Page 606 of Lodestar

“Have to be, don’t I?” he grumbled, tugging on his necktie as Kat leaned into the back of the limo again and helped her younger siblings out.

There was fourteen-year-old Benjamim who’d been saved from a child brothel in Rio de Janeiro, then there was six-year-old Enzo, who they’d managed to spare from death when a now-jailed tycoon had paid for his lungs and heart in a transplant thatwould’ve saved his kid while using Enzo like his body was an organ store.

Minnie, the only one in the car with Star and Conor, was a baby. Her mom had killed herself a few months after Minnie’s birth, unable to deal with what had happened to her as Sparrow chattel, unable to cope with bearing her rapist’s child.

Each of Star and Conor’s sons and daughters was born of or into tragedy, but here, they were normal.

Here, they were annoyed at having to wear suits and were grouching at being awoken at six to get ready for the ceremony.

Having promised to help Kat with her younger siblings—for obvious reasons—I dragged Enzo and Niall out onto the sidewalk and straightened up their ties and jackets as Benjamim did the same with his own suit.

“You just have to smile when a camera pops up in your face. Don’t say a word,” I ordered.

“And don’t touch anything,” Kat prompted. “Don’t fidget either. Just stand still and don’t get into trouble.”

Enzo giggled. “I’m a good boy.”

“No, Enzo, you’re not. I love you and I love that you and Third are our bringers of chaos, but today, you need to be good. This is bigger than all of us. Mom has worked for decades for this moment, ya hear me? She’s earned this.”

“Hey, so’d Conor,” I argued.

Kat sniffed. “I love my dad, but he didn’t know anything until Mom came along.”

“Girl power,” Niall said with a sigh.

“Exactly,” Kat chirped. “We’re the best, Niall. Remember that now and it will save you lots of problems in the future.”

Though I snorted, I saw the other cars were parked, my family already on the sidewalk. “Right, are we good to go?”

“I think I need the bathroom,” Enzo whined.

“Jesus,” Kat grumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I took youtwicebefore we got here. Do you really have to go?”

His bottom lip popped out from between his teeth. “Maybe?”

“How about you make a decision now, kiddo,” I quipped, “and if you decide not to drive Kat and me crazy, then we promise we’ll take you to the movies tonight.”

“Can I pick what we go see?”

“Duh.” I didn’t care what we watched. Not if Kat was there. It was a win-win for me.

Enzo grinned, revealing a space where his teeth were missing. “I don’t need the bathroom.”

“Magic,” I drawled.

“Enzo, when you smile, keep your mouth closed. We have to look perfect for Mom.”

That had me blinking at her. “Star never said you had to look perfect.”

I’d know. I was there, listening into their conversation when she’d asked Kat to help with the younger kids. Kat was only on edge because of something else Star had shared with her.

Apparently, she had a large legacy from her father and a living aunt from his side of her bloodline too…

I had no idea why that knowledge upset her, but it had, and she’d been acting like a dragonfly had burrowed into her ear and taken it hostage ever since.

“No, she just asked us to look decent,” Kat agreed. “So, look decent we will. Right?”

Niall sniffed. “You’re worse than Lenin.”

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