Page 33 of Hold You Close
“I appreciate that, but next time listen.” I wipe the tear with my thumb. “What were you doing down here so early anyway?”
“We were hungry. We have to eat.”
“Before the sun is up?”
London huffs. “I know you’re part vampire, but you have kids now, and they eat breakfast by seven. Maybe I should’ve brought the schedule over last night.”
I put the bandage on Morgan’s foot and help her down. “I would say so since we’ve had a fucking shitshow of a morning.”
“Ian,” she scolds as she lifts Ruby in her arms. “You’re going to have to watch your mouth around them.”
Yeah, that’s going to be an issue.
I own a fucking nightclub. It’s sex, drinking, and cursing.
“Or they need to learn not to repeat me.”
She gives me a pointed stare. “Or you can be the adult here and act like the shining example Sabrina and David thought you would be to their three precious children.”
Morgan clears her throat. “I’ll take Ruby upstairs and get dressed. Sorry we broke the glass, Uncle Ian.”
“Accidents happen,” London answers.
I turn and glare at her. “Thanks,Uncle Ian.” My sarcasm is clear. I turn back to Morgan and smile. “It’s fine. I was more worried about you and Ruby. Go get your sister ready and wake your brother up in the most annoying way you can find.”
Her grin grows and she takes her sister upstairs.
“Do you really think that was a good idea?” London asks when they’re out of earshot.
“What?”
“Encouraging her to wake him up in some rude way.”
“Do you remember the fucking crazy shit you and Sabrina would do to me on the weekends?”
My parents had this ridiculous rule that we eat breakfast together on the weekends. No one could touch a piece of food until the entire house was awake. Sabrina and I took joy in waking up at six in the morning just to find the most horrendous way to get the other person up. She was a master with shaving cream and I always ended up getting it in the face. It turned into all-out wars in our house. I feel it’s only right that we pass on the tradition no matter what day of the week it is. That was part of parenting, right? Passing on traditions?
“Yes, I remember, but that doesn’t mean you should encourage them to do the same,” she scolds me.
London just loves a chance to prove she’s right. I can’t help but find ways to piss her off by using anything at my disposal to do the opposite.
“But where would the fun in that be?”
“You’re such a child,” London huffs. “I brought these over for the kids. I figured you didn’t have a chance to go to the store last night.” She reaches into her bag and takes out a box of breakfast bars.
“The food will be delivered at eleven, you know, when vampires tend to wake up,” I joke and nudge her.
“Can you please get dressed?”
I look down at my chest and grin. “Am I making you uncomfortable?”
“No.”
“Really?” I taunt.
I see her pupils dilate with lust, but she tries to hide it. “You know what, why don’t you take your pants off, too? I mean, what almost-teenager doesn’t want to see their uncle half naked?”
London is like a jack-in-the-box, you wind her up and then wait for her top to blow. It’s fun and a little too easy. I know my bare chest is making her nervous by the way she keeps shifting her long legs and gripping her neck.
