Posey’s fingers dig into my shirt as my voice vibrates with rage. “I will never sign away my rights. Why would you want guardianship, anyway? A nanny practically raised my mom.”
Victoria’s lips twist as she straightens even more in her seat. “Your mother was an ungrateful child who never understood the value of what she was born into. She chose to marry your father over the marriage we secured for her. We learned a lot from our time with your mother.” I jerk at the mention of an arranged marriage. “We won’t make the same mistakes again.”
Sadness accompanies the rage flowing through my veins. “You tried to force her into an arranged marriage?”
Victoria narrows her eyes at me with a sneer on her face. “It was the least she could do after everything we gave her. She wanted for nothing. She had the world at her fingertips, and she threw it all away for some rat off the street. Your grandfather lost a very important business deal because of her lack of responsibility, and I’ll never forgive her for it.”
Rage vibrates through me as I stand. “Mydadwas not a rat off the street. He was a great husband and an even greater father.”
Maxwell rolls his eyes as he sticks out his chest like a gorilla. “Please, his salary was pathetic. I’m surprised he could keep food on the table.”
A calmness flows through me with the realization that I don’t need these people. I don’t need them to take care of the twins. I’ve been doing just fine on my own these past few months,despitethem. “There is more to life than the number in a bank account, Maxwell. Maybe try taking your head out of your ass for five seconds so you can see that your misery is your own making.” I lock eyes with Kam’s fury filled gaze from where he stands behind me. “Sunny Marshmallow Unicorn Taco.” With a smile, I turn to the assholes in front of me. “That’s our code words for wanting to get the hell out of here.” My smile only grows. “The words spell out smut, by the way.”
With my last words, I spin on my heels, grab Posey and Jasper by the hand, and walk out of the room with a sway to my hips.
I don’t look over my shoulder as Kam’s heavy footsteps sound through the room to be followed by the sound of ripping paper. His voice shows the full magnitude of the fury I saw in his eyes. “If I were you, I wouldn’t bother showing your faces at court next week.”
My anger spikes at the sound of Maxwell’s voice. “I do not take kindly to threats.”
“Good thing I didn’t threaten you, then.”
Maxwell’s scoff doesn’t match the underlying fear he tries to hide from his voice. “We’ll see you in court, Kamden.”
I can hear the smirk in Kam’s voice. “Yeah, I’m counting on it.”
CHAPTER 54
US
LILA
The sun feels warmer on my face as I walk out the front door. Even the colors of the changing trees seem brighter as I tighten my hold on Posey’s hand.
Her eyes hold a sadness that adds fuel to the fire burning within me. “Are they going to take us away, Lulu?”
I shake my head as I fall to my knees on the stone driveway. My fingers dig into her shoulders as I search her face. “No, Ladybug. I won’t let them take you away from me.”
She nods as some of the sadness fades from her eyes. Jasper’s fingers intertwine with hers as a smile touches his lips. “Kam won’t let them take us, Posey. They’d have to get through Kam, Dax, Wyatt, Mace, and Ellie first.”
Kam’s deep voice soothes my frayed nerves. “You’ve got that right, Tank. You guys are right where you belong.” Some of the tension leaves his shoulders as his eyes meet mine. “Let’s get out of here and get something to eat.”
My knees groan as I stand. My fingers glide against the fabric of my dress as I smooth the wrinkles. “Sounds good to me!”
Jasper and Posey’s footsteps mix with the wind and the gentle tumble of leaves as they race to the car. The air smells likerelief and the wind feels like freedom as I walk to the car. The door even feels lighter on its hinges as I close it.
Blissful darkness descends around me as I close my eyes and lean my head against the headrest. The dark veil feels like a barrier to my problems instead of the illusion of solitude it really is.
As Kam's hand glides over my thigh, the warmth seeps through the fabric of my dress and into my skin.
My head rolls against the headrest as he takes the gentle curves through the neighborhood I hope to never visit again.
I open my eyes to watch cars pass by. As strangers, we travel along the same road without really knowing what’s going on in each other's lives.
The day my parents died was the worst day of my life. Everyone else went about their day like my world wasn’t falling apart.
Just like that day, these people drive by completely oblivious to the bomb that was just dropped by my feet. They drive by, unaware of the ticking clock above my head, counting down the seconds until the court date that will decide the fate of the rest of my life.
Two and a half months ago, my only worry was if I was a good enough sister to take on this massive responsibility.
