Page 30 of Savage Grace

Theo rolled his eyes my way and gave me an incredulous look.

“Fine.” I put up my hands, realising I had pushed too far.

It wasn’t much, but it was something.

Theo parked the car in the underground garage of me and Larissa’s building, and Larissa got out with a slam of her door but without a goodbye.

“Well, thanks for coming, I guess,” I sighed, picking up my bags.

“It’s my job, Zar.”

With a smile and a nod, I leaned over to open my door.

“Zarina,” Theo said, grabbing me by the arm. “Promise me. Promise me that you won’t go looking for trouble.”

I frowned at him. “Why would I do that?”

The corner of his mouth twitched upward slightly. “Call it a gut feeling.”

My eyes flickered down to his hand wrapped around my forearm, then I looked back up into his dark brown eyes. I felt a little guilty momentarily, seeing the concern in his face.

I softened my face, forcing a sweet, innocent smile. “You don’t have to worry, I have much better things to do.”

He smiled for real this time and let go of my arm.

“Bye, Zar,” he said, sitting back in his seat and leaning his head back against the headrest. When I closed the door behind me and fumbled with my bags, he was still watching me.

“What?” I snapped, leaning down towards the window.

He rolled it down, now laughing.

“I don’t know. I just…” he shook his head, “I feel like I know you already.”

The sincerity in his eyes caused me to give him probably the first of the genuine smiles I ever gave Theo, and I knew what he meant.

Though I didn’t enjoy having a babysitter around, I’d been surprisingly comfortable with his presence and we’d fallen into an easy routine that felt like it was old and worn in. But, though I could sense the sincerity in his words, something in my gut was still churning with suspicion.

I didn’t trust this guy, and that was all I knew.

10

ZARINA

Just like everyother Sunday since Ren and Val returned from their hideaway in Sweden, my whole family gathered at their house for the afternoon.

I would watch the twins in the morning to give Val and Ren some time to themselves, and then we would all have dinner and chat until late at night.

It was quickly becoming my favourite day of the week.

Though we were a complicated unit, there was nothing more fulfilling to me than being surrounded by my family. The little monsters running around the kitchen, the easy laughter that came from my brothers, those cathartic conversations that I had with my sisters. Even though it wasn’t my house, it still felt like home when they were all around.

I held Evie on my hip while Eliza sat on the kitchen counter, chubby hands in the cookie dough.

“When are you going to have this for yourself?” A voice startled me from the kitchen entrance.

I jumped a little, turning around.

“Don’t do that, Mum!” I snapped, putting a hand over my heart.

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