“We still haven’t done my cooking lesson,” I grin as I prop my chin in my hand.
He hums. “We have plenty of time, Sunshine. I enjoy cooking for you.”
My chest warms as a blush spreads across my cheeks. He really has this whole caregiver mentality that makes me melt. No man has ever done half of what Rowan does for me, and to him, this is the bare minimum. He likes doing things for me, and it does strange things to my wildly pattering heart.
A knock echoes from the front door, and everyone seems to stop what they’re doing as the guys glance at each other.
“Was anyone else invited?” Rowan asks, his guard shooting up as his tone hardens into something fierce.
“No,” Atlas growls, his fingers flexing around a kitchen knife as he eyes the front door.
Lox places a hand on his bicep, and the tenseness in his body relaxes. “I’m sure it’s Dom. Wasn’t he supposed to be back this morning?”
“Only one way to find out,” Rowan says lowly as he rises from the table. He places a gentle kiss on top of my head. “I’ll get it. Eat.”
I nod, but unease grips my gut as I watch him lumber to the door. No one seems to move as tension fills the dining room. It’s so quiet we could hear a pin drop as Rowan pulls the door open.
“What do you want?” Rowan’s voice is a deep rumble ofwarning, and I peer around him to see a tall, older woman standing in the doorway. She’s dressed in a white blouse with flare sleeves that taper at her wrists. It’s tucked into some straight-legged jeans that stretch for miles over her long legs. Her dark hair is slicked back into a neat ponytail, and I can make out the slight graying in the strands. I instantly recognize her features, and it’s no mistake. This woman is Rowan’s mother.
She gives him an austere expression as she crosses her hands in front of her. “It’s your father’s birthday. Is it wrong for me to want to see my children celebrate him?”
Before I can think, I’m pushing my chair out. This woman irks me beyond reason, and I’m stalking across the kitchen before anyone can stop me.
Who does she think she is?
She wants to honor the man who hurt Rowan and his siblings when they were just kids? I could punch this woman in the throat. Her age be damned.
Pale blue eyes, riddled with crow’s feet, find mine across the threshold as the woman scowls. Deep wrinkles form over her brow as she sizes me up. “Who the hell are you? What are you doing in my house?”
Her house?
“This isn’t your home anymore,” Rowan grits, and his hand squeezes the door’s handle tightly. “And we’ve never celebrated Dad’s birthday together.”
The woman turns her nose up at me before she ignores me entirely and centers her attention on her oldest son. “I thought we could start this year. He wasn’t as bad as you all make him out to be.”
He wasn’t asbad?
Oh, I’m going to throttle this woman.
Blinding rage builds in me as I join my boyfriend in the doorway. I plaster on a sickly sweet smile, venom dripping from me. “Hey! My name is Addison. Can I get your name?”
The woman sneers. “Crystal. I’m trying to have aconversation with my son—”
“Right, right,” I interrupt her. “I get that, but it’s obvious you’re not welcome inourhome.”
Her eyes bounce between Rowan and me. “Yourhome? Who are you?”
I link my arm with Rowan’s before laying my head on his bicep. “I’m his girlfriend, and you’ve just barged in on breakfast.”
The man at my side gives me a small smile as he squeezes me closer to him. I can feel a presence at my back, but don’t turn as Crystal’s eyes light with recognition.
“Thalia, Atlas,” she greets coldly.
“Mother,” Atlas bites.
“Incubator,” Thalia jabs.
Crystal’s jaw grinds. “It’s lovely to see you all gathered in one place. It makes my proposal easier.”
