Page 6 of Sinful Storms

My father nodded. “That’s true.” His eyes widened as if he’d suddenly remembered something, and he lifted his hand in the air, drawing the attention of a staff member. “A bottle of the 2008 Louis Roederer, please.”

My brows rose at his words. It wasn’t uncommon for my parents to spend obscene amounts of money on champagne, but Cristal during a family brunch? No. Still, it was a change of subject, so I was grateful for it, regardless.

When the sommelier had returned with the bottle and filled our glasses with crisp, bubbling champagne, my mother met my father’s gaze, exchanging a conspiratorial smile before raising her flute. “To the new mayor of Nottswood.”

My father was the mayor of Nottswood? Since when?

It was as if he’d read my mind. His eyes landed on me, the same electric blue fringed with golden brown lashes, but his gaze was softened by the lines that crinkled around the edges. “There will be an official announcement tomorrow.”

“Congratulations.” I held out my hand. He shook it, and then my mother hugged me, and then Aria had to follow suit… In what felt like just a few seconds, we were in front of each other.

My parents’ eyes were on us, so we hugged stiffly, springing apart as quickly as we could. I fucking hated that my inclination was to hold on to her. It was probably some leftover childish thing from when we’d been joined at the hip for a short amount of time before she started snubbing me when I began making new friends and discovered that there were girls who were actually into me.

Aria was a fucking complicated mess of contradictions, and for my own sanity and hers, I preferred to interact with her as little as possible. The girls I chose to surround myself with were uncomplicated. Explicit in what they wanted, and they understood what I wanted in return. I enjoyed my rivalry-slash-banter with my godsister, both of us pushing each other, but it was safe. We both knew we’d never cross that line—one, because we severely disliked each other, two, because we were so different, and three, because my parents would have a lot tosay if we ever lost our minds enough to be anything more than reluctantly civil.

You could find someone attractive while hating them, believe me. Especially if they made it clear how much they hated you in return.

Life was too short to complicate it with anything more than that.

4

TRISTAN

Sometimes, the day pupils who attended Hatherley Hall and spent their nights at home wondered what the rest of us got up to during the evenings. I’d heard all sorts of rumours, and most of them were untrue. Yeah, we did sneak into each other’s rooms sometimes. The crypts were in regular use for members of the elite. Students found dark, secret corners for illicit activities. But the truth was, a lot of our nights looked like this. Hanging out in our common room, chilling before our nightly curfew that preceded another day of learning. Right now, a large group of us were sprawled out in our common room on the soft rugs with a deck of cards in the centre, while other members of Epicurus House were talking quietly, doing homework, huddled in front of laptops and tablets watching TV shows, or grouped around the TV playing on one of our consoles.

I splayed out my cards, studying my hand. Not bad. Potentially good if I could keep up my poker face.

When I raised my gaze from my cards, I held out my free hand.

“Do I look like your fucking servant?” Roman said, slapping my water bottle into my outstretched palm.

“Hey. I didn’t ask you to pass that to me.”

“No? What was the grabby hand all about?”

“Grabby hand,” I repeated, shaking my head. “Shut the fuck up. Please.”

He laughed, shoving at my shoulder. “Did anyone ever tell you that you speak way too much shit?”

“Whatever you say, grabby hand boy.”

Across the circle, honey eyes met mine for a second before flitting away. When we were away from the scrutiny of my parents, there was no pressure to act a certain way around each other, and I knew Aria wouldn’t be able to resist speaking up. I clenched my teeth, bracing myself for the inevitable as she lifted her hand, flicking her index finger towards me as she addressed Roman.

“I’ve told him he speaks too much shit before. Many times.”

I gave an exaggerated sigh. “Hmm. Of course you have. Have you ever heard the phrase ‘it takes one to know one’?”

“To know that you’d have to pay attention to the things I say,” she responded with an exaggerated eye roll.

Roman was staring between me and Aria, smirking, so I discreetly showed him my middle finger.

“Can we get on with the game, please?” Leah called out, and I nodded.

“Yeah. Some people will use any excuse to take a look at our cards while we’re distracted.”

Leah gasped, pressing her hand of cards to her chest as she shot a suspicious look at Aria, who was sitting next to her. I exchanged an amused glance with Roman, quickly looking away before I laughed out loud, my gaze accidentally landing on Aria again.

I hate you, she mouthed, and my grin widened.

---