erica cried
“Tamsyn,” Roman said, laying his hand over hers.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Malyshka,” Alexei added, placing his hands over her shoulders.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Charlene mused. “Are the three of you . . . you are, aren’t you? The three of you are together! Like Alina and the princes! Oh my God.”
More staring.
Did these people not know it was rude? She was starting to feel self-conscious and she didn’t know why.
Maybe it was just that she wanted everything to go well, and it felt like nothing was going how it should. She slid back in her seat, trying to disappear behind Salem’s shoulder.
“Darling girl? Are you all right?” Roman asked quietly as Salem attempted to explain their relationship.
Charlene and Erica were asking lots of loud questions and she started to feel overwhelmed.
“All of you, quiet.”
To her surprise, it was Jad that spoke. Huh, seemed that might be where Salem got his quiet dominance from. Because Jad didn’t even need to raise his voice and everyone shut up.
“You are being rude to Tamsyn. And Salem, Alexei, and Roman. Their relationship is not our business.”
She peeked up at Jad and saw him give her a quick, warm look. She smiled at him, feeling relieved and . . . and welcomed.
The tension started to leave her.
“What is this about your relationship? What relationship?” Sara demanded as she walked in, carrying a wooden board filled with cheese and crackers, dips, and fruit.
It looked absolutely delicious and her mouth watered.
“They’re all in a relationship like Alina,” Con said.
Salem’s mother froze. The tray in her hand wobbled.
“Mum, watch out!” David yelled.
Salem quickly stood and took the tray from her hands, setting it down on the coffee table.
“Mum? Are you all right? Mum?” He took her hands in his and led her to the free recliner. They had fit a lot of furniture into a small space. “Mum?”
“Um, what?” The older woman gaped at him.
“Sorry, this wasn’t the way I was going to tell you. But, yes, Tamsyn is also Alexei and Roman’s girlfriend.”
There was silence, everyone was staring at Salem’s mum. So she stared too. What was wrong? Didn’t she like that Salem was in a relationship with her?
Oh no.
Did she see that Tamsyn wasn’t worthy of him? Tamsyn understood.
Maybe it was time she left. She tried to scoot to the edge of the sofa to get up, but Alexei pressed his hands down on her shoulders.
All right.
“Mum?”
“That . . . that’s wonderful!” She smiled.
“Mum? What?” Salem asked.
“Sara,” Jad said.
Oh, she’d heard that tone from Salem before. That was kind of strange.
“What? I’m not allowed to be happy that my oldest is finally interested in something other than his dangerous job? You’ll have to give that up now, of course. All three of you, I guess.”
“Why would they give up their jobs?” she asked, confused about what one thing had to do with the other.
Sara blinked at her. “Because it would put you in danger, love.”
“Me? Oh, I’m in no danger. I can take care of myself.” She suddenly realized that she probably shouldn’t sound so nonchalant. “I mean, I’m sure that nothing will happen so I’ll be fine.”
Yeah, good save.
Her acting skills needed some work.
“I feel like we need a bit of a chat, Bunny,” Alexei murmured to her.
“I’m not giving up my job, Mum,” Salem told his mother. “It doesn’t worry you that we’re all in a relationship with Tamsyn?”
“No, no, why would that worry me? Alina has all her men. That works well for her.”
“She needs them to take care of her,” Jad said. “It’s good that all of you will take care of Tamsyn.”
Well, she could take care of herself . . . although it was nice when she got to let go of the world with Salem. Or lose herself in a book with Roman. Or work out with Alexei.
When she could let her Little side take over . . . she wouldn’t be able to do that without them.