Page 90 of Rise of the King

“Okay,so tell me more about Scarlet. I mean, she can’t really be as bitchy as you make her sound, can she?” Sebastian, Lenny, Jace, and I are gathered around a fireplace in the family room. The fire is burning hot, warming the room and the atmosphere. The awkward start to the visit has faded slowly, leaving curiosity in its place.

“Come on, Amelia. Bitchy knows bitchy. You two should get along just fine.” Sebastian throws a pillow from across the room at me.

“You’re just pissed I shot you down when we first met.” I think back to that night a few years ago when Belle took me to my first Kings game and how nervous I was to meet her friends.

“Shot me down?” he mocks.

“I believe I told you, ‘Nice try, little boy.’”

We all laugh at the grouchy look on Bash’s face.

Lenny screeches, “Oh my God, Sebastian. You hit on my sister,” and all laughing stops.

The three of them turn to look at me, probably to see how I’d take that slip of the tongue, which is not so much a slip as it is the truth. “Well, I guess you could say the Beneventi brothers definitely have a type.”

Lenny seems to like that answer. “So, Amelia. What do you like to do in your free time? I mean, besides bake?”

Bash pulls Lenny closer to him. “She likes to shoot.”

I glare.

“Come on, it’s been two years. It can’t be too soon to go there.” One of Bash’s blue eyes winks at me, and I think I’m gonna kill him.

“Be careful, Bash. You don’t want to piss me off. I’m still a better shot than you.”

Holy shit. I never thought I’d joke about this.

What has happened to me?

A door creaks down the hall, and Bash stands. “I’m just gonna go see who that is.”

“Maybe take Amelia with you, just to be safe, Bashy boy,” Jace tells him.

Bash shoots him a What the fuck? look. “What did you just call me?”

“Kingstons do nicknames, dude. You better get used to it.” Jace shrugs like it’s no big deal. Like he didn’t just call a six-foot-five mountain of a man “Bashy boy.”

“Dude, you’re not even out of high school yet. Seriously, are you even out of diapers? Don’t call me ‘Bashy.’ I’m not scared to throw down with a hockey player.” Sebastian grabs a pillow from the couch and whacks him with it.

“You might want to graduate college before you start picking on a high schooler.” And just like that, I feel like I can truly let go of the breath I’ve been holding since Sam left this morning. He looks the same, but his beautiful blue eyes look weary. I’m not sure if it’s coming home to see Lenny and Jace in his house or if it’s because of whatever he left to deal with this morning.

Sebastian stops beating Jace up with a pillow and turns to his brother. The smile falls from his face. “Hey, man. Everything alright?”

Sam doesn’t take his eyes from mine as he answers Bash. “Yeah. Thanks for coming over to keep Amelia company today.” If I had to guess, I’d say he’s trying to figure out whether we’re talking about the whole long-lost sibling thing. But I’m not sure. He finally tears his eyes away from mine, and there’s a look crossing those crystal blues I’m not so sure about.

Is it sympathy?

Sorrow?

Pain?

“Listen, we need to talk. But not tonight. You gonna be around tomorrow?” Sam’s asking Bash, but it’s Jace who answers him.

“There’s a Kings home game tomorrow at four. Why don’t you guys come?”

Lenny moves to stand next to Bash and turns to me. “You know, that’s not a bad idea, Amelia. A few more Kingstons are guaranteed to be there. But there’ll be other people around as buffers. Plus, we behave better when we’re in public.”

Knowing how Sam and I left things this morning, I give the best answer I can for the moment. “That sounds like it could work. Can I let you know tomorrow though?” Sam’s shoulders are tense. He’s stressed. I can see what he’s not showing, and I need to know what’s going on here before I worry about when I’m going to meet anyone else.

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