Page 99 of Serpent & Saviors

“Ms. Taylor. Victoria doesn’t need you to hook her up. In fact, she’s taken.”

“By whom? Pasha?” Kinsley’s eyes were like saucers.

He narrowed his at her. She shifted, and her face flushed. “I’ll pick Declan up from school. Why don’t—” he directed his words to me.

“Who is Declan?” Kinsley asked, then slapped her hand over her mouth.

“Our son,” Andrew said proudly.

Two very audible gasps reached my ears, and then a rich chuckle from Andrew. This time, both Kinsley and Isabella erupted into a slew of questions. Suddenly, a loud whistle sounded in the room. Sebastian had come out of nowhere.

“God, I hate it when you do that,” Isabella fumed as she glared at her brother.

“Love you too, brat. Glad to see you made it back. Although I heard you manipulated your way on the punishment tour.”

She flipped him the bird, and I stared, dumbfounded. He stalked toward her, and I cowered. I wasn’t sure what he was going to do, but fear gripped me. My eyes searched for Andrew. I could see the concern on his face, but it wasn’t for her. It was for me and my reaction.

Sebastian grabbed his sister in a playful bear hug, lifting her off the ground as she squealed in protest. Kinsley erupted into a fit of giggles; her laughter echoed in the room.

“Put me down,” Isabella exclaimed, her voice muffled by Sebastian’s chest.

He didn’t release her right away. Instead, he tightened his grip and took his knuckle and rubbed it against her head. She squirmed and pushed him away.

“You’re messing up my hair, stop,” she protested.

He finally set her down with a satisfied grin on his face.

“I swear, you’re a pain in my ass,” she muttered, trying to fix her hair.

“Language,” Sebastian and Andrew barked at the same time.

My heart rate slowly returned to normal. Out of habit, my fingers danced down my thighs, and I pinched them. Thankfully, Andrew was preoccupied, and I moved my hands away. It was necessary. Never in my wildest dreams did I think his surprise would be this.

Two of my season sisters were here, right at this moment. They lived here, and now I did too. I went from a house of horrors to a house where there was only room for love and laughter. Happiness coursed through me.

“So what’s going on in here? Are we getting to know one another? What did I miss?” Sebastian asked, plopping down on the couch. “Did you tell them, Marcel, how in love you are?”

“Fuck you, asshole,” Andrew teased back. “I’ve got to go get Declan. You can come with.”

Immediately, I sensed he wanted to give us space. He kept looking at Isabella, who had strangely gone quiet and almost withdrawn. She was biting her fingernails and shifting. Kinsley instinctually reached out for her pinkie.

“And miss out on all the fun chitchat?”

“Yes, we have some club business to talk about, anyway. Come on, there are a couple of single moms I could introduce you to.”

“No thanks, on the mom bit. No offence, Tori.”

I waved his words away; I was still feeling my way with all of them. I didn’t know him well enough to be offended, not to mention I didn’t know the moms either.

“And what club business?” Sebastian added, rising.

“Pasha called, said he tried you, but only got voicemail. He wants to book the red room for tonight.”

“The red room?” Kinsley gasped loudly, looking thoroughly shocked. “With Hannah?”

She looked not only dumbfounded but confused.

“I knew it,” Isabella said, disgust lacing her voice. “Damn him. I was so hopeful.”