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As if sensing my eyes, hers turned up to mine and her red lips curved into a sweet smile that kicked me square in the chest.
“That settles that.” Father returned, smoothing down the front of his blazer. “Now, we can have dinner as a proper family without all that nonsense.”
We took our seats around the sitting area. I found myself across from Kami and Edmund, and I’d never been so annoyed with my brother, more so when the two fell into a light conversation about traffic first thing in the morning. It was ridiculous to want all of her time, attention and thoughts, but Ihadn’t talked to her since that morning and all I wanted was to hear her voice.
“How does it feel to be back in your own bed?” Sasha asked from the armrest next to mine.
Lonely.
“Too much bed,” I said instead. “I thought I was lost on some alien planet made of fabric this morning.”
It wasn’t entirely true.
I woke up reaching for Kami only to have my hand fumble across the folded pages of the book I’d stayed up all night reading twisted in the sheets. I’d lain there, absorbing the predawn, studying the faded, tattered pages in my hands and wondering if finishing the whole thing in a single shot just so I could have a reason to see her made me pathetic. It probably did but I needed it, needed to see her again.
“How are things at the office?” Sasha pressed, drawing me back.
The conversation went on that way for a while. It wasn’t the longest one we’d ever had, but it was comfortable. Sasha reminded me a lot of her brother. Both had this calming quality about them that made me think of cats —approachable but will eat your face if you set them off. She asked what my plans were now that I was out and if there was anything I missed about being locked up. I had to think about that one. Those walls were all I’d known for four years, but was there something I missed?
Milo, maybe.
We hadn’t shared a lot of words, but he had a stillness about him that got me through a lot of my time inside.
“The food,” I teased and got a chuckle from her.
“I have heard really good things about prison food,” she observed with a slow nod of her head.
“Are we just staying here?” Lavena interrupted the room. “We spent a lot of time getting ready for this alleged party. Can’t we go somewhere now that it’s a bust?”
“We’re not going anywhere.” Father’s tone held a finality that would have warned anyone with sense not to push, but Lavena had a talent for ignoring warning signs.
“So, we’re going to sit here and stare at each other all night?”
“We’re going to enjoy our time together,” Father replied. “This is our first time together since your brother’s return.”
“Plus, there is so much food,” Mom commented. “We need to get through at least some of it.” She pushed to her feet. “Could you and Edmund help me get things onto the table?”
“Actually, darling, I need Edmund and Darius for a moment,” Father interrupted.
“I can help.” Kami and Sasha were on their feet in unison.
The pair exchanged amused glances.
“I can help, too.” Kas rose with less enthusiasm.
We stayed in our seats as the rest of the group started in the direction of the hallway. Kami caught my eye in passing and smiled before disappearing from sight, leaving me with my brother and father.
Father waited until the crack of heels had faded into silence before facing us.
“We don’t have much time before your mother returns.” He clasped his hands together and let them dangle between his knees as he leaned forward. “I think we need to bring Edmund into this situation with Volkov.”
There was a level of earnestness in the older man’s eyes that made me think he’d given this a lot of thought, and this was the only conclusion left to him. I had no objections to bringing my brother into conversation if for no other reason than because he was as much a part of this as any of us. I would never blame him for what happened, but he was partially responsiblefor everything that happened and everything that was about to happen.
Edmund was cutting lines between the two of us, his dark eyes wide. “What about him?”
It struck me that I wasn’t always going to be able to protect him. He wasn’t a child anymore. During my time away, he’d grown into a man who was fully capable of mapping out his own life. It was unclear how I felt about that, but there was definitely sadness at the loss of the chubby cheeked kid who would follow me around like I had all the answers to life’s problems.
I said nothing as Father filled him in and I watched as the color drained from his face, turning it ashen a full second before it went red with rage.
