Page 64 of Twisted Kings

Honestly, I’d nearly cried when I saw how much trouble they had gone to making this a wonderful day for us both. The food was amazing, even if the entertainment had been questionable.

After a delicious Christmas lunch, cooked by Milo with help from Landon, we’d messed around on the karaoke and then started on the board games. Even Dario joined in when we played Monopoly.

Verity had had no clue how to play but soon picked it up. Cassian went into full property tycoon mode and treated it as a training exercise, warning us about cash flow and the dangers of sinking too much money into high-end properties.

Landon rolled his eyes, Milo disappeared to clear up the kitchen, and Kyril insisted I sit on his lap while he stroked my leg. He claimed to have zero interest in board games but was happy to play with me.

Thankfully, the double entendre passed right over Verity’s head.

It wasn’t that late, but a full day of rich food, laughter, and excitement had worn out my still-malnourished sister. Verity fell asleep the moment her head touched the pillow, too tired even to read one of the young adult fantasy novels Eden had picked out for her.

I closed the door of her bedroom and padded back into the kitchen. Milo had wiped all the counters down, washed the pans, and the dishwasher was mid-cycle. The sound of the TV filtered out from the living room, along with the murmur of conversation.

Did I want to go back in there? It wasn’t late, but I felt exhausted, even though I’d slept like the dead after Cassian carried me to bed. This felt more than the sort of exhaustion that came from a few late nights, and once again, my brain reminded me of the one thing I refused to think about.

I still hadn’t picked up a pregnancy test. Since my periods were irregular, I couldn’t use being late as a guide. If I wanted to be certain one way or the other, I needed to take a test.

It was a no-brainer, but summoning the courage to ask Mrs. O’Malley to pick one up for me, or better still, visit the local town and find a pharmacy or supermarket, was beyond me right now.

The nearest town was 10 miles away. Too far to walk. We had use of two SUVs, but leaving here was a risk. Nobody knew we were staying here. The locals assumed we were random tourists, and Mrs. O’Malley was under strict instructions to keep her mouth shut.

The last thing I wanted to do was draw attention.

“Why are you standing here in the dark?”

My head snapped up. Landon lounged in the doorway, looking edible in a pair of low-slung jeans and an unbuttoned shirt.

“No reason.” I brushed a few loose strands of hair from my face and forced a smile. “Just wondering whether to go and read my book for a bit. It’s been a long day.”

He strode across the room and grabbed me around the waist. “Nope. Not happening.”

“Landon! Get off me!” I hissed, but he held firm.

“Have I told you lately how beautiful you are?” He nuzzled my neck and sighed happily. “And also, you smell like salted caramel and vanilla cupcakes.”

“You’ve been eating too much candy.”

“Wasn’t me who ate all the candy. Blame Kyril. He has a sweet tooth.”

I snorted. Landon was right. Kyril had devoured most of the chocolate. Who knew the Russian loved chocolate so much? If I ate that much chocolate, I’d be in a sugar coma.

Landon looked up and grinned. “Are you happy, wifey?”

“Am I happy hiding away while my insane father hunts me down so he can hand me over to a violent mob boss who plans to knock me up? Hmm.” I pretended to think about it.

Landon soon lost his smile, and I felt bad for raining on his parade.

“Shit, I didn’t mean to be dismissive of all the awful stuff you’re going through.” He muttered something under his breath and sighed. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have asked. Of course you’re not happy. Sorry.” His shoulders drooped as he stepped back, letting me go.

And now I felt really bad for making him feel bad after they’d all tried so hard to make this a nice day for me and Verity.

“Hey, it’s fine.” I cleared my throat awkwardly. “Um, thank you for, um, everything.”

Landon grinned, some of his cockiness returning. “You can thank me after I give you the best orgasm of your life.”

I rolled my eyes as he pushed me against the counter, his hands on my waist.

“That’s a high bar. Are you sure you’re up for it?”

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