Page 68 of Bought

“Sharon’s my mother-in-law, and I adore her,” Cleo says as she places a steaming casserole dish on the table. “And Falcon’s my dad.”

Curious.

Going back to reassuring his daughter, Falcon says, “The Bachman Estate in Italy is like heaven on Earth.” He wraps his arm around his daughter’s shoulders. “It’ll be fine if we leave the city.”

“Don’t breathe life into that idea, Dad,” Blaze interjects.

Cass butts in with, “You call him Dad?”

Blaze answers with a, “Yup, and Cleo calls Ma, Mom.”

“We’re weird, we know,” Cleo says, gazing lovingly at Blaze as if she sees nothing but beauty between them.

An ache of need pierces my chest as I watch them, the feeling so intense I have to look away.

“They are collectively your parents?” Cass asks.

“Uh-huh,” Cleo giggles.

Drop it, Cass, I beg silently. She doesn’t, instead furrowing her brow in confusion. “But you’re married.”

“Yeah.” Cleopatra’s face flushes pink.

I try to save her. “You don’t have to explain?—”

“Yes, you do, sweetheart, go on,” Blaze says, clearly thinking his wife is adorable. “Enlighten our guests.”

“Uh—we were step-siblings. We even lived together at one point when we were teens?” Cleo’s voice rises an octave at the end of the sentence. She laughs, shaking her head. “It doesn’t get any less weird the more times I tell it.”

“Okay,” Cass slaps the table. "Spill it. We want to hear every spicy detail. How did you get involved in this forbidden relationship?”

“Cass—stop.” I reach out to touch Cleopatra’s hand. “Sorry about my sister; she’s been reading too many romance novels.”

“What am I supposed to do?” Cass cries. “I’m stuck in a wheelchair, for God’s sake. One must live vicariously through books when one cannot participate.”

Instead of cringing like most do at the mention of her chair, Cleo bursts into a belly laugh at Cass’s joke. Good-naturedly, she says, “I’ll tell you this. He’s not a werewolf.”

“Sorry,” I say. “My sister is the one person from England with no manners.”

Cass jokes back, “And mine’s the only one who doesn’t know how to have fun.”

Ryan sighs. “Aunt Rin does put me to bed too early.”

Sharon and Falcon share a laugh. Falcon asks Ryan, “Hey buddy. Would you like to help me take the steaks off the grill? I could use a hand.”

He glances at Cass. “Mom?”

“Sure.”

“Alright!” He pops up, joining Falcon. They head out the back door to where the grill must be.

I glance at Lucian. He’s been unusually silent. He’s now filling water glasses from a crystal pitcher.

“Sharon?” he offers.

“Oh, yes, please.” She holds out her glass and says, “Thank you, honey!”

“Well, if I’m not allowed to ask about your hot stepbrother real-life romance, how’d you find a place with so much land? All the yards in this city are a lick of grass at most. You’ve got a garden!”