Page 23 of Risk

Of course I was expecting to see him, but I’m surprised at the emotions I feel: anger, annoyance, frustration, and—worst of all—want. My traitorous heart and body still want the bastard.

He looks so damn handsome. I hate that. He’s wearing a black V-neck sweater and blue jeans. His hair is tousled, like someone just ran their fingers through it.

Like I did that night.

Stop it. Don’t think about that night.

Just as I think those words, his eyes shoot up, almost like he heard my thoughts. I falter in my step, and Aaron takes hold of my arm, threading it through his.

“You really should have worn better shoes,” he jokes, thinking my falter was because of my heels again.

“Yeah,” I say, giving him a smile as I pull my eyes away from Kaden.

I can feel Kaden’s stare on me as we walk over, but I don’t look at him. I don’t know why the hell he’s staring at me. It’s not like he didn’t know I was coming. It’s my big brother’s birthday, for God’s sake.

“Happy birthday!” I sing when I reach Zeus, slinging my arms around him, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“Thanks, sis.”

“How does it feel to officially be old?” I tease, releasing from the hug.

“Fuck off. I’m not old,” he bites.

I know for a fact that Ares and Lo gave him shit before I got here.

“Hey,” I say to Ares and Lo, hugging and kissing them both on their cheeks.

Then, mustering up all my energy to act normal, I turn to Kaden. “Hey,” I say to him, praying to God that my voice sounds normal.

“Hi,” he responds, his voice sounding gruff. Just like it did that night—

Nope. Not going there.

“Guys, this is Aaron.” I turn to him. “Aaron, this is my big brother and the birthday boy, Zeus.”

“Good to meet you, man.” Zeus sounds friendly and even shakes Aaron’s hand, but I know there’s big-brotherly curiosity to his tone, just as there is when I introduce him to Ares and Lo and they all shake hands.

“And this is Kaden, a family friend,” I tell Aaron.

Family friend. Who I let fuck me five ways from Sunday.

“Nice to meet you,” Aaron says to Kaden and holds his hand out to shake it.

Kaden stares down at his hand for a beat, and then he shakes it.

“Oh, I left your present with Cam,” I tell Zeus.

“I told you that you didn’t have to get me anything,” he tells me, giving me theI know you’re a student, and you don’t have any moneylook.

“Like I wouldn’t get you anything for your birthday,” I tell him with a roll of my eyes.

“Hey!” A slender arm goes around my waist, and I know immediately that it’s Ari.

Smiling wide, I turn to her, bending to hug her. I haven’t seen her in a few weeks. I had dinner with her and Ares when they got back from their honeymoon in Jamaica. I’m totally jealous. I would love to go there, among other places. But we’ve both been busy the last few weeks. Me with school and working at the diner and Ari with a gallery show coming up. My sister-in-law is a really talented artist. She’s been painting nonstop in preparation.

I can’t wait to see what she’s created.

“And who is this?” Ari says with clear inquisitiveness, staring up at Aaron.

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