Page 159 of The Broken Aztec Princesses

‘Okay. I love you, Bells.’

‘Not more than I do, sis.’

Adrien and Elim showed up, and we helped them arrange everything on the coffee table. We watched several movies, onlystopping for about an hour while Bells ran with her pack. Adrien chatted us up while we waited. A lot of his questions were directed at Chris and me. He was enthusiastic about it, which helped Chris relax during what felt like an interrogation.

I kept my hand in his, hoping the encouraging squeezes were helping. I hoped he was beginning to see that no one in my family would think him beneath any of us.

Once Bells returned, we went back to watching movies and joking around. Adrien, Elim and Chris eventually started exchanging stories.

Cade showed up sometime around two, exhaustion in his face. He sat down next to me, grabbing a bag of popcorn, and watching TV without saying too much outside of his greetings.

The others may not have noticed, but I could see the way his eyes would flicker to Bells, as if willing her to turn and look at him. Bells didn’t. In fact, she pretended to be completely immersed in the movie. The tension was crackling between them and she was refusing to acknowledge it.

‘You want to head back to our room?’Chris asked and I smiled at his use of the word “our.”

‘Yeah. Once the movie is over.’

The party broke up after the movie was done. We helped clean up and I watched Cade send a longing look after my sister when she bade everyone good night, before heading to his own room.

“Your sister and Cade are fighting,” Chris said the moment we closed the door.

“They’re doing... something. I don’t think they’re fighting, which may be the problem.”

“What do you mean? How can not fighting be the problem?”

“I think Bells is probably avoiding talking to Cade, because she knows he’s going to be leaving soon now that he bought a property for his new pack grounds,” I explained.

“Oh. You think she’s afraid he won’t make her his luna?”

“No, I’m pretty sure he’ll try. I’m not sure Bells knows if she wants to be or not. She’s been working on getting the Alpha title here.”

“Oh. I guess that would make it an awkward conversation then. I thought they loved each other.”

“I think they do. That’s part of the problem.”

“Complicated. Their life is complicated,” Chris mumbled before he wrapped an arm around my waist, and tumbled us down on the bed. “Are you going to be complicated?”

“What, the almost agoraphobia, androphobia, anthropophobia, general social anxiety and sexual trauma isn’t considered complicated for you?” I asked, trying to tease him.

“No. That’s all transitory. You’re easy to get along with and you laugh at all my shitty jokes.” I giggled, making him smile, “And, you like my kisses,” he added.

“Do I? You should make sure,” I taunted.

“It’s my favorite thing to do.”

He demonstrated by kissing me. I instantly wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling him down. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about what we were doing before the movies. I pulled his shirt from where it was tucked in his jeans. He groaned when I finally managed to touch flesh. He began kissing down my neck, letting me pull him down on top of me.

“Yo...tell...wrong...ight?” I only caught a few words of what he mumbled, making me giggle.

“What?”

Chris pulled up from where he was kissing my neck.

“You’ll tell me if anything feels wrong, right?” he asked.

“I always do.”

He resumed his place on my neck while I tried to pull his shirt up higher. He pulled back and let me pull the shirt off his chest. I let my hands roam his chest, making him shiver. I looked up at him.

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