Page 74 of A Very Addicted Christmas

“Father?” Her voice is faint, weak, as though she’s fighting to stay more cognizant.

I turn back. “Yes, little one.”

“I’m truly sorry…for any and all destruction I caused. I’ll carry whatever punishment”—she yawns—“you give me with great honor and respect…”

I haven’t heard those words in months. Maybe longer.

I have a hand on the doorknob, wondering when Eliot and Tom taught their sister their silly mantra. Or maybe she just memorized it after hearing it one too many times after they got in trouble. Of course, it was to try and make me crack a smile. Maybe even sway me to lessen their grounding if they made it sound dramatic enough.

“Your mom and I will discuss what kind of punishment you’ll have. But you will be grounded.”

“I honor and respect it,” she says in a sleepy voice.

She doesn’t see it. It’s too dark.

But I smile.

In the hallway, I meet Rose, and she lets out a long drawn-out breath. “She’s going to have a massive hangover tomorrow.”

“Likely.”

“And you have no idea what that feels like,” Rose says with a perfunctory smile, as though she’s experienced far more than I have.

I grin and slip an arm around her waist. “I don’t know why you’re reveling in the fact that you’ve been so drunk, you felt miserable the next morning.”

She glares but doesn’t step out of my embrace. “At least I knowexactlyhow to cure her hangover.” She peeks over at Audrey’s room. “Are you certain?—”

“She’ll be okay, darling.” I cup her cheek. “They all will be.”

Rose holds onto my truthful gaze, and I press a kiss to her forehead.

FIFTEEN

SIP-IN-SNOW CRASHERS AFTERMATH: PART FOUR

JANUARY 2040

AFTER CHAPTERS 56 IN FEARLESS LIKE US

We listened to "Every Night" by Josef Salvat while writing this scene.

Character List:

Loren Hale - 49

Lily Calloway - 48

Xander Hale - 17

Kinney Hale - 15

LILY CALLOWAY

“ARE YOU BLEEDING?” I ASK, looking Xander over with wide eyes. His hair is caked with flour, and he has a couple scrapes on his elbows. He bends down to scratch Erebor’s fur in front of the fireplace like everything is hunky dory. But he just confessed to getting into an argument with Ben, his cousin. Oh, and they’re back from a high school party at the Cobalt Estate thatno one(not even the nerd stars) knew about. Everything isnothunky dory!

Lo left to go talk to security about the Royal Leaks, and I’m with my two youngest kids. While I’d love to wave some pompoms in celebration of having a lead on the source of the leaks, I can’t. I’ve been instructed to be the private investigator tonight, grilling Kinney and Xander on what went down at this high school party.

I barely had to grill.

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