Page 12 of Never Die for a Sinner
“Therapy’s for bitches.”
Finally, he folds the paper down and sits on the desk in front of him, chuckling under his breath.
“Must be getting old,” I remark, nodding to the paper. “You’re really stepping into this whole dad role, aren’t you?”
“I’m not a dad,” he grunts, grabbing a cigarette from his desk. The moment he pops it between his teeth and reaches for the lighter, the doorknob behind me turns, and he spits it out like a dog caught with something it shouldn’t have.
I chuckle because Mila steps in, completely oblivious, while Christian shoots me a death glare, warning me not to tell her.
Fucking whipped.
“Oh, there you are,” Mila sighs. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“Me?”
My brother’s wife has really ingrained herself in the lodge by now. She’s been here a few months, and it’s like she grew up here her whole life. Bella and Paulina love her. The staff love her. I’ve even grown a soft spot for her after everything that happened because I know, as much as I don’t want to believe in it, she loves my brother with everything she’s got.
“Yes, you. I need to know if you’re bringing a date to the Christmas party.”
The Oak Ridge Lodge is renowned for hosting the most extravagant Christmas parties for its affluent guests. There’s live music, the finest foods, and enough eggnog to supply an army.
I fucking hate it.
“I’m not going.”
“But you have to go. You’re a Cross.”
“So are you,” I shoot back.
Mila smiles sweetly, though I can see the vinegar hiding beneath the surface. That smile says it all.Come or else.
“And I’m going.” She nods to Christian, who’s discreetly trying to recover his cigarette from the carpet below, before Mila sees it. He’s been promising to quit for ages. I just think he says that so she’ll still fuck him. He pauses, looking between us, clearly oblivious. “Christian’s going.”
“What’s going on?”
“Yourbrotheris trying to skip the Christmas party this year.”
I don’t know what she means by this year. I skip it every year. It’s a tradition.
“Oh, how could you?” Christian smirks my way, and Mila glares at him.
“Christian . . . I worked hard on this.”
He lets out a sigh and concedes. “She’s right. You should come.”
Whipped.
“Call me crazy, but I don’t feel the Christmas cheer in the air.”
“Oh, come on,” Mila grits. “It’s my first year helping, and I worked really hard. Bella worked hard, too. The least you could do is be supportive.”
“I am,” I nod. “From afar.”
“You can bring a date,” Mila wags her brows, grinning like that’s supposed to make a difference.
“I’ll pass.”
“You can bring Ava.”
