“Well, I’m bloody glad that’s what he is to you. Because, for a second, I thought you were fucking.”
She said it coldly. And when our eyes met, hers were cruel and hard. She stared me down. She knew.
I didn’t know how, but I was certain. Dread pitted in my stomach.
“Nadia, Nora, you’re due—Fia?”
I couldn’t turn to look at my sister. Nora would look away first. This whole time, she thought she was above me. She was furious that not only was I better than her, but that I was beneath him.Daily.
“What’s going on?”
Nadia pulled away from my grip. “Nora just told everyone Fia’s dad works here.”
I wanted to turn around and hit her too for speaking those words aloud, but it wasn’t as loud as before. Ever must have cleared the crowd. My focus was on the shit-stirring ex of my boyfriend.
Everly’s voice soothed me. “And that’s your business because?”
The second Nora looked away, I released a shaky breath.
She was all smiles. “I wanted to welcome her to the family. Zolt and I were together so long it feels like that.”
Everly’s eyes swung to mine. She surveyed me and breathed in. “Not in public, Nora. Let people keep their private lives private. You’re here to look pretty and cheer on the racers. Plural. Not just Zoltán.”
“Of course,” she said and nodded.
“Imre sounded disgusted when he thought you two were back together,” I told her, finally finding my voice again. “You’re not welcome in my family.”
Everly leaned against the desk and dropped her bag, watching with a hint of a smile.
“You can’t control that man,” she said. “No one can. Who would want to? And when he calls me back into his home, I’ll be there. Your sister-in-law.”
“You can play family all you want, Nora. The difference is—I don’t need a man’s name to belong.”
You belong wherever you choose to stand, he’d told me.
And I was going to stand right at his side.
“No need to get nasty now,” Nora laughed. “It’s going to make the family reunions all the more awkward.”
Again, her eyes stayed on mine a little too long. She knew.
“Don’t worry, Nora. You won’t be invited. He doesn’t want you.”
“And he wants you?” Her laugh was dark.
I’d thought I was getting somewhere. The panic had subsided into rage, but my face heated, knowing Nadia wasbehind me.
“Do you know what he’d say if he saw this?” I said, my voice far stronger than I felt, because I could feel my chest caving.“Már régen lejárt a vendégjogod, és hiba voltál, amit o már kijavított.”
Her eye twitched.
“Do you know what that means? You’ve already overstayed your welcome, and you’re simply a mistake he’s already corrected.”
“And you know what you are?” she asked, her body tight, her voice lighter than I expected. “His step-sister. Who apparently needs some made-up words by someone else to defend herself.”
Everly stood straight. “In a second, Nora, you’re going to have some very real words from me. Get to the grid before I make sure this is the last grid you ever walk.”
Nora went to argue, but my sister raised a hand. “Your issue is not with her, it’s with him. In fact, it’s probably with yourself. Sort yourself out—privately. Speak to Zolt. But do not speak to my sister like that again.”
