Page 44 of Filthy Little Pretties

“I missed this.”

She says it to no one in particular, but Donovan’s already looking at me when I connect with her over the fire. Liam walks over and stands her up, sitting down in her chair and bringing her back onto his lap. He tucks his chin onto her shoulder, closing his eyes.

“We missed you,” I answer, keeping my eyes on her, and take another drink.

Liam wraps his arms around her like she’s a lifeline and opens his eyes to stare at the fire. She twists her head to try and see his face, but he holds her in place.

“Hey, you. What’s going on?”

“Same thing since the last time you knew me.”

“Your dad?”

I see his head nod, and my eyes shift between the two of them. I hate that she’s on him, but I’m not jealous, more selfish. But mostly, I’m happy he can talk to her because I’m sure as hell not sitting on his lap.

Donovan rests her face against the top of Liam’s head and looks out to the stars before letting out a sigh.

“When I was in Spain, my mom always wanted to take the train. Everywhere. It was so obnoxious. I hated it.” Her eyes seem sad as she looks at me. “Sometimes, it was to close-by towns. Other times, we’d go all the way to Paris. But what I remember is that each time, I would wish that something would happen, and I’d get lost. So lost that she wouldn’t find me, and I could just start over. By myself, without all her bullshit.”

My brows draw together as I lean forward, placing my forearms on my knees, my beer bottle hanging between my fingers.

“I wish that too. That I could get lost,” Liam agrees, sitting back and patting her hip, so she’ll stand.

She doesn’t move. Instead, she pulls her legs up into his lap and rubs a hand over his chest. “We are lost. When we’re together, it’s like all the other bullshit doesn’t exist. Just like always.”

He rocks forward and winks at her. “Thanks, Van.” He picks her up as he stands, then places her back to the ground.

“What would you do or be if you could be someone new?”

Her question is thrown over the fire as Liam walks over to me and exchanges his empty beer bottle for a full one.

“Truth?” he questions, looking back to her.

“Always,” I answer, watching her wrap herself back up in the blanket.

He shrugs his shoulders and grins. “I’d paint.”

“Really!”

Her excitement has us both laughing. I clink bottles with Liam and tip mine back, finishing it before adding, “He’s not bad. Not great yet either. But definite potential.”

Liam tips an invisible hat and sits down next to me, looking out at the water. Donovan stands and shuffles over to our side, wrapped in a towel and blanket, planting her ass on the arm of my chair. “You guys are too far away.”

Liam and I grin at each other right as I pull her back onto my lap. She squeals but leans into me, snuggling into my chest. Her brightly painted toes land on the arm of Liam’s chair, and he takes the edge of her blanket and tucks it around them, so she’ll be warm.

“What would you be or do?” I question down to her.

“Hmmm. I’d be emancipated.”

Liam laughs, but I don’t join in. “That’s not a real answer. Who would yoube?”

“I’m still trying to figure that out,” she answers thoughtfully before taking another sip of her beer.

I pull her in closer to me, rubbing a hand up and down her arm. “Was it both of them? Or just your mom that made the last five years shit?”

“Both. I don’t know. Maybe me. My father barely spoke to me, and I was a burden for my mother. I was lucky to hear from either of them, even on my birthdays. I will give it to my mom—she at least texted until I was fifteen, but then I was a ghost to everyone. Miles Kennedy had a company to run. And Lillian Kennedy had to fuck her way through Spain, drinking champagne and throwing lavish parties all the while looking for someone to make her feel again.”

“Damn. So it was nannies and butlers for you? Like us. That sucks, Van. I was always so jealous that your parents seemed to have it together.”