Page 64 of Bound and Blitzed

My mother’s expression is slightly more sympathetic. “Go get dressed, Valentina,” she commands in clipped Spanish.

“Fuck,” Ale mutters, narrowing his eyes and glaring at Avery. “What the hell? Vale…” He trails off, disappointment coloring his tone as he follows Papá into the living room.

“You might want to get dressed too,” Carla says, pointing at Avery’s towel.

My husband nods. “I’ll do that. Please, make yourselves at home.” Avery turns toward me and takes my arm, hustling us into our bedroom.

“My family is here!” I hiss at him.

“Yeah, seems like it,” he replies, his eyes bewildered. “Did you know they were coming?”

“Of course not!” I nearly cry, wringing my hands together. “I can’t believe they just saw you—me—like…like this.” I gesture between us.

Avery rests his hands on my shoulders. “Look at me, Lena.”

My eyes snap to his.

“This is hardly ideal. Obviously, I would have preferred to meet your father over dinner and not in a fucking towel,” he says, and I hear the humor in his tone, “but baby, we’re married. You’re my wife and I love you. It could have gone better but it also could be worse.”

I consider his point and nod. Avery and I are married so it should hardly surprise my family that we’re sleeping together. Still, I wish it wasn’t so obvious. Especially when my family, save for my sister, has never met Avery. They don’t know him like I do. They don’t know anything about him except he married their daughter without their blessing.

Ah, maybe it is a lot worse than either of us realizes.

“Come on, let’s get dressed,” Avery says before kissing me hard on the mouth. He smirks. “Merry Christmas, Lena.”

I snort and shake my head. “Merry Christmas, Avery.”

He smacks my ass lightly before turning toward his closet. Avery pulls on a pair of jeans and a cream-colored sweater. He shoves his feet into slippers, fixes his hair, and brushes his teeth. Then, he’s out the door. “Who needs coffee?” he asks, as if my family showing up on Christmas morning is the most natural thing in the world.

“You have anything stronger?” I hear my brother mutter.

Realizing Avery is alone with my family springs me into action. I dress quickly—tugging on cranberry cords and a black turtleneck. I brush my wet hair and pull it back, twisting it into a low bun. I brush my teeth, spritz some perfume, and spend five seconds applying basic makeup.

Then, I take a deep breath and stare at my reflection.

I look happy. I mean, stressed as hell, sure, but overall, truly happy. Content and at peace and at home.

Grinning at myself, I murmur, “You’re an adult. You’re a married woman. This is your home and your husband. Next year is going to be your best year yet. You can do this.”

Then, I flick off the bathroom light and relocate to the living space, where my family and Avery are having morning coffee.

A spread of pastries, an assortment of bagels, and a platter of fruit is laid out on the kitchen island.

I furrow my eyebrows at Avery, and he shrugs. “My sister sent them,” he murmurs.

Ah! So that’s how my family learned of our address. Carla must have asked Raia.

I snatch my phone up off the kitchen island where it was charging overnight and note all the missed calls and texts from Raia and Cohen. I read through the thread in the “New Fam” group that Raia created.

Raia

Vale, your family is about to crash your Christmas morning.

Hello? Your parents flew in early!

Your brother and sister are with them.

Avery! Alejandro is going to kill you!

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