“You like to read?” Charlotte’s voice was small and hopeful. I was sure it disappointed her that no one else in her immediate family (or the kids at school, it seemed) liked reading.
“I’m in a book club with the Lombardi Family women.”
“You’re what now?” Brio asked.
“Yeah, they’re who got me into reading. Lore, Cinna, Elian’s wife, and his sister. Though, those aren’t books you can read. Yet.”
“Or maybe ever,” Ezmeray said.
I had a feeling the books were of the smutty kind, judging by Ezmeray’s mom voice.
“How long have you been sneaking off to Brooklyn for book club?” Brio asked.
“I don’t know. Since the third one, I guess. Maybe the second. I dunno. Lore was still roughed up from that whole kidnapping thing.”
“How am I just hearing about this now?”
Ezmeray sighed. “I have a feeling there are a lot of things she’s keeping from us.”
“Keeping from you,” Alara said with an eye roll that rivaled Liam’s. “Like I’m a kid. I own a whole business. Pay taxes.Make questionable life choices. Besides, the Lombardis are allies now.”
“What you gonna say next, you go to The Bronx to get steaks from Primo Esposito?” Brio asked.
“No. Oh, but I did go to a rage room with Mira last week.”
“I don’t remember any of these names,” Charlotte whispered to me.
“That’s okay,” Alara said, patting Charlotte’s knee. “Stick with me, kid. I’ll have you up to date in no time.”
“With your murder board.”
“Murder board?” Brio asked.
“It’s more of a stalker board,” I relented.
“I need a drink,” Ezmeray said, turning on her heel and disappearing into the kitchen.
“So, blood mage, you said? What’s the book?”
“Well, it’s for young adults,” Charlotte said.
“So what?” Alara asked, kicking off her shoes and folding up on the couch. “I meanThe Hunger Gameswas for teens, but I ate those up. What’s the book?”
I stood there for a moment, listening to Alara effortlessly engage Charlotte the way she had with Liam before making my way into the kitchen to offer Ezmeray a hand.
“Alara hates kids,” Brio said, standing in the doorway, watching Alara and the kids.
“That’s not fair. She doesn’t hate kids. She just doesn’t want to have any. She’s freaked out about pregnancy and childbirth,” Ezmeray explained to me. “And babies freak her out. And she’s not a fan of the sticky and snotty stage either.”
“Basically, she likes tweens and teens,” I said, holding out my glass when Brio waved the whiskey at me.
“I mean, she’s good with the younger ones,” Ezmeray said. “But she likes that she can engage with the teens on a more natural level.”
“Except she calls them dicks,” Brio said, smirking.
“Where are your kids?” I asked.
“There’s a birthday party for their friends a few doors down. They will head back after,” Ezmeray explained. “I didn’t realize she likes to read.” She seemed to be speaking mostly to herself.
