Page 106 of Covenant

No.

Not home.

And there is nous.

I have to remember that.

* * *

“Are you sure you want me to go with you?” I ask Matt.

He’s standing behind me while I check my reflection in the mirror. My jeans and dark gray Henley look good on me. My body, over the past few weeks, has filled out and with the help of plenty of time during the day, healthy food, and an in-home gym, I’m back to my usual self. My muscles have become more toned and I look more in shape.

My hands move up to my hair and I brush away a loose strand. I don’t give a shit about looking good for the other Buckinghams. I just care about what Matthias thinks. I never want him to be embarrassed of me. “I don’t mind staying here while you hang out with them.”

The game night at the Buckingham Manor is finally dragging us out of our little bubble, and I’m feeling resentful and a little nervous. I just want to spend my night with Matthias. Alone.

Plus, “game night” and “manor house” don’t really go together in my head, but apparently it’s something Matt’s siblings do every month. He skipped out on the last one because we were on our honeymoon. But now he tells me he can’t miss it.

I don’t believe it. But I say nothing, not wanting to rock the delicate balance we have between us.

“If I have to suffer through Monopoly with Samson, then so do you,” Matt says, coming up behind me and pressing a kiss to my neck. “Just watch your money carefully. Dalton cheats.”

“Just Dalton?”

Matthias smirks at me in the mirror. “Oh no. Several of them do, but he’s the only one you haven’t got a chance of catching red-handed.”

I twist in his arms to press a kiss to his mouth, my fingers curling into his nicely pressed shirt. I know it’s going to be wrinkled from this, but still, I linger for a second. My tongue toys with his and I feel his cock perk up between his legs before I reluctantly pull away. “What about you? Do you cheat?”

“Me?” Matt huffs in mock annoyance. “Never. I’m a man of honor.”

I chuckle, but the sound fades away as the reminder of our past slinks into the room. I’ve gotten good at shoving it through doorways, closing the curtains, and turning out the lights, but occasionally it creeps back in when I’m not paying attention. A cunning shadow silently haunting us.

“What’s wrong?” Matthias’s brows dip, concern lighting up those dark eyes. “Wy? Tell me.”

I paste on a smile. “Nothing. I’m just worried that you may break your code of honor tonight because I have a feeling you’ll cheat to one-up your brothers.”

“I may know all their tells.”

“I can’t wait to see it.”

“Really?” he asks, looking slightly worried. “You sure?”

I twine my fingers with his. “Yeah. I am. Come on, let’s go see how wild game night at the Buckinghams’ can be.”

* * *

Matt gets quieter and quieter on the drive to Wylder’s. As the eldest brother, he’s the one who inherited the home they all grew up in. I wonder what it looks like. I’m curious to finally see the house where Matthias lived as a child. Not once did he ever invite me there. At the time, I’d thought maybe he was ashamed of me.

Knowing the little I know now about his dad…I don’t think it was me he was embarrassed about.

We pass by the woods where we spent our summers. I don’t look out the window. I’m too afraid of what I’ll see. The ghosts of our past that might be running through the trees—full of hope.

With no idea of the pain that would follow.

Instead, I focus on Matt. His fingers are gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles whiten.

“Hey, are you nervous? I’ve met your family, remember? I think it will be fine.”

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