The sound of carefree laughter suddenly filtered into the hall.
My brothers walked arm-in-arm with a dejected-looking Milla tailing behind them. A sliver of concern snaked through me as I took in her pale complexion and downcast eyes.
“I’m so glad you’re here, honey.” Eva was on her feet and running to meet her daughter. “I was so worried you’d be stuck at work.” She kissed her daughter’s cheeks and forehead.
Milla smiled, a little color coming back to her cheeks. She let her mom coddle her without any trace of embarrassment. Tears filled her eyes but she held strong, not letting a single drop fall.
Corey and Caleb dropped onto the couch where I sat. The familiar scent of crisp green apples and sex lingered on them.
I sighed internally. They’d both taken advantage of finding her alone in her apartment.
“We promised we’d get her here for dinner,” Corey boasted, earning a grateful smile from Eva.
Caleb grinned, turning on his charm.
“I’m sorry about the trouble,” said Eva. “I’ll make up for it with dessert. I’ve made my special double chocolate brownies today.”
“You didn’t have to do that, Mom,” Milla said in a quiet voice.
“I wanted to,” said Eva enthusiastically. She looked around at us all. “Come on, then. Let’s eat dinner. You boys must be starving.”
“You’re right about that,” said Corey, standing up. “We’re starving after that workout earlier. Isn’t that right, Cal?”
“Yeah,” said Caleb, running fingers through his long dark locks while grinning goofily.
“Come on, sweetheart,” said Dad, wrapping his arm around Milla’s shoulders.
Pure hatred flared inside me. Why was he touching her? Was that his angle? Fool the mother and get cozy with her daughter?
Disgusting bastard, I thought, following everyone out of the room to go into the family dining area.
For the first time in ages, dinner with our dad wasn’t a complete bore. Eva distracted him so much, he didn’t get a chance to criticize us over the smallest things.
My brothers laughed and goofed together, strangely comfortable with everything happening around them. Or maybe it was the sex they had with our sweet Milla that relaxed them so much.
Milla smiled for her mom but each time Eva’s attention swayed, she went back to looking depressed.
“Why are you so quiet?” Dad finally noticed.
“It’s nothing,” she said with a quick smile.
Dad shook his head. “I know you better. Spill. If it’s something related to school, tell my boys. They’ll sort it out for you.”
“Yeah,” Corey said loudly. “Tell us who’s troubling you, dear sister?”
I couldn’t believe our father. He was showing more interest in her than he ever showed the three of us. Hate and rage brewed inside me. What kind of witchcraft did these women perform on him?
“It’s nothing,” Milla repeated. “I’m just worried over a new project at school. The professor partnered me with someone new.”
Luke Beckett...
The guy with a record as clean as mine and a mind that equaled my diabolism.
Caleb was sure he was the one who hurt Corey. His dad’s company and ours were rivals, but the rivalry never reached our families. Was Luke trying to cross that line?
I commanded my spies to keep an eye on him. We’d soon know if he was planning to attack us again.
“We’re going shopping this weekend. You’re free on Saturday, right?” Eva’s voice broke me out of my thoughts. I focused on them, curious to know what they’d be up to with my dad’s platinum cards.