Page 65 of Burning Daylight

She’s tall, with strawberry blond hair, and dressed like she walked out of a fashion magazine. She eyes me like she already knows everything there is to know about me, and she doesn’t quite trust what she sees.

Benny throws an arm over her shoulder, and tugs her into his side harshly, whispering in her ear. “I thought I told you to stay in my room.”

She shrugs, her eyes never leaving mine. “I got curious.”

He grimaces and then looks at me. “Roman, this is Rosalie Bault.”

She puts out a hand, and I take it. Her grip is firmer than expected. “You’re his girlfriend?”

“His better half,” she corrects.

“And I’m the prettier half,” comes another voice, as a tall man with light-brown skin and short, wavy black hair walks into the room.

I watch him come closer, amused at how jovial he seems.

“Youmust be the Montgomery back from the dead,” he says, giving me an exaggerated once-over. “God, I love a good family scandal.”

Rosalie sighs. “Merrick, please.”

“What?” he asks, eyes still on me. “I’m being welcoming.”

“You’re being dramatic,” Benjamin pipes in.

Merrick slings an arm around my shoulder, mirroring Benjamin’s hold on Rosalie.

“Welcome to Montgomery Manor.” He winks. “And welcome to the family.Officially.”

Benjamin grips Rosalie’s hand in his and they both follow as Merrick walks me down a hall. I school my features as I take in the interior of my father’s home, and another shot of something bitter hits me in the gut. All these years, and this is the first time I’ve ever stepped foot inside.

The foyer alone is the size of my entire apartment back in California, and it’s sleek and stunning. Beige walls contrast beautifully against the shiny cedar floors, and a gorgeous stairwell is the focal point of the room. Just beyond it is an open archway with two long, thin steps showcasing a sprawling living area with floor-to-ceiling windows and dark wood banisters that line the vaulted ceiling.

Itfeelswealthy here. Like the floor itself is too expensive for me to walk on. I want to crawl out of my skin, discomfort raging through me.

“So,” Merrick says, “how long before Roman figures out we’re all fucked in the head?”

“I already figured that out,” I mutter, smirking at him.

He grins. “Good. Then you’ll fit right in.”

16

ROMAN

“Uncle M, your long-lost son’s arrived.”

I bristle at the words.Lostis a generous definition.

“Come in,” my dad’s gruff voice calls out.

Rosalie and Merrick have wandered off somewhere, and Benjamin swings open the door, waving his arm through the air as if he’s giving me permission to walk inside.

When I do, I meet my father’s gaze for the first time in four years, and just like his voice did on the phone, the warmth on his face catches me off guard.

He’s dressed down, and his hands are poised over a keyboard, halted in midair like the sight of me has frozen him solid. Slowly, he thaws, a small smile tilting the edges of his mouth.

“Roman. You’re here.”

I move forward, not sure how to navigate the situation. I expected aloofness, and he’s giving me the opposite. I take a seat in front of his desk, arching a brow. “Isn’t this where you told me to be?”