Page 69 of Reluctant Rebel

She smiled at him. “Thanks. And thank you, boys. This is gorgeous. I absolutely love it.”

“Because Draven is the only one of us capable of shopping without having a breakdown, he got it,” Brax revealed. “But we all thought of it.”

“It’s wonderful,” Jinx promised them all.I’m so lucky,she thought silently, hardly able to believe how far her fate had shifted from when she was a child. She spent the next ten minutes opening gift after gift. They were an eclectic mix of functionality, frivolity, and heart. Just as she thought she was safe from another scented candle, Gage handed her a white box with a red ribbon around it.

“There’s one more,” he said helpfully. “No card.”

Jinx murmured her thanks, relieved when the guests went back to chatting. She was never entirely comfortable with so many eyes on her. Her fingers deftly undid the ribbon, and her breath caught in her throat as she lifted the box lid. A slender band of polished metal lay, nestled in tissue paper—a collar almost identical to the one from her painful past.

Memories flooded back unbidden: the cold walls, the harsh voices, the degradation and despair. She blinked rapidly, willing away the hot tears that threatened to spill.

“What'd you get, Jinx?” Eric called cheerfully from across the room.

Jinx plastered on a smile, shoving the collar deep into the gift box. “Some more socks,” she lied smoothly. She tucked the boxunder a pile of discarded wrapping paper, scooping it all up in her arms. “I’m just going to tidy up some.”

She headed straight for the rubbish bin outside. With shaking hands, she pulled out the box containing the collar and tossed it in. She watched as it landed with a satisfying thud among the discarded food wrappers and empty cans. She had no idea who would do such a thing, but she knew there would be hell to pay if anyone behind those doors found out.

Finally able to breathe again, Jinx turned to head back inside when she heard a noise behind her. Whipping around, she saw Mikhail standing there with a concerned look on her face.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

She brushed imaginary fluff off her pants, avoiding eye contact. “Yes. Of course. I was just putting some rubbish in the bin and getting some fresh air while I’m at it.”

Mikhail’s green eyes flicked to the bin behind her, but thankfully, he made no comment about it. “I was wondering if you would allow me to give you a gift.”

Her first inclination was to tell him no. She’d had more than enough presents now. “You don’t need to give me anything, Mikhail.”

“I know. But I want to,” he insisted. “Will you let me?”

Jinx hesitated one last time before agreeing. “Okay.”

His relieved grin was boyish and charming. “Great. Will you meet me in the gardens near Brax’s rooms tomorrow?”

“Oh.” That wasn’t exactly what she had in mind, but she went with it. “Sure. What time? What should I wear?”

“How about midday?” Mikhail offered after thinking for a second. “And wear anything you want. You always look beautiful.”

Her smile faltered a little when she thought of the collar lying in the bin behind her. She didn’t feel beautiful. Not anymore.And what was worse, someone else knew just how ugly her past was as well.

28

Something was wrong, Mikhail thought, watching Jinx interact with Mercy and his husband, Heath. Something about the last gift she’d opened had dulled her shine. He wanted to respect her right to privacy, but his fear for her well-being was greater. Before he could sneak outside, Brax waylaid him.

“I thought we could introduce Jinx to a family birthday tradition.”

Mikhail had no idea what his brother was talking about. “What birthday tradition?”

Brax’s amber eyes lit up. “Dodgeball.”

Mikhail’s stomach plummeted. “No.”

“Yes,” Brax fired back. “Don’t you remember how we would play it every birthday? No matter whose it was, we always played.”

“We haven’t done that for years,” Mikhail exclaimed. “And it’s not a tradition I’m going to subject Jinx to, that’s for sure.”

Sabre rolled her eyes from her position next to Brax. “Don’t be such a baby.”

“A baby? Last time we played, you gave me a concussion,” Mikhail reminded her. “And it was just the two of us. Which meant I was your only target.”

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