For me.
For the two little girls we were who thought that our mother would love us and protect us and cherish us.
“Where do you think you’re going?” my father roars as I head toward the door.
“To a happier life,” I reply.
“Stop her,” he orders the housekeeper.
I lift a brow at her. “If you’re looking for alternate employment, I’d be happy to write you a glowing letter of recommendation and pass your name around a few circles.”
“Youcannot—” my father sputters, but I cut him off.
“I can, in fact. I have no noncompete. I have plenty of ideas that have nothing to do with Aurora Gardens. My attorneys assure me that I can do more or less whatever I wish, with whomever I wish, whenever and wherever I wish. And what I wish?—”
Something clatters outside the room, interrupting me.
The housekeeper purses her lips and lifts an innocent gaze toward the ceiling, then quietly slips out of the room.
And then someone walks into the dining room.
Someone tall.
With brown hair.
Brown eyes shaped like mine.
Ears like mine too.
I suck in a wobbly breath as Lucky grins at me. “Hey, sis. Did we miss the show?”
“Who thefuckare you?” My father’s angry shout behind me is almost enough to make me flinch, but my brother’s pulling me into a tight hug, and nothing—nothing—could make me afraid now.
“Where’s my security?”
That’s an excellent question that I suspect my brother can answer, and I cannotwaitto hear it.
“He really is an ass, isn’t he?” Jack says behind Lucky.
“You’re here,” I whisper as I spot Decker too.
“Family sticks together, good times and bad,” Decker says.
I shudder and jerk my head toward my parents. “Thisis not family.”
“They know,” Daph says cheerfully.
“Daphne?” I gasp.
Lucky lets me go and steps around me.
Jack and Decker follow him.
Daphne grins at me.
“So you’re our sperm donor,” Decker says.
Jack glances at Lucky. “I thought he’d be prettier.”
