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Jade

“I haven’t had sex in two weeks,” Bianca said, heaving a sigh like there was an elephant on her chest, as she slipped into the booth. She was the last of us to show up to dinner, and if she wasn’t late because she’d been banging Knox, then what the heck?

It was the first time we went out for dinner just us sisters, but Maria thought it was a good idea, so here we were.

Really, we hadn’t had much of an opportunity to get together lately, what with everyone doing their own thing and all.

I might’ve been a newcomer, but even I knew that was abnormal for these women.

“We weren’t talking about sex,” Perla pointed out and sipped from her water glass. “But thanks for sharing.” Sarcasm from Perla was rare, but she should let it slip more often because it gave her an edge.

Rolling her eyes, Bianca opened her napkin and tossed it on her lap, trying to get caught up. “Everyone was sharing, I’m sure. I thought I’d share.”

Full of giggles from the slight buzz Allie already had going on, she leaned forward. “Why not? Is Knox not able to get the little guy up?”

Bianca’s eyes shot up from behind her menu, of which she was scanning with a level of dedication I hadn’t seen before. “First of all, not little.” Okay, too much information. “And he has no problems performing.”

“Hmm, then this just got boring,” Allie replied, frowning. Man, did I love my girl Allie. She was fun. And the first to welcome me, but that was a whole other topic.

Bianca didn’t seem to care if she was no longer interested because she went on. “Knox went back to Minnesota to help his parents move. We finally got them to agree to get a new place—one that’s in good repair.”

“That’s nice,” Perla replied.

“Yes, it’s great. Anyway, I was saying, it’s been a while since Dom had a job after turning down the one in Italy, but I have exciting news. Can I get a drumroll, please?” Maria asked, getting the conversation back on track.

When I saw no one was playing along, I banged my index fingers on the table like drumsticks.

Full of smiles, Maria rubbed my arm. “Thank you.” She turned back to the table and announced, “Dom’s going to be our cover model next year.

Apparently, his agent wanted this, but my sweeter than sugar fiancé didn’t want to push it because he thought it would be a bad idea to mix business and pleasure.

Anyway, we worked it all out, and it’s officially on the calendar. ”

I had a new idea. How about we got Dom and all of his brothers to be on the cover? Shirtless. Who was with me?

Perla gasped. “That’s awesome,” she responded, smiling.

Perla was always the first to say something. I liked that about her.

Bianca clacked her tongue on the roof of her mouth, shaking her head to no avail. “Feels like nepotism.”

I angled my head and decided to speak up. “It’s obviously not. He’s a model. This is a magazine. It makes sense. I’m surprised you guys haven’t done it before.”

Bianca waved a hand, brushing me off. “I brought it up before, like I’m talking pre-Perla and Frankie’s sham of a marriage.” Then she pointed at Maria. “And you said no. Insisted against it, actually.”

“Different,” Maria argued, rolling her eyes.

“How so?” Allie asked.

Maria rubbed her forehead. “You know, you can be a pain, Allie. Dom would be great on the cover. Don’t you guys think?”

“I do,” I said, putting in my two cents.

“Thank you, Jade,” Maria replied, winking at me.

Defending her words, Bianca said, “I didn’t say it was nepotism. I just said it felt that way.” She fluffed her hair and looked away.

“If you suggested it before, then why is it like nepotism?” I asked, curious.

“He’s sleeping with the editor-in-chief now.”

Perla pursed her lips. “Technically, he was then, too.”

Oh, this is getting good.

Bianca cracked her fingers. “Yes, but we didn’t know that, did we? Anyway, I vote Knox gets a cover, too, if Dom gets to be on one.”

“Dom is a model,” I pointed out for the second time. “Knox is not.” Although, he was handsome. Not that I’d ever tell Bianca that, she might have clawed my eyes out. She was very intense when it came to him.

“You’re ridiculous, Bibi,” Perla said, which promptly got her a four-finger slap across her arm from Bianca.

Boy, could those two go at it. Decidedly changing the subject, I asked, “Okay, anyone else with news?” My eyes moved from sister to sister around the booth.

Maria shook her head and brought her hand to her growing belly. “Besides moving along nicely in my pregnancy, as my doctor put it, I have nothing else going on.”

“Knox is away, and I’m horny, but that’s about all for me,” Bianca shared.

Sighing, Perla sat back. “What else is new?” she asked.

I hadn’t known Bianca as long as they did, obviously, but I was pretty sure Perla was right, and Bianca’s horniness was a constant. I was surprised her and Knox weren’t expecting at the rate they slept together from everything I’d heard. They went at it like bunnies, to put it mildly.

“Oh, and my first collection is nearly complete. I’ll have to show you all one day soon,” Bianca said, chiming in again. She smiled. “I’m redefining wedding fashion.” Way to be modest, Bibi.

“How about you, Perla? Allie?” I asked, trying to keep things moving.

“Nothing new. Frankie has agreed to start trying for a baby. He said he was only opposed to it before because he wanted to enjoy our time together first. Isn’t that sweet?”

“I think it’s nice for you.” Okay, so I didn’t excel at being supportive, but I was new to all of this sisterly stuff, all right? Give me a break.

“Perla, I’m so happy for you,” Maria gushed. Easy for her to do, by the way, what with one kid and another on the way, but what did I know?

Perla’s cheeks reddened, and she gazed down. “Thank you.”

“I have no news,” Allie said, stumbling over her words as the waiter approached the table to take our orders.

Maybe I should have explained this whole Allie situation.

See, Allie had gotten here early and had a few drinks at the bar before dinner.

Apparently, she was committed to having a good time since Brady was home with baby Gina.

I couldn’t blame her, though. Every once in a while, a girl had to cut loose.

By the time the waiter left, all four of my sisters were turned to me, staring, waiting for something.

They were hardly blinking, just looking at me with wide, expectant eyes.

Geez, what were they waiting for? “Yes?” I questioned, angling my head as I waited to hear what they wanted.

Honestly, all the staring was beginning to get creepy and I was getting I-want-your-soul vibes.

“What gives?” I asked, this time louder.

“Dish,” Bianca commanded.

“I don’t know what you mean.” That was a lie. I assumed they wanted to know about Red and me, but that was the last thing I wanted to talk about.

Would they believe me if I said I didn’t want to talk about it because I didn’t want to jinx things? Doubted it.

Maybe I could talk about the charity bachelor auction instead.

Not that there was much to tell since the email still hadn’t come.

I was starting to think Sherrilyn didn’t know what an emergency truly was.

But not the point. I opened my mouth to speak, but Bianca beat me to it.

“You’re in that sexy, fun stage of your relationship, and we want to hear all about it,” she explained, obviously fixated on the one thing I didn’t want to talk about.

Nodding their heads in agreement, Maria and Perla continued to stare me down. Meanwhile, something else must’ve caught Allie’s attention because her gaze was turned elsewhere.

Quickly debating what I wanted to say, I went with the truth. “We aren’t in a relationship. It’s all fake as you know.” Redundant, but apparently driving the point home was necessary.

“Fake-shmake,” Maria answered. Is that even a word? “Just look at Perla. We all know how that story turns out. Haven’t I told you this before?”

Yes, one too many times. I bit back a groan that would rival one coming from a man about to blow his load like he never had before. I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “This is not that.” So what if I was starting to actually care about this man? That didn’t mean shit.

“No, it’s not because Red is a real fireball,” Maria said, waggling her brows.

“Fireball?” I asked, almost wishing I didn’t.

Nodding her head, Maria repeated, “Yes, fireball.”

“Are you saying Frankie’s not a fireball?” Perla jumped in like she was offended. Why, I had no clue. I didn’t even know what the hell that meant and certainly didn’t want Maria referring to Red as one.

Maria shrugged. “Frankie’s a teddy bear.”

Perla gasped, placing a hand on her chest.

“All right, what the hell are you two talking about? Why is Red a fireball?”

“His name is hot,” Allie finally spoke. Although I seriously wondered why she decided to contribute to this particular conversation. “Red,” she purred, testing it out on her tongue. Nodding, she confirmed, “Yeah, it’s hot.”

“Listen, some names are diabolically hot. Red, Reddington, whatever, is hot,” Bianca said, pitching in her take on this. “Knox? Hot. Brady? Hot. Dom? Blazing. Dallas? Hot. As. Fuck.”

“Still offended Frankie isn’t included in that list,” Perla murmured.

I blinked, shaking my head. “Dallas? Who the hell is that?”

Bianca shrugged. “Not sure, but whoever is dating a Dallas is lucky because they’re dating someone with a hot name.” She rolled her lips.

“Okayyy.” That was all I could say because there really was nothing else to say. “Well, hot or not, it should all be over soon.”

Although, what if I didn’t necessarily want it to be? Especially after the way Red had stood up to Nate for me. Now, that was hot. But they didn’t know about that, and I didn’t feel like getting into it all.

Interrupting my thoughts, Perla cleared her throat. “You know what you need, Jade?”