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I just hoped the press didn’t show up and turn it into a three-ring circus.
Chapter Thirteen
Rome
We sat idling in my Escalade down the street from the funeral home. I couldn’t see any paps, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there—somewhere—tucked out of sight. Some days I hated my life.
Not that anything about today was even kinda regular.
Today was gonna suck so hard.
The weight that’d been pressing on my chest for the past two weeks deepened.
Just getting out of the car would make it all so real.
My eyes flicked over to Sophia sitting quietly in the passenger seat. Something about her stoic façade calmed me. Sure, she’d signed up for this, but I really doubted that she’d truly understood just what our agreement would mean. And how many people liked going to funerals?
“I don’t see anyone waiting for us down the street,” Sophia murmured before turning slightly toward me, despite her seatbelt. “Do you think maybe they’re waiting around the side?”
I was both impressed and saddened that Sophia had been so quick to adapt to this surreal life. I shrugged. “I guess we’ll have to just get out and see. King picked this funeral home because it’s not the obvious choice. Paps shouldn’t be expecting to see us here, but who knows?”
Sophia sighed and straightened her shoulders. “I’m ready when you are.”
“Sit tight. I’ll come around to your door.” Partly because I worried she could be ambushed in the time it took me to get to her side, but mostly because I was protective of her. I didn’t want anyone—family or press—to screw with her.
Which was a feeling that was going to have to wait for another day for me to examine.
Sophia waited patiently for me, then held my hand as she jumped down from the height of my tricked-out Escalade. Our hands fit neatly together as we walked down the sidewalk to the somber building. No one accosted us along the way, and we quietly slipped inside.
Several elaborate flower arrangements crowded the entryway but none of the signage gave a hint as to whose funeral we were here for. I breathed a small sigh of relief.
Still holding Sophia’s hand, I tugged her toward the half full chapel. We passed by an official-looking pastor whose eyes bulged slightly when he saw me before he gave me an impersonal, “I’m sorry for your loss.”
I stopped and shook his hand before grabbing Sophia’s and leading her into the chapel.
We passed by a few rows of people I didn’t recognize, and I tugged Sophia to the front row where King, his nanny, and daughter were sitting all alone.
“Hey, bro. How are you holding up?”
“Counting the days until people stop asking me that,” King bit out before he shook his head. “Sorry. Forgot to put on my game face this morning.”
“You don’t have to apologize for anything. I get it. Anything I can do?”
“Not right now. But I’m expecting things to go sideways when Ariel’s mom shows up. She’s been…difficult the past few days.”
“Say no more. Just point me in her direction when she gets here.”
“I’m happy to help, too,” Sophia tossed in. “I went to public school—I am pretty scrappy when I need to be.”
King laughed softly. “I may just take you up on that, Sophia. Thanks.”
She nodded in reply and squeezed my hand. I squeezed it back and smiled at her.
“Have you heard from Nix today?” King asked. “I’m surprised he’s not here yet.”
My head swung back to King, and I stared at him for a few seconds as anger boiled under my skin. I knew King had a soft spot for our little brother. King was the whole reason Nix had a career after all, getting him that audition forSupernatural School of Shifting. Nix owed King so much.
He better not be the reason today fell apart.
