Page 8 of Bleeding Hearts

“Who’s that?” Lo asks as I walk up next to her. Her eyes fill with apprehension as she stares at Kaden.

“Kaden’s ex, Kayla,” I say. “A real fucking sweetheart she is,” I add, my voice full of sarcasm.

“Hey,” Willow yells from where I forgot she was standing in front of us. “You said a curse word.”

“Shit, I mean shoot,” I quickly correct myself. “Sorry. Don’t listen to me, don’t say bad words.”

Willow laughs at me before running away to the other group of young girls in the corner of the yard while the girl next to her, who I’m still assuming is her sister, rolls her eyes.

“She’s screwing with you,” the sister says. “Fuck is part of our dad’s daily vocabulary. We’re used to it.”

“Even so, why do I have a feeling he probably wouldn’t be thrilled with you saying it?” I quirk my brow at her, a smile already forming on my face.

“You’d probably be right. I won’t tell if you don’t.” She smirks back at me, and I officially decide this King guy has some cool-as-shit kids.

“I’ll be back. I’m going to go use the bathroom,” Lo says, oblivious to our conversation.

Her eyes stay firmly on Kaden as he walks across the yard and into the house, Kayla following close behind him. She’s already walking toward the house before I have a chance to respond. It looks like Asher’s matchmaking skills may not be as awful as I thought.

“I’m Ellie, Willow’s sister,” the young girl says, drawing my attention back to her.

She’s definitely the older of the two and looks a lot more like King than Willow does. She has long, brown hair that is so dark it almost looks black, much like her dad’s and dark-brown eyes, the same as his. She’s taller and more mature than Willow and if I had to take a guess, I’d assume she’s probably a teenager or at least a preteen.

“I’m Demi, Kaden’s sister.” I reach my hand out to her and she gently clasps it, shaking it.

“Nice to meet you, Demi,” she says. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m about done socializing, so I’m gonna go hide in my room before Willow or my dad notice.”

“Your secret’s safe with me.” I smile at her as she walks across the yard and sneaks into the house.

I chug the rest of my drink and head over to the table to refill it, skipping the cranberry juice altogether this time and pouring myself a shot of vodka. I throw it back before pouring myself a second.

Logically, I know this is definitely not the best place to be drinking this much, but my earlier interaction with my mother opened up an old wound I thought I’d forced shut and I can’t help the burn still emanating from it.

It’s not like I’m looking to get drunk or anything, just buzzed enough to lessen the hold my mother still has over my emotions.

I throw back the second shot and pour myself a third, watching the clear liquid filling the cup as I do. I know I should stop while I’m ahead, but I’ve never been good at listening to my brain in times like these.

You know, in movies or TV shows, when a character is facing a moral dilemma and they’ll show an angel talking to them on one shoulder and a devil on the other?

The angel is always encouraging them to make the smart decision that’s best for their overall well-being, while the devil is basically saying fuck it all.

Well, my issue is I’ve always known that the angel was the one that I should follow. That it was the one leading me to make the right choice, there was no doubt about it.

Yet the devil is more enticing, and I’ve always been a fuck-it-all type of girl anyway.

I throw back the third shot.

CHAPTERTHREE

Demi

The world is spinning. Or maybe I am. I’m not quite sure at the moment. I realized right after that third shot that I fucked up.

While normally, I can handle my liquor pretty well, I haven’t eaten much today. Which means I’ve been drinking straight vodka on an empty stomach. Hence, I fucked up.

Ouch. What is that wall doing there?

“Not a wall,” a deep voice says as I feel hands wrap around my arms to steady me. I look up to see Asher’s golden eyes sparkling with amusement as a chuckle rumbles through his chest.

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