AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Frowning, I follow everyone’s gaze to a beautiful brunette carrying a baby. At her feet is a tiny white-and-beige toy breed. Grinning at the animal, I immediately wish Fiona could have such a small dog. She wants a cat, but I worry it’ll trip her like mine did when I was growing up.
“What’s everyone doing?” Fiona asks, confused by the quiet. “Did they leave?”
“No, they’re just staring at you like a bunch of dipshits,” Eagle answers when I don’t.
Shrinking into herself, Fiona whimpers, “Are they laughing?”
“See what you’re doing?” Eagle hollers at his friends.
The women flinch at his anger, except for Goose who pats his face.
“I’ve never seen you so adorably whipped. Let me take a picture.”
Eagle reaches for her phone, making her hide behind Walla Walla.
“I can’t wrestle with you today, man,” the large blond tells Eagle. “I’m supposed to behave like an adult man instead of a ridiculous child.”
Everyone looks toward a man with short auburn hair and a fearsome frown. I assume he’s Armor.
“What?” he mutters. “It’s called tough love.”
“I felt belittled,” Walla Walla says, sounding sad enough for Fiona to perk up and seem curious.
Eagle leans down and whispers loudly to Fiona, “That’s Walla Walla. He’s full of shit.”
“Everyone needs to act normal, so they can get comfortable,” Armor barks before glancing at the beautiful woman at his side and shrugging. “They’re acting like dumbasses.”
I soon learn the woman is his wife, Yazmin. Their four-month-old baby is Gavin. Yazmin is the younger sister of Selene, who is pregnant with Ruin’s son.
“We just got the sonogram,” she tells me in a soft voice as if I might lash out if she’s too assertive.
Wynonna doesn’t suffer from the same worries. She is the one doing all the introductions. Her thick brown hair fights against the up-do she’s attempted. I keep expecting the waves to burst free.
I stand next to Fiona’s chair as she sips a nonalcoholic drink and eats a crab cake.
“What’s in this?” she asks me.
“Crab and cake,” Wynonna replies.
“Like birthday cake?” Fiona asks.
“Sure. I mean, I didn’t make them, so I don’t know, but sure.”
Fiona squeezes my hand to say she thinks Wynonna is wrong. I squeeze her hand back to say I agree.
“Can I take off my glasses?” Fiona asks me while Wynonna plays referee with the kids.
“The lighting in here shouldn’t bother you.”
Fiona opens her eyes a crack. She scans the room, taking in the people. I notice her stopping at each face as if to memorize it. She flinches when Wynonna leans down until they’re two inches apart.
“You don’t look anything like your sister,” Wynonna tells Fiona.
“I don’t have a sister.”
“Yes, you did. She died.”
“Was she an awful person?”
