Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 153544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 768(@200wpm)___ 614(@250wpm)___ 512(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 153544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 768(@200wpm)___ 614(@250wpm)___ 512(@300wpm)
“I am.” She smiles a little, some of the tension withering away. “My dad’s name is Levi King.”
“How are you related to Aiden?”
“He’s my uncle. Well, technically, he’s Dad’s cousin, but we’ve always considered him an uncle.”
“I see.” He remains silent for a bit. “You seem like a good person, so I don’t see why you’re with my son. Unless he threatened you?”
“Asher!” Mom’s cheeks redden and any attempts to salvage this fucked-up family gathering fly out the window.
“You know he’s very well capable of that. I will not have an innocent girl from a prestigious family caught in his web and not do something about it.”
Gareth frowns, probably hating that I came with him. It couldn’t be because of what his role model said.
I take a step forward, ready to have the showdown Dad and I should’ve had a long time ago. I don’t even think about how Mom will be devastated. I’ll console her later.
But Glyndon clutches my hand in hers and threads our fingers together. Her voice is clear when she speaks. “He didn’t threaten me. I want to be with him, and I did have a chance to leave him when my brother intervened, but I chose not to.”
My chest tightens and I don’t know what type of feeling this is. All I know is that want to kiss the fuck out of her.
“Are you sure that’s the wisest choice?” Dad continues as if he’s grilling the opposition in court.
“Asher, enough.” Mom uses her stern voice. “It’s such a rare occurrence to have Kill home and we are not going to turn this into an argument.” She beams at Glyndon. “You guys must be tired and hungry. How about you rest while I make lunch?”
“No, please let me help.” Glyndon gives me a reassuring glance, then her fingers release mine and she leaves with Mom.
“We’ll talk later,” Dad tells me under his breath before he and Gareth follow after them.
I predicted this, but now, I’m sure.
I fucking hate home.
32
GLYNDON
To say the atmosphere is intense during lunch and dinner would be an understatement.
I always wondered what type of parents someone like Killian would have. I would’ve thought maybe one of them would be like him, because I read somewhere that psychopathy is genetic and, therefore, can be hereditary.
But I wouldn’t call his parents psychopathic at all. In fact, Reina—that’s what she insisted I call her—has been nothing short of lovely. She reminds me of Aunt Silver—Ava’s mother. She just has elegant extroverted energy and a natural talent for making everyone around her feel at ease.
You can see in her eyes the amount of care and absolute adoration she has for her husband and children.
It’s Mr. Carson who’s a bit reserved, but not in a cold way. I think he’s more like Gareth—there needs to be a lot of interactions before he warms up to you enough to allow you close.
During dinner, Reina asks about school and is impressed when I tell her I study art. Then, she recounts that one time she auctioned one of Mum’s paintings for a charity.
Of course she did.
Killian swiftly intervenes, as if he knows I’m getting uncomfortable, and shows her my Instagram for some of the paintings I’ve posted.
I want to hide beneath the table.
“This is…different.” She traces the rim of her wine glass while going through every post. “In a unique way. You and your mother don’t even have the same style. This is refreshing.”
I swallow a piece of meatball. “Really?”
“Yes, anyone who understands some art can see that. Though, I’m nothing more than an amateur who buys beautiful things.” She laughs.
“No, you’re right.” I release a breath. “Mum said that when I was about nine, but I didn’t listen.”
And I kept holding a secret grudge against her because I thought she didn’t pass me down the right genes.
“You are different from your brothers, Glyn. Bran is day, Lan is night. You’re more special because you’re a mixture of both.”
Those were her words and I stubbornly put them on the backburner.
I need to talk to Mum later. It’s long overdue.
“I’m glad you can finally listen,” she says. “Not like these two. They never listen to me. I should’ve had girls.”
“You’re never going to let us live down the fact that neither of us is a girl, are you?” Gareth asks.
“Well, no. Rai has the most perfect twin girls and I don’t.”
“You’re right, Mom. Kill should’ve been a girl.”
“Why not you, big bro?”
“Because you looked cute as shit in that tiny dress as a baby.”
“Mom!” Killian slams his utensils on the table. “We said we were never talking about this.”
“Talking about what?” I ask, curious as hell.
“Well, see…” Gareth starts.
“Don’t you dare,” Killian warns.
“Leave it be, Gaz.” Mr. Carson says.
“Oh, she can find out. After all, she’s the only one Kill has brought home. So, Glyn, it’s not a secret that I wanted a girl with everything in me, so when I found out I was pregnant, I bought all sorts of tiny girl clothes and cute dresses for a newborn. I didn’t go to find out the gender, because I was so sure it would be a girl this time. Needless to say, Killian was born. I only had girl clothes for my trip to the clinic, so I had to dress him in one. I swear it was only that once, and I had to commemorate the moment and bury my ‘mother of girls’ dream with it. But Gareth found the picture later on and just wouldn’t shut up about it. Seriously, leave your baby brother alone.”