“My brother.” I begrudgingly rush to him and put my arm around him, scared something will happen to him.
“And who are you?” Jay peeks past me, his inquisitive eyes studying her.
“Daniel’s best mate,” she says assertively, apparently not having revoked Daniel’s friendship rights after all he said.
“In that case, you’re fine. Dan’s friend is my friend.” Jay pushes past me and offers her his hand and a wide grin. “I’m Jayden, nine years old. I already skipped a few grades and will probably skip more and become a genius who finds a cure for cancer or human stupidity. I haven’t decided which one is more urgent yet.”
Daniel and I smile, but my ex-stepsister laughs. “You sound like you’d have fun with my children. I’m Astrid.”
“Nice to meet you, Astrid. I have an important question, do your kids like Minions or not? Because that’s a deal-breaker.”
“They actually do. The majority at least.”
“Let’s go meet the majority then.”
I squeeze his shoulder. “Another time, okay? Astrid must be busy.”
“No, I’m not.” Astrid’s face is unreadable as she watches me. “Let’s have breakfast together.”
“All of us?” I ask, unsure.
She gives me a strange look. “Yes. I insist.”
I’m not stupid enough to think Astrid invited us to her house as a peace offering.
She might not have been the bitch type, but she was always the “protect who I care about” type. The “mess with who I love and I’ll cut you” type.
No clue why I think she’ll dress me in a clown’s clothes and tell her kids to spray me with her precious paint.
It’d make so much sense, seriously.
The whole twenty-minute trip to her house doesn’t.
A big, warm hand grabs mine that I’ve been hiding with the other one between my thighs. I stare at Daniel as he interlinks his fingers with mine, keeping his attention on the road.
He stays there, between my thighs, eliciting pleasure, warmth, and the most important feeling of all.
Peace.
He peeks at me and I smile. It’s not forced or remotely fake.
If he’s with me, I can do this.
Or at least, I try to think of it as such.
He’s changed into khaki trousers and a polo shirt that gives him that preppy yet hot look. Daniel always hovered on the line between good and bad.
He can be the most mischievous troublemaker and the coldest jerk, depending on who he’s dealing with.
We arrive at Astrid’s house—or more like, mansion. Pretty sure this was an old castle and they renovated it into this modern setting.
Jay is practically jogging to Astrid’s side as soon as the cars stop. He doesn’t stop talking to her on and on like a chatterbox. I envy his easy-going nature sometimes. How he finds it easy to express himself. It’s so different from when I was a child—reserved and acting by the rules.
I’m glad he, at least, gets to live his childhood to the fullest.
“Mummy!” A small figure with light brown hair slams into her leg, then stares at Jayden with awe. “You found a prince, Mummy!”
“Sort of.” She laughs, then leans down so she’s almost eye level with him. Her expression is soft and loving as she kisses his cheek. “Brandon, this is Jayden. He loves Minions, too. Do you want to show him your collection?”
“Yes!” Brandon grabs Jay by the arm and practically drags him inside, then stops and waves at us. “Hi, Uncle Dan and beautiful lady from Mummy’s pictures.”
Then he disappears with Jay in tow.
I stare at her. “You have pictures of me?”
She clears her throat. “Some old things in the family album.”
“I thought Uncle Henry would’ve gotten rid of them.”
“Only the ones with your mum,” she says dismissively, leading us out back.
However, I can’t stop thinking about what she said.
Only the ones with your mum.
As in, the ones where it was only me stayed?
I never thought I would face Astrid again, but now that I am, I can’t help feeling the crushing guilt about the past. I caused her accident, although unintentionally, made her feel unwelcome in her own house, and competed for her father’s love.
Not only was I insufferable, but I also made it my mission to hurt her. And I hate the past me, I hate how much I went at her throat because of how insecure I was.
I want to apologize, not only for my behavior but also for the fact that Mum stole Uncle Henry from her and her mother, killed her mother, then attempted to kill her. I have so much to apologize for, but I’m not sure if that will have any effect on her.
She was always assertive in who she hated and I was at the top of that list.
My thoughts are scattered when we reach a gazebo in the garden, painted with a shock of colors. Transparent stars dangle from the ceiling like fallen angels.
That’s where the breakfast table is set up with all types of food that could feed an army.
Something travels in our direction at supersonic speed and I flinch. Daniel, however, catches the ball with his foot and even dribbles it.
“I see you haven’t lost your touch, Sterling.”
“Nice shot, Captain.” Daniel grins at Levi who’s approaching us while carrying Brandon.
Wait. Didn’t he go with Jay just now? How is he—
As Levi gets close, I can see that the child is a spitting image of Brandon, but he has a small mole beneath his left eye. And he’s wearing a sports jersey, unlike Brandon who was in light green shorts and a button-down.
Levi has grown up into a hard man. His boyish beauty has become all masculine, but his mane of golden blond hair is still as bright as ever.
He leans down and kisses Astrid on the lips, openly, with tongue.
Jeez.
My cheeks heat and I try to stare anywhere but at them.
“Get a fucking room.” Daniel wrenches the child from Levi’s arms and whispers, “Don’t you hate this, Lan?”
“I’m used to it.” Brandon’s clone, Lan, lifts a shoulder. “Uncle Aiden says Mummy and Daddy like making babies.”
“Your uncle Aiden is right.”
“Your uncle Aiden is a twat, Landon,” Levi says, finally pulling away from his school style make-out session with Astrid.
“Uncle Aiden isn’t a twat. He only says the truth. Besides”—Landon furrows his brow—“you made Glyndon, who’s spoiled and unnecessary.”
“I told you to not call your sister unnecessary, Lan,” Astrid says in a teacher’s voice.
“But she is.”
“Go to your room and reflect on that.” She pulls him from Daniel’s arm and puts him to his feet.
Landon shakes his head and stalks away with his hands linked behind his back like an old man, grumbling, “She’s still unnecessary.”
“He’s definitely taking after Aiden.” Daniel laughs. “My condolences in advance for when he becomes a psycho.”
“How could you say that, Bug?” Astrid sounds mortified and rightfully so. Even though Levi was the wild card, Aiden was the one who exhibited destructive energy in everything he did. He was silent, broody, and with clear sociopathic tendencies.