Page 25 of Reign of Psychos

What I really needed was some time to think. The last week had been intense and I felt like I was running out of gas. Part ofit was the lack of sleep, but mostly it was because I had no clue where the fuck my life was heading.

Becoming a mother at 19 had not been on my Bingo Card. I still hadn’t wrapped my head around it. Mostly all I’d done was deflect and procrastinate. If I didn’t think about it too closely, it wasn’t happening, right?

“No, just leave me.” The words came out sharper than I intended, and Landon visibly flinched. His shoulders dropped and the cheerful smile he’d had when I walked in disappeared.

“Sure, no problem.” Almost immediately, I felt like a bitch for pushing him away. Landon had done nothing wrong. Not lately, anyway. Yes, he’d fucked up after the sex tape broke, but I was well aware he’d chosen me over his family.

He turned to leave, but I reached out and grabbed his shirt.

“Lan?”

“Hmm?” Landon was rarely without a ready smile, but this time it looked forced. Had something happened I was unaware of?

“I changed my mind. Please stay.”

His smile returned and some of the tension left his frame. “Your wish is my command, my darling. Prepare to be pampered.”

14

Thea

“Oh, you’re back.” Eden stepped aside to let me in, not her usual ebullient self, and I frowned. Had I upset her? She knew about my little trip over to Europe, so it couldn’t be that.

“Is Verity OK?” I hadn’t seen her since I got back with Dario. It was a surprise my sister hadn’t come looking for me the moment we stepped into our guest apartment, but she’d been curiously absent. Part of me was perturbed she no longer needed me, but the fact she was becoming more independent was a good thing. God knows Verity deserved to have a life at long last.

“Yeah, she’s binge-watching a cruise ship reality TV show with the girls.”

Reality TV? Lord, help us all.

“Hey, Ver.” The girls lay sprawled across two sofas when I walked into Eden’s living room, surrounded by snacks and drinks. My sister looked up in surprise and then leaped off the sofa.

“You’re back!” she yelled, hugging me tightly. “I missed you!”

“Really?”

“Of course! I always miss you. You’re my favorite sister.”

“Your only sister,” I laughed.

“Aoife and Sari are like my sisters, too.” My brows rose. Had these girls usurped me in Verity’s affections already?

Her attention drifted back to the TV, where some drama about one person sleeping with another played out. The show didn’t seem appropriate for a younger audience, but I decided it wasn’t worth arguing over. I had enough shit going on in my life and managing my sister’s viewing habits was very low on my to-do list right now.

“Watch your show. Eden and I need to talk.”

Verity didn’t need telling twice. She jumped back onto the sofa, immediately riveted by the on-screen antics.

“Got any coffee?”

Eden nodded and shuffled back into the kitchen. Her usually bouncy pink hair had lost its shine and there were shadows beneath her eyes. Something had happened, and I intended to find out what. If someone had hurt my friend, they were living on borrowed time.

“OK, what’s going on?” I demanded once she handed me a coffee.

“Coffee’s bad for pregnant ladies,” she muttered, not quite letting go of the mug. “This is your one and only cup on my watch. Love the hair, by the way. It’s cute.”

I ran my fingers through my short hair, still not used to the length.

“Stop deflecting and tell me what’s wrong.”

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