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Me: Night, Kylian
Kylian: Night, beautiful
I’m smiling as I return my cell phone to the bedside table and go to sleep. It takes a while.
When I eventually do, I dream of climbing into a navy car parked down the street, finding Kylian in it, and crawling into his arms to sleep there instead.
Chapter62
Everleigh
The next morning, I’m on my way to the garden with my pencil and sketchpad when my cell phone rings. Mom is already out there, having woken before me. After my later than usual night, dragging myself out of bed at seven felt like torture.
But we’ve gotten into the habit of going out to draw for a bit in the morning before breakfast, and I’m determined to keep up with it. Even if it feels like it might kill me this morning.
I slip my phone out of my pocket and glance at the caller. Della.
What does she want?
Concern comes next. Della has never been an early riser. For her to be calling before ten means I put my sketchpad down and immediately answer, fearing the worst.
“Turn on the TV,” Della orders the second I answer.
I blink. “Uh… Della. What’s going on?”
“Go turn on the TV right fucking now, Ever.” She talks over me. “Like yesterday.Go.”
Still bemused—and confused—about Della’s urgency, I do as she says, backing up to the living room to grab the remote and turn on the TV.
“Channel six,” Della orders. “Hurry, hurry, hurry.”
Okay, then.
I click to channel six and am immediately rewarded with the sight of three big—andfamiliar—alphas standing in front of a building. Cian, Kylian, and Rune. I don’t know what building it is, but the exterior looks new.
Seeing them again makes me want to cry. And smile. Because no one ever looked after me, or cared for me the way they did. I don’t believe anyone ever will.
Rune and Cian are in smart white shirts and pants, dressed for a business meeting. Kylian has opted for a black T-shirt and jeans as he stands off to the side, arms folded.
“Everleigh? What is it?” Mom steps into the room, frowning.
“Della said I had to watch this,” I explain.
“Call me after,” Della says and promptly hangs up.
Rune steps up to the lectern, lowers his head slightly to reach the microphone attached to it, and says, “Ashe Investments is closed.”
There’s an audible gasp.
Including from me.
Someone—I’m assuming a reporter—yells a question.
Rune ignores it, staring into the camera, as if he’s talking to me, andonlyme. “A long time ago, Ashe Investments was what we all wanted. We built it from the bottom up. We fought, and we hustled, and we fought some more. We reached the top, and the top was…”
“Empty,” Cian says, stepping forward as he takes over. His dark green eyes hold my attention. “It was empty, it was lonely, and—”
“Frankly, it was boring.” Kylian sighs dramatically. “I learned I really fucking hate meetings. Suits too, now that I’m thinking about it.”
