He shakes his head, looking confused. “No, I…I felt bad after I turned you away. I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. It doesn’t matter what you did. It doesn’t matter that you stole from the hospital. You’re still family and I should have stepped up.”
“That sentence is both right, and yet so wrong.” Colt’s deep voice sends a jolt through the room. He closes the door softly, coming straight for me. Crouching in front of my chair, he studies me, frowning. “Are you ok?”
He’s soaked, rivulets of sweat running down his throat. He got here so fast.
He ran to me.
I slide my hands into the open sides of his tank top, rubbing the thick muscle padding his ribs.
“Not really. This is not going well.” I lean in closer, whispering in his ear. “They heard I’m dating a billionaire. That’s why they’re here.” I close my eyes, soaking up his comfort as he presses a kiss to my temple. We both heard my voice crack. I am really not ok.
“Evelyne, who is this…person?” Her voice cracks like a whip. “I should have known you would screw this up, too. You’re letting someone likehimtouch you? You self-destructive, foolish child.”
Colt stiffens, turning to meet her eyes, cataloging her, before moving on to my father and brother. When he turns back to me, there’s a gleam in his eye that I find terrifying, yet I can’t wait to see what happens.
He stands, pulling me out of the chair, sitting, and dragging me into his lap.
“There. Now everyone has a seat,” he says cheerfully, smiling. Playful Colt is in charge right now. “I’m Colt, Evie’s boyfriend. You must be the Fam.” He leans forward suddenly, tightening his arms around me. “You guys don’t look so great,” he says, taking in my parents’ pinched expressions. “Did one of you fart? Want me to crack a window?”
I choke, biting back a laugh. I didn’t think my parents’ faces could get any more disapproving, but I was wrong. I hope their faces get stuck like that. It does kinda look like they just smelled a fart.
Chris is wearing hisI’m a big shot lawyerface, but his eyes are shining. He looks on the verge of laughter. It reminds me of the Chris I used to know. The big brother who used to care about me, before he got brainwashed into being a stuck-up asshole.
My mother visibly collects herself, turning her stare on me. “Why Evelyne? Why would you pass up a chance to be with someone like Ransom Kyle for…for…him? I mean, really Evelyne, look at him. He is clearly beneath you. Does he even own a shirt with sleeves?”
I sit dumbfounded as Colt buries his face in my hair. I can feel his silent chuckles. I’m glad he thinks this is funny, because I do not.
“Beneath me? What makes you say that, Mother?” I ask, tone frosty.
The woman has the nerve to roll her eyes at me. Again. “Please, it’s obvious he’s on drugs. No one gets muscles like that without taking something. It likely destroyed what few brain cells he had.” Her eyes widen. “Oh good heavens, is he the reason you stole in Columbus? Did he put you up to it?”
Colt’s not laughing anymore. His body is tense and I can almost feel his anger radiating off him. And I know that he’s upset, not because my mom just accused him of being an addict, but because she accused me of stealing.
“Mother,” Chris says sharply, “You’re being incredibly rude.”
She turns to him with a gasp. My father snaps, “Christopher. Mind your manners.” Chris flushes, shaking his head, but shuts his mouth.
“You told me,” I mutter to Colt, “that people judged you. I’m realizing I didn’t actually believe you either. Clearly, I was really fucking wrong.”
Rage at this cold, unfeeling woman is coursing through my body. Her disrespect and her disgust make me want to slap her. I curl my hands into fists. Colt squeezes me, planting a kiss on the side of my neck.
“Have they asked about Mia?”
“Nope.”
“Fuckheads.”
“Yeah, they are.”
I tense as I hear Mia’s voice. She was supposed to be far from here, up in Ransom’s penthouse. A second later, the door swings open and she runs through.
“I forgetted my helmet, Mama. We biking!” She’s a blur as she bolts for her bedroom. Ransom and Jonas follow her in, smiles on their faces. Jonas drops his the second he sees my family. Ransom’s hardens as he slips his professional mask on.
“I apologize, Evie. We’re taking her to the gym to race on the track. She said her helmet’s here.”
I grin at him, knowing all Mia had to do is mention the track and the guys would hop to it. They have a bunch of knee scooters up there — no idea why — and they have just as much fun racing around the track as she does.
“Yep. It’s in her bed. She insisted on sleeping with it on her head last night.”
