Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 134830 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134830 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
I’m starting to see why Kyle feels like his family’s wealth is a big deal. Because we’re beyond talking about money. He’s talking about money and power and influence in a way most people can’t even fathom. Or at least I can’t.
I look left and right, knowing my eyes are wide.
Kyle takes my hand. “We can leave if you want. I’ll tell ’em to fuck off and deal with Kayla later if you say the word.”
Turning my gaze to him, I see the worry in his blue eyes. No, not worry… fear. He deals with me and my drama, cocky smirk. He confronts Kathy, cold as ice. He chats it up with a police officer, all business. But he looks downright terrified of a simple family dinner.
How monstrous are these people?
I squeeze his hand and shake my head. “Hey, it’ll be okay. I’m a big girl. I can deal with a few assholes. In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s kind of my specialty.” I’m pulling a page from his playbook, trying to joke a bit in an attempt to settle him down.
“I’m not scared of that. I have no doubt you can take them all on and come out the other side strong as ever. But they’re…”
He doesn’t have time to tell me what they are because the front door opens and Kayla steps out, smiling.
Kyle gave me the rundown on his siblings, starting with the ones from Costco. Janey, nurse, sunshine and rainbows type, and pregnant with Cole’s—and definitely not Kyle’s—baby. Cole, private investigator, quiet, intelligent, and obsessively in love with Janey. Good to have on your side, deadly to have against you. Kayla, business brain, but reads people easier than a newspaper, can play whatever part is needed to get her way.
And I can see what Kyle means now. Kayla’s face looks friendly and welcoming, but her eyes? They’re shrewd and clever as she assesses us. She might be more dangerous than her brothers, though in a totally different manner.
As we walk up to the door, Kayla pins Kyle with a look. “We were afraid you’d gotten lost. Almost had to call in the big guns.” Kyle goes stiff at my side, and Kayla’s smile turns triumphant. “Good to see you again. Dani, right?” She holds her hand out to me, and I shake hers firmly, meeting her eyes. Still holding my hand, she cuts her eyes back to Kyle. “Does anyone know you’re bringing a guest?”
He ticks his head left and right once and Kayla laughs. “Oh, this is gonna be fun. Come on in, you two.” She waves us in like it’s her house, not Kyle’s childhood home where he should be welcome anytime.
Inside, I’m even more awed over the house than I was outside. It’s money everywhere I look—expensive marble floors, ornate trim on the walls and ceiling, huge art pieces with special lighting, and the expanse of the space makes me feel like I’m in a church.
It’s no big deal, I remind myself.
It’s not that I’m attracted to Kyle’s family’s money. The truth is that I’m intimidated by it. I’ve never been somewhere like this. Actually, I take that back. I went on a school field trip to a place like this… except it was an art museum, not a home.
My shoes squeak on the marble and I become acutely aware of how underdressed I probably am. I didn’t give it a second thought when Kyle talked about a ride, nor when he asked me to come to his family’s with him because he’s wearing jeans, boots, and a black T-shirt, and I’ve got on the jeans and shirt I wore to my own parents’ for lunch. But Kayla’s pants are linen and flowy, her white button-up shirt looks classy, her blonde hair is in perfectly styled waves, and her jewelry is all understated and elegant. I’m definitely out of my league.
“Was that Kyle I heard?” a woman’s voice says. A second later, Kyle’s mom steps into view. I know instantly that’s who she must be because she looks like a very-slightly older version of Kayla. “Honey! You came?” she sounds surprised as she throws her arms open wide and embraces him. “And you brought… a friend?” She turns warm eyes to me, questioning but not judgmental.
“Mom, this is Dani Becerra. Dani, this is my mom, Miranda Harrington.” I hold my hand out, but she wraps her arms around me too.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Dani,” she says happily. I look sideways to Kyle in confusion because this isn’t the welcome I was expecting, but he shrugs, unconcerned.
“Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Harrington.”
“Oh, please call me Miranda,” she instructs, pulling me into a formal living room. When I look behind me, I see that Kyle and Kayla are having an entire conversation comprised of various glances and glares. Their mouths are silent, but their eyes are saying a lot.