Page 328 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 1

"You can't take it back now. I always thought it would be nice to have a brother."

He rolled his eyes. "Don't let it go to your head. I was just being nice."

"Mhm."

He removed his hand from my shoulder. "So, are you okay?"

"The brotherly pep talk definitely helped. Thanks, Rob." I looked down the hallway toward the foyer. I wanted James to walk into the party with me. I didn't want him to be fighting with his parents. And I definitely didn't want him to talk to Isabella. I just wanted him by my side.

"Come on," Rob said and held his arm back out for me. "I'm supposed to be escorting you to the party. Not letting you mope around in the hallway."

"I'd rather just hide somewhere and not see anyone."

"Just bottle up all your emotions and try not to think about them. That's what becoming a Hunter truly is. Why do you think we're all so messed up?"

I laughed as he walked with me down the hallway.

"Welcome to the family, Penny." He winked at me again as he turned the corner. We walked through a marble archway into a room filled with at least a hundred people. And I didn't recognize any of them.

"Shouldn't we wait for James?"

"I don't know. He said to bring you in here." He looked over his shoulder. "How about I go grab you a drink to calm your nerves. What's your poison?"

"Don't leave me."

He laughed. "Jen's over there. I'm sure she'd love to introduce you to some of the family."

I nodded. "Get me something strong."

"I'll do my worst." His arm fell from mine.

It felt like everyone was staring at me. I smiled awkwardly and walked over to Jen.

"What took you two so long?" she said as she gave me a quick hug. "Wait, where's James?"

"Talking to your parents." I didn't want to think about what he was doing. "Rob said you might introduce me to some of your family members. I thought this was going to be a small thing. Why are there so many people here?"

"Well, your wedding is going to be so small that Mom and Dad insisted that everyone come down to meet you now. They're all so excited to meet you."

So this was basically everyone we hadn't invited to the wedding?Oh God.I swallowed hard. They all probably hated me too.

"You okay?" Jen asked. "You look really pale."

"I'm fine. Do I know anyone here?"

"I think the invites got a little confusing. Most of your friends are arriving around seven I think. But come on, I'll introduce you to everyone."

***

It was just a blur of faces and names. I gave up trying to remember who everyone was. It seemed like hours before I felt James' hand on my waist.

"Let's go. I've already made our excuses," he said.

"But I haven't even met your parents yet."

"And you're not going to. Let's go. Now."

I wasn't sure I had ever seen him this upset. All I wanted to do was grab his hand and run out of there. But Rob's advice was stuck in my head. I didn't want his parents to think they could scare me away. I wasn't going anywhere. "Our friends are coming any minute. We can't leave now."