Page 60 of Three Stepbrothers Save Christmas

“Do you want one of us to take you tonight? Or would you rather drive yourself?” Ethan asks.

“I’m taking her as I already said I will watch her tonight,” Ryan answers.

“You don’t have to now you are coming tomorrow,” Verity says, looking up at him. Ryan smiles as he looks into her eyes.

“I’m more than happy to watch both. I love watching you dance,” he answers as her smile grows. He leans in and presses a soft kiss on her lips. “Get what you need and say goodbye to the others. I know you are looking forward to seeing Jaz and Danielle.”

Verity rushes towards the fridge and pulls out a water bottle before heading to Ethan. Whilst she’s distracted, I stand next to Ryan.

“How was she when you went up?” I ask quietly.

“Okay. She was on the phone with Jaz, who is meeting her to chat. It might be what she needs. From what I hear, they have a lot in common, and Jaz may put her mind at ease when it comes to us.”

“I hope so; it will do her good getting out of the house anyway.” I quickly turn to face her, smiling as she approaches.

“What are you two whispering about?” she asks nervously. I place an arm over her shoulders and smile.

“Christmas secrets, ones you don’t need to worry about,” I tease, winking. Verity rolls her eyes at me before lifting onto her tiptoes and kissing my cheek.

“Have a good performance, Sweetheart. I’ll see you when you get back.” I cup her cheek as I press a kiss to her lips.

“Okay,” she replies as her cheeks warm. She is so beautiful it’s hard to tear myself away from her. But she needs this time away from us and with her friends to help make sense of everything that must be running around in that gorgeous head of hers.

I press one last kiss to her soft lips before letting her go and forcing myself to step back.

“Come on, Little Kitten, let's get you to the girls before they send out a search party,” Ryan laughs as Verity waves to us and heads out of the house, following him.

I watch as they leave and wait until I hear the car pull away from the house before turning back to Ethan.

“Right, let’s get into this office.”

32

Verity

The door to the dressing room slams as it flies open, making me jump and nearly poke my eye out with my eyeliner. Two arms wrap around my neck from behind as Jasmine appears in the reflection of the mirror I’m sitting in front of.

“Are you okay? I’ve been worried sick!”

“I’m getting there,” I whisper, placing a hand over her arm before she lets me go.

“What the fuck happened? She only got a small explanation from Christian,” Danielle says as she leans against the vanity table in front of me.

“How would Christian know anything?” I demand, turning to frown at Jasmine.

“How do you think? Travis called him. He wouldn’t tell me what they talked about, just that you wouldn’t be dancing last night or maybe tonight as you were unwell. I know he knows more, but when I tried to get him to tell me, he gave me the full name treatment and warned me not to push my luck,” Jasmine pouts whilst standing on the other side of me with her arms crossed.

“Why did Travis call him? I thought they hated each other?”

“As far as I’m concerned, they do, but Travis needed help with something to do with you, and Christian wouldn’t say no to that; he knows how much you mean to me. So, spill bitch, what the fuck happened that your stepbrother had to call my daddy?”

Something clicks as a warm feeling in my chest. Travis must have called Christian for advice on how to be my daddy!

“My father was home the other night when we got back to the house.”

Jaz nods, as she already knows after I messaged her. But from the look on Danielle's face, she knows what happened.

“He didn’t stay, did he.” It’s not a question, she knows. I shake my head as the smile drops from Jasmine’s face. I look down at my lap, where my fingers are now busy pulling apart the cotton wool pad I’d been holding.

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