Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 140896 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140896 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
But here we are, two days after we got to New York and he’s already met—and completely charmed—Aunt Reina, Grandpa Mikhail, and even my uncles and aunts from Dad’s side.
His bruised face didn’t stop him from conjuring the charming god in him. He openly told them it was Nikolai being slightly overprotective. He even had the audacity to tell Aunt Reina, “I never liked Killian, but now that I see you’re his mother, I can try to tolerate him for your sake. And my sister’s, of course.”
He was invited to dinner with Grandpa—who’s more paranoid about strangers and security than a US president—and even played against him in chess.
Mom was a bit wary of him, despite not saying it out loud, but she eventually warmed up to him.
Even Maya has kept her illogical distaste to herself and, as promised, tried to be civil.
The only unchanging variable is my dad. The more others liked Landon, the harder he glared at him and threw jabs in his direction.
He does it less in my presence, especially since Mom and I elbow or try to stop him.
And while Lan’s muddied relationship with Dad saddens me a bit, it’s not enough to drown out everything else.
For the past two days, we’ve been on a rollercoaster ride. We eat together. Landon introduced himself to my family as my ‘boyfriend’ with a hand at the small of my back. If he couldn’t do that, he interlinked our fingers together. At the end of the dinner we had with Grandpa, Lan said, “We’ll surely see each other again, Mr. Kozlov.”
I never expected Landon to be perfect boyfriend material, but he’s proved that he’s so much more than that. Maybe it has to do with his superior people-reading skills. Or the fact that he knows exactly what people want to hear.
While a part of me likes this. The other part is confused, to say the least.
“Why do you think he’s doing this, Iris?” I ask my favorite flower on my balcony. A whole bed stretches over the entire terrace, sparkling in different colors. This is the only place where the monster couldn’t slither into the corner.
In fact, I developed my love for plants and flowers because it was the only sanctuary where I could escape the monster’s sharp claws.
Aunt Reina has done a marvelous job at keeping them beautiful and alive. I can tell they missed me, though, because they’ve become much brighter since I came back.
Or maybe I’m seeing them through the rosy lenses I’ve been wearing lately.
Sweat trickles down my temples and I wipe it with the back of my arm.
The sun descends in the lake, casting an orange reflection on the clear water. And just like that, our stay here will come to an end.
We’ll have to go back to the island tomorrow.
But why do I feel like every ounce of happiness I experienced will vanish as easily as the sun?
I crouch in front of the flowers and stroke Iris’s rosy petals. “You don’t know either, huh?”
“Please don’t tell me you’re talking to flowers again.”
My spine tingles at the very familiar voice and a sudden frisson erupts at the back of my neck. I tilt my head to the side to find Landon standing in the middle of the terrace, his usually impeccable shirt slightly untucked and his hair ruffled and finger-raked.
I slowly stand up and search behind him. “What are you doing here?”
“I jumped through your sister’s balcony.” He points a thumb behind him. “I always wanted to try and see what it’s like to climb walls and windows for your beloved à la Shakespearean. Not too bad. Four out of five would recommend.”
“Why only four?”
“Whether or not I add the fifth star depends on the results of this.” His darkened eyes rake over my satin shorts and thin camisole. “So far, it’s looking promising.”
I suppress a smile. “You should probably leave before Dad notices your absence from his immediate surroundings and comes knocking at my door.”
“We better be quick, then, or else I’ll fall victim to his relentless cock-blocking.”
I bite my lower lip and inspect our surroundings. It’s probably better that I push him out, but then again, he’s not the only one who’s sexually frustrated. With Dad keeping Lan on a leash—as much of a leash as Landon will allow—it’s been impossible for us to get time alone. Especially since Lan has made it his mission to meet every single member of my existing family.
“So you want to spend time with me now?” I sign. “I thought you were more interested in Grandpa, Aunt Reina, and the rest of my family.”
He searches around the flowers.
“What are you doing?” I sign.
“I’m checking to see if one of these edgy flowers is perhaps poisonous and might cause hallucinations. Otherwise, why in the ever-loving fuck would you think I’d rather spend time with your family than you?”