We’ve all been broken so thoroughly, it’s a miracle our jagged edges line up at all.
I blink back a sudden rush of tears and start hunting through the presents until I find one with my name on it.
I’m still busy tearing it open when Kai lets out a gravelly, “Nooo…”
I pause mid-rip. “What? What did you get?”
When Kai just keeps staring down at the box in his hands, I lean over, demanding, “What’s in the box!” in a shrill voice.
Kai laughs, elbowing me, and even Bastian chuckles behind us.
When Kai holds up his gift, I groan.
It’s a drone.
Kai’s been going on about how useful one would be to monitor the property, take wildlife shots…and a ton of other tech stuff I blocked out.
The two of them immediately get into a discussion about what a good make the drone is, how superior its camera, flight distance?—
Screw this.
I carry on opening my gift. It’s a small box compared to Kai’s, and barely weighs anything.
But inside…
My hand darts up, wrapping around the butterfly pendant Kai gave me.
“Fuck,” I murmur, blinking rapidly to clear a sudden press of tears.
My men go silent. Bastian slides a hand over my shoulder, his lips brushing my ear when he says, “Merry Christmas, sweet girl.”
Kai cranes to get a better look, the drone forgotten. “That’s…Jesus, they’re beautiful, Bash…but…”
He trails off, and we share a glance that Bastian doesn’t notice as he reaches over to take the box out of my hands. “May I?”
I grab his wrist, stopping him. “I…This was so nice of you, but…” Heat rises in my cheeks.
Bastian frowns at me, then at Kai, then back at me. Then his eyes dart to my ears.
“Christ, I didn’t even—“ He cuts off, drawing in a deep breath.
“It’s okay! Maybe—maybe we can find a way to add them to my necklace or something.”
I stare down at the delicate butterfly earrings nestled inside the jewelry box. They’re nearly identical replicas of Kai’s pendant, with glittering sapphires set inside each wing.
But I never got my ears pierced.
The look I see on Bastian’s face before he schools it into something more neutral is nearly the same one Melissa gave me when she casually handed me a pair of earrings to wear out one night.
Sympathy, bordering on pity.
I don’t have time to be offended.
Bastian snaps his fingers, getting to his feet and holding out a hand to help me up. I stare up at him warily as I slowly take his hand and let him pull me up.
“Kai, go fetch the first aid kit,” he says, a smug smile gracing his lips as he leads me to the dining room table.
I tug back on his hand. “You’re not serious,” I say through an uneasy laugh.
