Page 283 of The Invite
The latter two take perch on the couch in the adjoining living room while the former leans against the wall with his arms crossed.
“I’m becoming tired of meeting like this,” Capri says coldly.
“Do you never stop complaining?” grunts Maverick around a mouth full of turkey.
Capri’s lips curl in disgust. “Do you ever mind your own business?”
“You’re undermyroof, stabber.” Her cheeks flush. He smirks. “It makes you my business.”
Before she can respond, the sound of the front door opening and closing steals our attention. A fiery Scarlett rounds the corner.
“Still alive, I see?” Kaid says.
“Yep,” taunts Scarlett, brushing past him. “Still here to make your life hell.”
I don’t miss the way his hand twitches as though he’s itching to touch her. “I saved you.”
“No. Nessa saved me.”
“I helped.”
“Bet you’re regretting it now.”
“Very much,” he utters low.
“Is Daisy coming?” Capri asks.
“Yeah,” I answer. “She should be here soon.”
It’s not long before she arrives and it’s good to see she hasn’t lost her energetic spirit. Or her quirkiness, judging by the novel in her hands.
“How many books can a person possibly own?” grumbles Augustus in my ear.
I chuckle.
“Hi,” Daisy waves at everyone and settles between Wolf and Capri on the couch. “You guys are a breath of fresh air. The hospital was one boring vacation. There was no peace and privacy to finish one book. I deducted one star for that.”
“Christ!” Maverick utters under his breath. “So glad I didn’t fuck her.”
“We’re all here,” Kaid cuts in, and straightens from the wall. “Now explain why we let the police find Kenny’s body.”
“Do you want us to get arrested, Grayson?” mocks Wolf.
“Nobody’s going to prison,” Augustus calmly states. “All of you know Nessa and I were attacked at her place.”
“Only you’d catch the attention of one of the country’s most wanted serial killers.” Wolf snorts.
“She was my mother.”
The temperature drops as my confession reverberates around the space. Wolf’s amusement dying.
“Seriously?” asks a slack-jawed Capri. Raising a palm, she gasps. “Wait… you’re Tyra Bloom?”
I tense at the name, which brings nothing but terrible memories I would rather erase from my mind forever.
“No.” Augustus’s arms circle my waist and pull me flush against his chest. His voice is a dark and possessive rumble as he utters, “She’s Nessa. Don’t ever call her the other name.”
Resting my hand over his, I tilt my head and kiss his neck. Staring back at the group, I speak, “I told the detective investigating Amber’s murder that it was my mother who killed not only her, but Kenny too, to terrorize me. They’ll find her DNA on Kenny’s body to tie his death to her. They already suspected she killed Amber.”
