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“Everyone in that dining room, I trust. I would never take you somewhere I thought you would be in danger. Maeme trusts them. You’re safe, Rumor.”
She took a deep breath and moved back away from me just enough so that we were no longer touching. I missed the way she felt against me, and I had to fucking get that shit out of my head. Wasn’t happening.
“Okay,” she replied, then lifted her eyes to meet mine.
The trust shining in them tightened my chest uncomfortably. Jesus Christ. This shit had gotten tricky real fucking fast.
Pressing my hand on her back, I nodded my head toward the dining room. “Let’s go get some of those waffles I told you about.”
She smiled then, and it took every ounce of my self-control to tear my gaze off her and start walking. Leading her to a room full of people. I was going to hand her off to Maeme, then get some space. Far enough away that I didn’t smell her sweet scent that reminded me of vanilla.
• thirteen •
“That library needs to be put to use.”
Rumor
The long dining room table was full, and it sounded as if there were also people in the kitchen. King had placed me beside Maeme and a lady who introduced herself as Annette Kingston. She was married to Barrett, and they were Storm’s parents. That much I could remember. The others, however, started to get confusing. Except for Ronan Salazar. King’s father. He was nothing like his son. In fact, he was intimidating and unfriendly-looking.
Maeme spoke to him as if he were one of the younger men she called the boys. He was her son after all, but it still surprised me. His icy gaze made me even more nervous than I already had been. I tried my best not to look in his direction, but it was hard because King was two seats over from him, and I found myself wanting to look at King. Even though he had dropped me off with Maeme and basically gone to the farthest end of the table away from me, not giving me a backward glance.
I tried not to think about it too much. Facing a crowd was something I had never been good with, even before Hill. But life with Hill had made it almost unbearable. I hated that about myself. I wanted to be normal. If only I could smile, have confidence, enjoy life instead of wanting to hide in the shadows and go unnoticed.
“Sorry I’m late! Traffic from Atlanta was a bitch,” a female said, and I turned my attention to the blonde walking into the room. She was stunning. As in thick, long platinum hair, big blue eyes, full, pouty pink lips.
“Language, Lela!” Maeme scolded.
The blonde swung her gaze to Maeme, and she smiled brightly. “Yes, ma’am,” she replied, and even her voice had a sexy timbre to it.
“I didn’t know you were coming, darling,” Annette Kingston said beside me. The pleased tone in her voice was clearly affection.
“I wanted to surprise you,” Lela replied, then walked over and bent down to kiss Annette on the cheek. “Surprise, Momma.”
Momma. Lela was Storm’s sister. Much younger sister, I guessed. She still had the youthful glow to her. Life hadn’t handed her any struggles yet. But then seeing as she belonged to this family, I wasn’t sure it ever would.
Lela then stepped over and wrapped her arms around Barrett Kingston’s neck and pressed a kiss to his head. “Hey, Daddy,” she said as he reached up and patted her arm.
She turned then, and her eyes locked on me. I saw the curiosity as she stood back up.
“A new face that I don’t know,” she said.
“This is Rumor,” her mother informed her. “She’s a guest of Maeme’s, staying out at the shotgun house for a while.” Then, Annette turned to me. “Rumor, this is my oldest daughter, Lela.”
Lela’s lips curled up on each side. “I wish I didn’t have to go back to Atlanta so soon.” She glanced over the table, then back to me. “Things should get interesting around here.”
“Go on and get you a plate. Nailyah and Teller are in the kitchen, eating with Birdie. There’s a stool left for you,” Maeme told Lela.
Lela beamed. “Birdie is here!”
“The brat hasn’t even come in here to see me yet. I didn’t know she was here,” King said, pushing back his chair and standing up.
Lela tilted her head and gave King a smile that made my stomach knot up. “Before she gets all your attention, I’d better get some.”
King walked over to Lela and wrapped an arm around her neck, then pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Come on, gorgeous. Tell me about college life,” he told her. “I want to hear all the good shit too.”
They left the room, and Annette sighed contentedly beside me. “I have all my kids home today.”
“Ah, Mom. I didn’t know you were expecting me to come visit,” Storm drawled. “I feel so wanted.”
