Page 97 of Grumpy Billionaire Bad Boy

I glance at my watch. "Family will be here around noon for lunch. What do you say I pick you up at your place around seven?"

"Tonight?"

I nod a bit too enthusiastically. "Too soon?"

London rolls her eyes and walks away, her jeans hugging her ass in all the right ways.

When I open the door to let my siblings in, Ivy homes in on me immediately. "Why are you smiling?"

"I'm not smiling." I step out of the way to let them enter.

Ivy's heels clatter on the hardwood floor, Leo pushes past her to get in, walking right by and plopping down on the couch, his phone glued to his hand. August finishes up a call, his face pinched like he's annoyed by something, and Seven drags his feet, quite literally, his entire body sluggish as if he doesn't want to be here at all.

"Brother," I say to Seven and wonder if I'm going to have to swing on him again today.

He slaps me on the shoulder, his glassy eyes meeting mine. Seven is already drunk and it's barely noon. Part of me worriesfor him but the other half, the more rational side, recognizes that he's a grown-ass adult who can make decisions, and mistakes, on his own. My only hope is that they don't impact our family and everything we've built. One bad move and Seven could crumble our entire empire. Perhaps I could care more after all.

Ivy scans the apartment and I follow her over to the table where she drops a bag of food and takes the other one from under August's arm. "Where's the princess?"

"Excuse me?"

"London. Where is she?" Ivy drags out box followed by box of Chinese food, the one meal we can all agree on.

"She's in the bathroom, is that okay with you, sister?"

Ivy continues getting the food out of the paper bag. "Something's off about her, Arch. I just know it."

"Something's off about all of us, doesn't mean it's a bad thing."

She stops and looks directly at me, her gaze daring me to understand. "I'm not wrong about this."

"Maybe you are, have you considered that?" I walk away, go into the kitchen, pull out plates, forks, and napkins, and bring them back to the table.

"What are you two going on about?" Leo says, his attention split between his phone and us.

"Get over here and help us, you lazy shit," Ivy teases him and glances over at Seven who's wandering toward where I keep my liquor. "God damn it." She breaks away to go over and redirect him. "You're already piss-drunk, Sev. Can't you go one meal without getting hammered?"

Seven pouts but otherwise complies, letting Ivy push him into the dining room and onto a chair. He slumps there, his mood more subdued than usual.

"What's he on?" I ask Ivy quietly.

"Beats me." She shrugs and plops a container of food in front of him. "Eat this. Sober up."

Seven shoves it, pouting like a child and folding his arms over his chest. "I'm not hungry."

The door to the bathroom opens, London darting out a second later and going into my bedroom. I close the distance between us in a few long strides and lightly tap on the door, my other arm pressed against the frame, waiting for her.

London peeks her head through the doorway "Yeah?"

"Come on. Eat with us."

"Enjoy your time with your family. I don't want to intrude." London averts her gaze like she's looking past me but at nothing in particular.

"You're not intruding." I pause then add, "And besides, when has that ever stopped you?"

London doesn't laugh at my joke and I worry I may have ruined things before they even started. I just got her back; I can't lose her already. "I don't know," she says.

"Don't know what? I want you to eat with us. Please?"

---