Page 55 of Release Me
Scarlett flinches. Ivy told me Scarlett’s mother burned to death when she was a teenager. Apparently, James paid a serious amount for a counsellor to help her even sit in the same room with an open fire. We all have our issues.
‘It’ll be fun.’ Scarlett recovers quickly. I guess the counselling helped. Maybe I should get some myself.
‘Fun?’ Ivy mimics. ‘It’ll be a fucking blast. Trust me.’
They dissolve into girlish laughter. Their energy fills everyinch of the penthouse, scattering the morning’s heaviness. For the first time all morning, I can breathe properly.
‘Besides, we need all the details of how you and Baby Beckett spent Christmas Day…’ Scarlett’s silver eyes gleam.
‘He told you about that?’ My palm flies to my mouth.
‘Not exactly,’ Avery grins, ‘but you just told us that there’s something to tell!’
I groan, squeezing my eyes shut tightly. Ivy glances at the camera in the corner of the room. ‘Wait! Is that thing off?’
‘Yes.’ I switched it off the second my darling husband left the building.
‘Right, pop that bottle,’ Ivy demands, pointing at the champagne, ‘Tell us everything, then go pack a bag. Thomson is waiting in the car downstairs for us. I told him we’d only be ten minutes, so make it fast!’
How can I admit I’m obsessed with their brother-in-law?
I can’t.
‘There’s not much to tell.’ I shift from one foot to the other. I’m not convincing any of us. Three sets of eyes stare back at me. I head for the cupboard to fetch champagne flutes, feeling the weight of their gaze on my back.
‘Okay, we’ll continue this conversation after alcohol,’ Avery decides. ‘But I need to know if baby Beckett’s dick is as big as he claims it is.’
Unfortunately, so do I.
Chapter Twenty-Three
RIAN
‘Why did the women travel separately?’ I ask Caelon, as we sit on the dark leather couch in front of the roaring fire built into the exposed brick wall. The scent of burning wood floats through the air. Huge white snow clouds slowly drift past the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the white tipped mountains. I forgot how peaceful this place is.
Killian, James, Caelon and I made a beeline for the drinks cabinet before settling ourselves in front of the fire. Snow is forecast for the next two days, so we’re more than likely going to be stuck here, but right now, that seems like a gift rather than a problem. My brothers are my safe place, whether I like to admit it or not. And I’m not safe being alone right now because the urge to do something stupid, like steal Rebekka from her penthouse, is getting stronger by the day.
‘They said something about picking something up on the way.’ James shrugs. ‘Could be anything, but knowing my wife, it’s expensive,’ he laughs, shaking his head. ‘The kids are travelling with nanny and grandad. That’s the stuff for them; they were asking for grandkids for long enough.’
‘When are Sean and Layla getting here?’ I cross my ankle over my knee and relax back against the leather. They always travel separately. Due to Layla’s high profile, she has extra security at all times.
‘Who knows, but Zara is travelling with them.’ Caelon kicks his feet up onto the huge mahogany coffee table in front of us.
‘No surprises there,’ Killian mutters dryly. ‘I thought my woman was obsessed with the Royals, but Avery has nothing on Zara.’
‘Wait until Zara finds herself a fella.’ I wink, unable to stop myself from stirring the shit. ‘That’ll put paid to that.’
‘Don’t even joke about that,’ Killian growls and I snigger.
‘She’s a woman now; it’s only a matter of time.’ I poke the angry bears. All three of my brothers are scowling.
‘Can we talk about something else?’ James spits.
‘Yeah, let’s talk about you spending Christmas Day evening with your best friend’s wife,’ Caelon suggests, wiggling eyebrows.
Fuck.
I crick my neck, feeling the heat creeping into my cheeks again. This blushing thing is becoming a pain in my fucking ass. ‘I had a present for her, that was all. Given her husband left her all alone, and she’s thousands of miles away from her own family, I thought she might like a friend.’
