Page 49 of Shadow

Sisters fighting.

Knowing if I didn’t put an end to this fast, Hope and Charity could be at it all damn day. I was fucking tired. I just wanted to sleep for a bit before I sat down and talked with Joan about her father.

Pulling Hope in for a hug, I kissed the top of her head. “I love your cooking, sis. The best there is. Don’t let Charity get under your skin.”

My sister looked up at me as if I hung the moon. “You mean that? Really?”

Nodding, I kissed her cheek. “Absolutely.”

Hope smiled brilliantly, giving me a quick squeeze before she turned on her pink bunny slippers and marched back into the kitchen.

Leaning against the door, I hung my head and sighed.

Crisis number one of the day…averted.

Yay me.

“You shouldn’t lie to her,” Joan said, hiding her smile as she walked over to me. God damn, she even looked better first thing in the morning. How was that possible?

I grinned. “That obvious?”

“No. You’re a pretty good liar. But I tried her food. It’s atrocious.”

“What did she make this time?”

“It looked like pancakes, but none that I’ve ever tasted.”

I shivered.

“Did you even sleep at all last night?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“Why don’t you go rest for a while? I can handle them. I’m good with sibling rivalry.”

“You don’t know my sisters.”

“No different from mine. The difference is I am the oldest.”

“Faith might give you a run for your money.”

“She’s a middle child,” Joan stated correctly. Technically, Faith was a middle child. “Go to bed, Shadow. I’ll wake you in a few hours.”

Knowing when I was beaten, I nodded and headed to my bedroom.

The second I landed on my bed, I was asleep.

Chapter Eleven

Joan

After sending Shadow to bed, I headed back into the kitchen to find Charity and Hope still squabbling. I wasn’t lying when I said his sisters were nothing for me to handle. In fact, they were a lot like my siblings. All opinionated and determined they were right. And as long as they got their way and had things they wanted, they were happy. Shadow’s sisters were no different.

“Charity, apologize to your sister,” I said, walking over to the coffeepot and grimaced when I saw green coffee.

Okay. This wasn’t going to work.

Dumping the green brew, I emptied the filter contents into the trash can. Faith, who was standing by the back door, smiled at me before she walked over to the pantry and grabbed a new filter and a coffee can.

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