Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 156392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 782(@200wpm)___ 626(@250wpm)___ 521(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 782(@200wpm)___ 626(@250wpm)___ 521(@300wpm)
Mum’s brow furrows. “I thought we talked about this already? He has no interest in you and we don’t do desperate.”
“He so does.” She winks at me and I roll my eyes as she interlinks her arm with Mama’s. “Please help me butter up Papa.”
“You know he still hasn’t come to terms with Eli. If you get with Remi, he’ll surely have a stroke.”
“I’ve been researching ways to lessen the blow. But more on that later.” She fixates on me. “You’re not avoiding the question, missy. If it’s not because of Eli’s dick energy, what did he do? Should I whack him for you?”
I laugh. I can’t help it when she sounds so serious. “You’re a gangster now?”
“I’m many dangerous things under the right circumstances.”
“And you can take him out?”
“With the help of Papa, Remi, Lan, Cecy’s man, and Bran’s scary fiancé, who’ll do anything he says, absolutely. Eli King who? He won’t see us coming as I blast ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’.”
I shake my head, feeling a bit lighthearted. “It’s nothing like that.”
“You sure? Because I can totally start a group chat.”
“You’d start any group chat just to include Remi.”
“True, but, like, this is also for a noble cause.”
“You’re such a menace.” Mama hugs her and kisses the top of her head.
“I’m your and Daddy’s little girl. Thank you very much.”
Mama laughs with visible pride.
Sometimes, I wonder if she and Papa would’ve been happier if they’d only had Ari. She’s a dangerous little hellion, but she’s mentally normal.
She doesn’t suffer from sleep paralysis, nightmares, and an untold Pandora’s box of psychosis madness.
I doubt she’d feel apprehensive about sharing a bed with someone else because they might see her as a monster who should be avoided.
Mama faces me with an expression that’s special for me. Soft, loving, and careful. She always seems hesitant and extremely careful whenever she talks to me.
I understand. She’s searching for telltale signs. Ever since they found me walking on the roof and I fell and broke my arm, my parents have been extra wary of the tiniest change.
Cecy did that at uni, too. My parents agreed to let me separate from them only if I shared a flat with her. And while she’s a less scrutinizing version of them, she’s still equally concerned.
It’s why I prefer living with Eli. He might be distant, but at least he doesn’t make me feel on edge when I’m around him.
He certainly doesn’t look at me as if I’m a ticking bomb that’s nearing the explosion point.
Sometimes, the atmosphere is so comfortable, I forget that I have this chronic psychosis that could manifest itself in the worst scenarios possible.
Short of our usual visits to Dr. Blaine, he doesn’t ask about the pills and never brings up any of the conversations we have in her office. It’s become so habitual that I almost believe I’m normal.
Almost.
Mama slides her hand around my shoulder and squeezes me closer to her. “If there’s anything you want to tell me, I’m all ears, hon.”
“It’s nothing I can’t take care of. Don’t worry.”
“Is Eli giving you a hard time?”
“I’m the one doing that. I mess with him as if it’s an Olympic sport.”
“And how does he react to that?”
“Silence mostly. Sometimes he’ll glower or pinch the bridge of his nose.” I stop before I say he punishes me with my arse in the air.
I didn’t think I liked spanking with sex until my enigma of a husband trained me to be wet just by hearing the words, “Behave.” “Make no mistake, if I see you smiling at others, I’ll take it out on your arse, beautiful.” Or, “You’re just begging to be punished, Mrs. King.”
“Bitch, please,” Ari says. “He can’t have the goddess without some drama. He should be thankful, if you ask me. And if he’s not, we can go with my glorious assassination plot.”
“Stop threatening your brother-in-law with murder,” Mama says even as she smiles.
“Only if he treats my sister right. I take no prisoners.”
“Oh really?” I cross my arms. “Heard he’s providing you with constant intel on Remi.”
“Aside from that.” She mirrors my stance with a sneaky smile. “He’s still my brother-in-law and family. Compromises, Ava. Have you heard of them? Word on the street is they’re good for marriage. Right, Mama?”
She laughs but nods at me. “They are for sure. There’s no such thing as a harmonious marriage without compromise.”
“What if I’m compromising on things I don’t want to compromise on?” I ask in a low voice.
“Have you tried communicating that?”
“Eli isn’t the communicative type. He’s worse than an army general who expects all his orders to be met.”
“Are they always met?”
“Hell no. I defy him for fun, like, eighty percent of the time.”
“Does he retaliate?”
I pause, thinking of all the times he just narrows his eyes, shakes his head, then walks away. “Not really.”