Page 77 of Ruthless Redemption

I take the offered seat and ignore Keira as she stalks my periphery.

“Want some eggs?” She leans forward to grab the serving spoon, placing a heap of scrambled mush on my plate before I can respond.

“What’s wrong?” Stella leans into me, bumping my shoulder. “You’re not angry with Matthew for taking me to the beach, are you? We didn’t go surfing, I promise. I barely put my foot in the water.”

“I’m not angry.” No more than usual, at least.

“Good.” She scoops the remaining scraps of her breakfast onto her fork. “I’d hate to think I got him in trouble.”

“He does that well enough on his own.” Bishop snickers to himself.

I pick at the mushed eggs, unable to stomach food, despising yet another charade. “On second thought, I’m not that hungry.” I push from my chair and claim my plate. “I’m going to make coffee.”

“I’ll help.”

I hide a cringe as Keira follows me to the kitchen where I discard my food in the bin.

“Sorry about the whole surfing thing.” She grabs the juice and milk from the counter to place them in the fridge. “I didn’t realize she wasn’t allowed.”

I pause in front of the coffee machine. “Given the circumstances, I would’ve thought it was obvious.”

She straightens. Nods. “I guess she twisted my arm like she always does.”

“She asked you for permission?” I thought Matthew was the one who’d trampled over my rules.

“Yeah, she said you only denied her because there wasn’t enough time. So she deliberately got up earlier to make it work.”

Stella is turning into someone who enjoys manipulating authority and the thought of those skills increasing through her teenage years makes me shudder.

“You need to consult me first.” I place a coffee pod in the machine and a mug under the nozzle. “I wasn’t even told she was being brought here.”

“I know.” She inches closer, entering my personal space. “I’m sorry about that, too.”

But not sorry for disowning me?

“Can we go somewhere and talk?” she asks. “We need to leave soon, and the two of us really have to hash out a few things before we go.”

“No, thank you.”

I have no intention ofhashing outmy mistakes.

Or letting herhash outa hundred I-told-you-sos.

I press the start button on the coffee machine. “I’d prefer if you left without causing drama.”

“Layla—”

“I said no.” I meet her gaze. “I’m not perfect, Keira. I’ve made shitty choices. But I’m not going to relive them with you. I plan to make up for what I’ve done and prove my worth, exactly like Cole expects. But I don’t owe you any more than that.”

“That’s not what I want. If we could just—”

“It’s time to get moving.” Decker pushes from the table, the legs of his chair scraping along the tile. “I just got a text that the jet is prepped and waiting.”

“I can’t.” I lower my tone, hiding my words from the rest of the room beneath the gurgle of the coffee machine. “Stella will get curious, and that girl already knows too much. Just let me get on with the ramifications without drawing more attention to how I got here. That’s all I ask of you.”

Her face falls, her eyes pleading with mine. “I have to speak to you. If not now, then soon.”

“Soon. Later. Just not now.” I grab my filled mug and turn toward the island counter as Matthew strolls into the room.

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