AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I laugh along with her since we both know that’s not the case at all. I’ve always put Austen first—she knows that—and making the decision not to go see her wasn’t an easy one to make. “Totally. I’m a bitch for it.”
She snorts at that. “I do miss you.”
“I miss you,” I say while printing out all the preorder slips for the shifter romance that is keeping me from seeing my sister. “If this book weren’t coming out, I would be there.”
“I know. I already preordered it. It’ll be on my e-reader Tuesday.”
“You and that e-reader. I can’t. I love the way books feel in my hands.”
“Same. But this way, no one knows when I’m reading something super raunchy.” She lets out a soft laugh. “Though, Dimitri knows right away.”
I grin. “I bet he does, lucky duck.”
“He is incredible,” she says with a breathy sigh. I hate how jealous I am of her relationship with Dimitri. They are totally in love, and I yearn to feel that with someone. To be adored the way Dimitri adores Austen.
Sometimes I feel like I’m not worthy of that kind of adoration, but I try to fight that feeling with everything inside me. I am worthy. I’ve been to hell and back, and happiness is in my future, I just know it.
I have to hold on to that belief, after my “marriage”—or rather, claiming—to a man who beat the ever-living snot out of me because I’d rather care for my sisters than him. He was a demon, and getting away from him was the best thing I’ve ever done. I survived, I won, and I will be happy. I have to trust that. If I don’t, he’ll win.
And I refuse to let him ever have power over me again.
“Have you two picked a date yet?”
Austen sighs happily, but I know she gets asked that daily. Especially by Dimitri’s mom, who really wants to plan a wedding. “Not yet. We’re just enjoying being engaged. There’s no rush, ya know?”
I don’t, but I couldn’t be happier. “Absolutely. I can’t wait for the day, though.”
“Me either,” she says, and I don’t have to see her to know she is grinning from ear to ear. Dimitri has that effect on her. “We are looking at houses, though, and I think we might get a dog.”
“Aw! How exciting!”
“Yeah, I’m pretty stoked. Things are going great, and I love working for the Assassins.”
“I’m so happy for you.” And I am, even if I’m green with envy. She’s living the life all of us want. “The shop is going great, though Eliza is driving me crazy with this coffee bar idea.”
Austen laughs. “Just let her do it. If it doesn’t work out, what does it hurt?”
She’s not wrong. “I hate the thought of her not succeeding.”
“Lou, you can’t protect her from failing. You have to let her live. You let me be, and look how great I’m doing.”
“I know,” I agree, exhaling. It’s hard to remember that my sisters don’t need my protection anymore. Once the printer is done, I line up the stack of papers and put them in a folder. “You know how I am.”
“Yes, a true mama bear.”
I grin at that.
“And we all love you for it.”
“I love you too.”
Just then, the bell rings, alerting me to the front door. I look up as a group of women enter. “Welcome!” I gush with a wave, and they smile happily as they wave back, all greeting me the same. “Hey, let me let you go. Customers just came in.”
“For sure. I’ll miss you this weekend. Don’t work yourself too hard.”
“I’ll try. Love you.”
“Love you.”
