Page 47 of Mated To The King's Gamma
“Since when?” Abbie demands.
“Since you did a jailbreak on my best friend in your rainbow pajamas and bunny slippers. You look like you’re up to mischief,” Liam tells her, sending her a wink. Tandi sighs loudly.
“So much for keeping this a small gathering,” Tandi says, stomping off toward the kitchen. We flick the light on to find no one down here, and I can’t help but laugh as Liam makes himself at home, raiding the pantry and coming out with a huge armful of sweets and chips that he dumps into Trey’s arms. Trey shakes his head but says nothing, accepting his role in our escape, which I’m sure will get me in trouble later with Kyson.
Tandi follows Liam to the cellar, returning with liquor and wine bottles. “Do you girls drink?” she asks, and Abbie and I shake our heads.
“Oh, Clarice made Mud Cake!” Liam states, spotting it on the top level of the fridge.
“Dustin, grab some glasses while I steal this,” he says.
“Clarice will murder you,” Trey tells him while Liam kidnaps the cake.
“Shush you! You saw nothing, and don’t you snitch,” he tells Trey.
“So why are we doing this again?” I ask, and everyone stops to stare at Tandi.
“Ah, because we can! You’re the queen. You can do what you want!” she shrugs, and I giggle. She has a point, kinda. I doubt any of the guards will step in unless I am putting myself in danger.
We sneak down to the ballroom where the orphanage was initially set up, but it is now clear since only a handful of children remain. Those who are still here are on the servants’ floor with Clarice and the other servants, so they could be watched over.
Yet a few bunk beds and toys remain. After ripping the sheets off, we set up our picnic. Trey started a fire in the enormous fireplaces, and we flicked the lights off since turning them on lit the place like a Christmas tree.
“So what did Damian do that made you ditch him?’ Abbie asks, accepting a glass of wine from her. Liam sips his bottle of whiskey, not bothering with a glass.
“Nothing really, it just irritated me,” Tandi says.
“Fascinating. Tell me more about your domestic squabbles,” Liam says, and she rolls her eyes at him.
“I wanted to go to the archives and find my daughter. He wants me to wait.”
“Why?” I ask, thinking it’s a little odd of him. He knows Tandi wants her daughter back, as any mother would after learning they are alive all this time.
“He wants to be sure. He said he is worried Larkin is lying, and she is dead. He wants to check it out himself first,” she sighs.
“Yeah, I would say he is just looking out for you,” Trey tells her, coming over with a blanket. He drapes it over my shoulder, eyeing the wine glass in my hand that Tandi gave me. I sip it, finding the taste somewhat bitter.
“What about you and Gannon after last night?” Tandi asks Abbie.
The room falls quiet at her question, and I definitely didn’t want to think of the state we found her in. Abbie leans into me, resting her head on my shoulder.
“I’ll be fine. Though I learned a lot about Sia, who was Gannon’s real mate,” Abbie tells us. I have my own questions about this woman. As I’m about to ask them, Liam clears his throat awkwardly.
“Liam was with Sia when Gannon was,” Abbie says.
“Damn! And you think I am trouble? First, the Gamma’s mate and then the Beta’s mate. I’m starting to see a pattern with you,” Tandi laughs.
“So what about Sia?” I ask Abbie.
“She was my aunty,” she tells us. Tandi stares at her, wide eyed, before downing her glass.
“I’ll get more wine then, shall I,” she says, about to get up and retrieve the bottle off the small Lego table leaning against the wall.
“I’ll do it,” Liam says, plucking the glass from her fingers and wandering off. Abbie sighs.
“So your aunty, then?” Tandi asks.
“Dead. Gannon and Liam killed her,” Abbie answers.
