Page 97 of Family (Academy of Misfits 3)

Grayson? So that’s my father’s real name.

“And how do you propose to help us? No offense or anything but you’re…” Camden begins but Ma Silva holds her hand up.

“I find the word old offensive. I’m mature,wise, and as the saying goes: there’s life in this old dog yet!”

“That there is,” Malakai confirms, stepping into the kitchen. He still has the same clothing on as earlier, though they appear to be dry now. I’m guessing Connie didn’t allow him entrance to her room. Good for her.

Malakai greets Ma Silva with a kiss and a hug, and she pats his face like he’s her favourite person in the whole world. When he straightens, a look passes between him and Connie. She turns away, gripping the side of the sink as she looks out of the window at the storm raging beyond.

“Connie,” Malakai says.

“Malakai,” she responds tightly.

What the hell happened between the two when we were upstairs? They certainly haven’t been fucking, that’s for sure. Malakai stands next to Connie, an innocuous act in itself, but when he grips the sink, I see his pinkie finger feather over hers. She stiffens as though burned, snatching her hand away. I raise my eyebrows, wondering what the fuck is going on between the two of them. The sexual tension is ridiculous. You’d have to blind, deaf and mute not to notice.

“But howcanyou help us?” Ford asks, straight to the point as usual.

“I’ve overlooked my godson’s misdemeanours for far too long and that ismysin to carry, but I will not allow him to hurt one more person, especially not a child. I promised his mother that I would save him from himself and I’ve not done a very good job at it. That is going to change as of today.”

Ma Silva folds her hands together and tips her head to the side as she looks at me, not bothering to actually answer Ford’s question as she stares intently in my direction.

“Do I have food on my face?” I ask, swiping at my mouth.

“There’s a resemblance…” she responds, narrowing her eyes a little. “But you have far more soul in your eyes than he does. The fact that you’re here to rescue your friend tells me all I need to know about the kind of person you are. Empathy,love, that isn’t usually a Bennett trait. Then again, that might not be entirely true because there are some exceptions. Avery being one of them.”

“Who’s Avery?”

“My best friend and your great-aunt. She lives in Cornwall, working as a housekeeper for a wealthy family that lives there.”

“Was that who Grim went to see? The one who provided the photo of Montgomery Bennett?” I ask.

“The one and only. She cut ties with her family a long, long time ago, choosing to lead a different, simpler life with men that made her happy…”

“Men,not man?” I question.

“Yes, caused quite the stir back then when she was young. Though I see loving more than one man isn’t frowned upon so much these days.” She smiles, looking between us all. My cheeks flush.

Ma Silva is perceptive, which smacks me as interesting given she doesn’t seem aware that her own granddaughter is fucking a man twice her age. Then again, maybe that’s what she wants Connie and Malakai to think. I’m beginning to understand that nothing much gets past this old woman.

“So what’s the plan?” Eastern cuts in, resting his knife and fork on his plate. “I’m guessing you have one.”

“I do, young man. I’m one of theonlypeople the King trusts to enter the Palace. He’s invited Connie and me over for dinner tonight to meet his son, Montgomery, named after his grandfather and Avery’s father.”

“Montgomery?” Camden questions.

“I believe you know him as Monk, am I right?” Ma Silva responds.

“Monk’s real name is Montgomery… fucking figures. A dick name for adickhead,” Eastern snipes. Ma Silva doesn’t correct him.

“We intend on keeping them both occupied whilst you rescue your friend. That is the long and the short of it.”

“I’m sorry, what?! Connie isnotgoing into that place! Over my fucking dead body!” Malakai shouts, making Kate jump with his sudden outburst. Connie stiffens, not daring to look at him. She keeps her back to us all, but I can see how her shoulders lift with tension. Perhaps even anger. But Ma Silva has no problems facing the brute.

“Since when didyouhave any right to say what Connie does or does not do? The last time I checked, she’s her own person and she most certainly does not need a man to make any decisions for her!” Ma Silva snaps.

Interestingly Malakai backs down, but even though he doesn’t argue back, I can tell he is not done discussing this, not by a long shot. Connie turns around to face us all, to face Malakai. She takes a deep breath.

“I’m accompanying Grandma because I refuse to let her do this on her own,” she responds, glaring at Malakai. He glares back and I swear to God, if we weren’t in the room they’d either slap each other or fuck each other right here on the kitchen table.

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