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Sutton frowned. “Do you think I particularly enjoy any of this?”
I shrugged at her as I ripped my arm from her grip and righted myself. “You were the one who always fit in.”
“Please don’t start with some sibling rivalry bullshit,” she muttered as she shook her head. “We’re only here to please Mom and Dad. Neither of us want to be here. Don’t get mad at me because you could never find your footing in this atmosphere.”
I snorted. “Apparently I still haven’t.”
Sutton let out a sigh as she moved out of the way and motioned for me to walk through the doors ahead of her. “You’re lucky you were able to have your own life away from the one Mom and Dad created.”
“What do you mean? No one ever told you that you had to stay here.”
There was a moment of sadness that passed through my sister’s eyes. “This was where I felt comfortable, like I belonged. The world is a big, scary place. You used this place as your way out. Nothing ever scared you and I was always envious of that.”
My footsteps faltered and my brow creased as I assessed my sister for a moment. She looked perfect in her black floor-length gown. She always looked perfect and well put together. There were only two years that separated us, but in that moment it felt as though it were ten. Why would she have ever been envious of me?
I stayed in my quiet corner of the world with my nose in a book or my skates on the ice. I kept to myself for the most part and did my duties as the daughter of a wealthy family that was deeply involved with their country-club community. Other than that, I was practically a wallflower.
When I moved to Vermont, only then did I come out of my shell a bit. It was a new place with new people. There wasn’t the intense need or pressure to impress or be the best I could be. Instead, I was able to be who I wanted and do what I wanted to do. It was like a breath of fresh air.
Coming back here was the opposite.
It was suffocating.
“Staying here scared me,” I admitted quietly to my sister as we stepped deeper into the room.
She stared at me for a moment with a thoughtful look in her eyes but I watched as her face transformed and the mask was back in place. Sutton Reign had to play the part and as Mrs. Danbury approached, Sutton plastered her best smile to her face and greeted her with the utmost respect.
My smile matched my sister’s but I took a step back as they immersed themselves in conversation. It was where I belonged. On the outside; in the background. I had no place in this room with these people. My mask didn’t fit as well as it did in the past. There were cracks in it, revealing the true facade.
“It is so good to see you back, Winter.” Mrs. Danbury smiled at me as she plucked a glass of wine from one of the server’s trays and thrust it into my grasp. “Your mother has told me of your great accomplishments with figure skating and your job at the publishing house.”
I took a sip of the bitter liquid and swallowed it back without so much as making a face of distaste. “It’s great to be back. I actually had to leave all of that behind when I moved back here.”
Mrs. Danbury’s face paled slightly but she nodded. “What a great sacrifice on your part.”
Sutton narrowed her eyes in warning at me and shook her head.
“Oh, yes. I gave up my dream job, but I’m hoping to secure a position at the local library as their new librarian.” I paused and smiled at her, ignoring the look of horror on my sister's face. “I actually forfeited my position at the club I was competing for with figure skating, but I’m hoping to be able to find a new club locally and skate leisurely.”
Two other groups that were standing near us must have been eavesdropping on our conversation as they fell silent and stared momentarily. I glanced at them, smiling sweetly as they all began to duck their heads one by one and fall into hushed conversations.
“You’ll have to excuse Winter. She is quite tired from her traveling,” my sister interjected as she offered a bullshit excuse. She directed her gaze to mine. “Perhaps you should visit the veranda and get some fresh air.”
I nodded while slowly sipping my wine and continued to survey the people near us. “I think I should,” I agreed as I smiled back at Mrs. Danbury. “If you’ll please excuse me.”
The room was already crowded and began to feel stuffy as I began to walk toward the back doors. As my eyes drifted, the air left my lungs in a rush and the oxygen was violently sucked from the room. My gaze landed on the same stormy dark blue eyes that had haunted my mind for the last six years. His gaze held mine, sending a chill straight to my soul.
Malakai Barclay.
CHAPTER THREE
MALAKAI
Winter stared back at me with her eyes wide. I watched her perfect plump lips part slightly. The color abruptly drained from her face, her fingers tightened around the stem of the wineglass she was holding. She looked just as I remembered her but even more exquisite. It had been six years since I last saw her in person.
She had matured in more ways than one. Her dark hair was pulled back away from her face. Light makeup highlighted the contours of her face and her bright green eyes shined from the chandeliers above us. Her deep red dress hugged the curves of her body before pooling around her feet.
The moment between us was fleeting. I literally blinked and she was gone. I caught sight of her red dress as she pushed through the crowd of people, heading in the direction of the veranda out back. Standing at my full height, I was able to follow the top of her head with my eyes as she moved quickly before I lost sight of her completely.
