Page 98 of Wretched Soul
My eyes dart around the room for signs of my discarded clothes, but the apartment is uncluttered and orderly. Except for the huge family gathered around the kitchen island. The chatter stops abruptly, and four pairs of eyes snap towards me.
The silence is broken only by the thumping of my heart, until Ash breaks the spell.
“Christ, can we all act like we’re a normal fucking family.” He gets up from his stool and strides towards me. His hands rest on my shoulders as he kisses my cheek. “Welcome to the family, Lily. I’m Ash. Then there’s Hunter, Reid and Maddie,” he says, pointing to each in turn.
More stool legs scrape against tiles and everyone stands.
“I don’t remember you being that welcoming when you met Maddie for the first time,” Hunter says, shooting Ash a look as they pass.
“And I don’t remember Mace running off and getting married without telling me,” Ash hits back. He looks across to Mace. “You haven’t married her yet, have you?”
“Not yet,” Mace answers.
“There you go,” Ash says to Hunter by way of an explanation.
Hunter turns his attention back to me. He has green eyes like Mace, but his bulky frame is more like Ash, and just as intimidating. I blink like an idiot while Mace keeps hold of my hand, his thumb stroking my wrist in an effort to slow my pulse.
“Lovely to meet you,” he says. “I’d say we’ve heard all about you, but well… I’m guessing you know what you’re letting yourself in for with Mace.”
“Thanks for the character reference, Hunter,” Mace says.
Reid elbows Hunter out of the way. He’s the tallest and leanest of the bunch, and the familial resemblance isn’t as strong, but as he wraps his arms around me, I feel the same toned muscles that must surely be genetic. All four brothers are drop-dead gorgeous in their own individual way.
“Hello, roomie,” he says. “I hope now you’re here, Mace will stop being such a moody bastard.”
“Doubt it,” Hunter calls out.
“Oh, and if you’re wondering where all your clothes are, I put them away in the hall closet.”
“Thanks,” I squeak, my cheeks turning scarlet.
“Don’t embarrass the girl!” Maddie scolds.
Hunter’s wife is in jeans and a sweater, her casual look matching my own, and immediately putting me at ease. She’s taller than me, but even she’s dwarfed by the Griffin brothers.Not that she seems fazed by any of them as she thumps Reid’s arm to get him to move.
“I’m so happy to meet you at last,” she says. “Come and sit down. Are you hungry? We’ve brought food.” As she goes to take my arm, Mace simply tightens his grip on me. She slaps his hand. “For goodness sake, let her go, Mace. I’m not going to steal her. Much.”
Reluctantly, Mace lets go of my hand, but before Maddie can pull me away, he kisses my temple. “I should have warned you about my sister-in-law. She’s crazy as fuck.”
Maddie opens her mouth to respond, but Mace stuns her into silence by kissing her cheek.
“But I love her,” he says with a resigned sigh before hastening away to the kitchen area.
Maddie’s mouth moves, but she can’t find the words. Tears film her eyes as she stares at me. “I don’t know what you did to him, but thank you,” she chokes.
She leads me to the kitchen island and seats me between her and Reid. I’m aware that I’ve managed only one word so far, and I’m already missing Mace. He’s pouring coffee, but he keeps his body sideways to the counter so I’m never out of his sight.
“Right, I need to know everything,” Maddie says, clasping her hands.
“Oh. Right.” My mind goes blank, but I want to get this right. I’m not a teenager meeting a boy’s parents for the first time. “I moved to Chicago two years ago. I’m a qualified accountant, and I work for Royston Associates. It’s quite a small firm.”
“And one she’s outgrown,” Mace says, rounding the island to set two coffee cups in front of me. “She’s already handed in her notice.”
My jaw drops as I turn to look up at him. “You didn’t?” I ask. It’s not a whisper. I don’t hold back my admonishment. “Mace, you can’t keep doing things like that.”
“It’s already done,” he says, and he doesn’t break my gaze as he grabs Reid’s seat by the legs and drags it and his brother further along the island. He picks up a spare barstool and fits it into the space he’s made next to me.
I know all eyes and ears are on us, but if this is my family now, then I have to be me. I cock my head, giving him my best withering look. “Partnership, remember?”
