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She grabbed her phone. “Listen, I don’t have to go.”

“I’m not great company.” I lifted one shoulder and let it fall listlessly. “Plus I have marshmallows to dip into my jello and mustard.”

She made a face and stood. “Promise you’ll eat better food than that.”

“I promise,” I lied.

She shook her head like she knew I wouldn’t and walked out of the room. The sounds of laughter and yelling seemed to magnify even more.

Everyone had their own lives.

Everyone had someone.

I’d started feeling that way a year ago like everyone was passing me by, like I didn’t really have a plan outside of being the terrifying one out of the two sisters, the one who had a temper and refused to control it.

I shoved the marshmallow around my plate with my fork then felt a presence behind me.

His cologne floated into the air, wrapping itself around me, choking me with its presence, not because he didn’t smell good, but because he reminded me that I had an unwanted shadow.

One that looked at me like a job, not a person.

I opened my mouth to tell him to go away when a sandwich the size of a freaking brick was dropped onto my plate.

I scoffed. “Good to see you used all the cow to get that lunchmeat.”

“Eat. It’s not a request,” he ordered in a low voice. “Sugar isn’t food, and I don’t know what the hell you were thinking putting the kids’, green jello on your plate but you know that shit has to have been spit in at least three times.”

I would not find him amusing even though he knew my family well.

I touched my stomach. I hadn’t been puking a ton but it was only a matter of time. Already I was feeling queasy and the sandwich could feed an army. I normally loved roast beef and cheddar cheese. But not in that moment, I didn’t. I started to scoot back my chair but was met with a brick wall aka Ace’s body. He picked up my chair—without permission— and turned it around so I was facing him, then proceeded to reach aroundme, grab the damn sandwich, and hold it in front of my face. “Open.”

I gritted my teeth and tried to speak through them. “No.”

He leaned down his light blue eyes flickered with irritation before he gripped me by the chin then shoved his thumb into my mouth past my row of bottom teeth and jerked my teeth away from each other. “Good girl, now bite.”

I was going to bite his hand if he didn’t remove his fingers.

With a scowl he shoved the sandwich in and pushed my chin closed so I had no choice but to both bite and chew.

He lightly tapped me on the cheek. “Good job, now take a few more and I’ll walk you to bed.”

"I know the way.”

"I’m aware.”

"Ace.” I was seconds away from strangling him. I swallowed then opened my mouth to reason again only to have that same sandwich come barreling in before I could snap my mouth shut again.

"See? It tastes good. Try not to choke.” He stood to his full height. “I’ll wait until you’re done. We have a meeting in twenty, so I’d go fast.”

"You’re not my boss!” I jumped to my feet.

"Two more bites then,” he whispered.

“And then what?" Tears filled my eyes.

He reached for something on the counter behind him and pulled out a syringe. “So I can put you to sleep.”

"Ketamine?” I guessed knowing it wasn’t necessarily horrible for baby but that I didn’t want to take any chances.