“How big of an age difference is there?” I ask.
I’ve never really thought about the difference, mostly because they don’t make a big deal about it.
“Seventeen years, give or take,” she says.
“It sounds worse than it is,” I grumble. “I can’t change how old I am.”
“I know, nor can we. Abbott is thirty-nine, but he’s always grumpy and overbearing. It’s part of his charm,” she chuckles. “My parents are assholes I still unfortunately love. It’s complicated.”
I nod because I can understand that. Unfortunately, my Aunt Matilda lost all familial respect and love when she admitted that she wanted to kill my parents. Cassidy told Bellamy and I what she found out while she was torturing her, and I had to run to the bathroom to puke.
I don’t know why Aunt Matilda was so jealous of my mother, and it no longer matters because she’s dead and gone now. I’m glad Cassidy made her hurt. She deserved it.
“So is this charity event fancy?” I finally ask as we climb the stairs to the house.
“It is. We’re going to have to go shopping,” Cassidy admits. “I love to shop, so that’s not a hardship for me.”
I chuckle, because I’ve heard about her love of shopping. The door opens wide and we have a group of concerned men waiting for us as we stop in front of them.
“Who am I killing?” Shiloh growls, taking in our reddened eyes.
“Possibly Mrs. Lorena Larson,” Cassidy sighs. “I told Winter about what a delight my mother is.”
“Fucking cunt,” he mutters, stepping forward to hug us both. “Bellamy has been crawling up the walls waiting for you to get home.”
“Come inside and tell why we’re adding Lorena to a list,” Abbott rumbles, ushering us in.
Even though they tend to want to fix everything by stabbing it, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so cared for outside of how Bell loves me. I can’t help but hide my smile as I step inside of the house, and I can feel Bell’s amusement and worry.
Ugh, I guess I have to tell them all about my day, huh?
Chapter
Twenty-Five
Two days later
SHILOH
“Do not break Marlene’s neck,”I remind myself under my breath.
“Yes, I expect killing Cassidy’s mom would be bad,” Abbott drawls. “We’ll say hello and then avoid her as much as possible.”
Bellamy shoves his hands deep in the pockets of his tuxedo, having been sent downstairs while Cassidy and Winter finished getting dressed. I can tell he’s uncomfortable being away from Winter, and he’s seconds away from heading upstairs to check on her if they don’t come down soon.
It doesn’t matter that he can tell through their bond that she’s fine, he typically likes to be able to see her. He confessed to Abbott the other day that the only reason he can concentrate while he’s working is because he loses himself in the art.
It honestly makes sense to me that painting is the only time he can disconnect himself enough from a bond that takes up so much of his mind.
I can hear heels clicking on the hardwood floor and my eyes move to the top of the stairs as Cassidy and Winter appear.
“There may still be people dying tonight,” Ansel says under his breath.
Damn, he’s not wrong. They look amazing. Winter is wearing a shimmering silver floor length mermaid gown that makes her ash blonde hair look incredible, while Cassidy wears a gold one that sweeps the ground behind her as she walks down the stairs.
They’re like light and darkness flipped, and my mouth dries at the sight as my cock hardens. Fuck are they sexy. Ansel is right. If someone is an arsehole to them, I may end up killing people.
“Damn, look who cleans up like a dream,” I tease them with a smile, holding my hands out to both of them as they take their final steps down in their heels.
