Page 86 of Fractured

“Great, because this is going to take a while. That recipe that I got from my mother? It looks delicious, but it has about ten different steps in the process.”

Atticus came out of the bedroom and joined Kenzo on the sofa. They’d put on some kind of sports game to pass the time. “I’m famished, Ambrose. You think it will be ready by six?”

“Even if it was, we have to wait for Saint.” I gave him a stern look.

“Okay, we can wait.” He winked and patted the seat next to him. He was such an adorable dork, how could I resist?

The time flew by, and before I knew it, Saint was opening the door. “Brr. It’s getting chilly out there.” He stomped his boots on the outside mat, then came in. A draft of cold air washed over us. Kenzo had shut the main door hours ago, so my house was currently nice and toasty.

“The cold front is rolling in,” Ambrose said from the kitchen.

“And it’s cold,” Saint agreed as he went to the kitchen. “Need any help?”

“No, everything is about ready. You want to grab the plates?”

I jumped up to help, and the others followed, each picking something to grab. I got us drinks, Atticus pulled out the silverware, and Kenzo started taking dishes to the table. Family style dinner it was.

“It smells delicious.” I took a big whiff of some kind of seasoned meat as Kenzo walked by.

“Thank you.” Ambrose squeezed my hip as he walked by with the sides.

Atticus tossed a fork when someone knocked on the front door.

“Who is that? You never have visitors.” Atticus glared at the door as if it offended him.

“It might be Harper.” I rolled my teeth over my bottom lip. “She texted today and asked if I would be home tonight. I told her I would be, but that you all would be here too.”

“Well, what are you waiting for? Go let your friend in.” Kenzo nudged me with his hips when he took the drinks from my hand.

“Okay.” I sounded nervous, even to myself. Harper wouldn’t make this weird. Although it was the equivalent of my boyfriends meeting my family. “You guys be on your best behavior.”

“We will,” they chorused, and I laughed under my breath.

When I swung the door open, my jaw hit the floor.

“I don’t understand.”

“Can we come in?” Harper’s voice was steady, but it was unlike any voice she’d ever used with me, not even when we were doing one of our makeshift sessions on her couch.

I took in the two men with her, and I couldn’t keep my gaze from darting wildly over them. This had to be some kind of trick.

Kenzo and Atticus stood next to her, one on either side, and they were looking at me with none of the love or affection I’d come to expect.

They were looking at me with pity, and like I was a…

Stranger.

I should turn around.

Right now, I needed to turn around. Would they have had enough time to jump out the window? To race around the front and meet Harper?

“What is this?” My heart pounded in my chest, and I pressed my hand against it to slow it down. It was so loud in my ears, and I might have been having a mild panic attack.

“Let us in, Lilith, please?” Her bottom lip quivered like she could cry at any second, but why would she be the one to cry? She wasn’t the one having a complete mental breakdown.

I turned to Kenzo, the one on the other side of the door. His hair was too short to be my Kenzo, and his beard had been shaved off. Then I looked at Atticus. He wore dark faded jeans and a pull over sweater.

What the fuck?

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