Page 208 of Bliss & Her Idols

Suddenly, the door opens, and Devin hurriedly stands. He smooths down his suit, taking a step away from the Idol.

Who can scare the twins?

Philomena strolls into the studio. “Out.”

Immediately, the Idols help their friend back to her feet and then scurry out of the room with a sense of relief.

Aran runs his hand through his hair, tidying it. “How can we…?”

“Practice is going well?” Philomena narrows her cold blue eyes at Aran.

She’s dressed in a pink suit with ivory high heels.

She looks like she’s just jetted in from a top business meeting and not as if she’s spent the evening beating her brother.

The twins exchange a glance, before Devin walks protectively to stand by his brother’s shoulder. “Awesome.”

“You were always as bad at lying, as your brother was at…well, everything else.”

Aran’s mouth twists, sullenly. “Why are you taking things out on us?”

Devin forces himself to meet his sister’s eye. “It’s not us who fucked up this time. Tortor broke every rule.”

“And I stripped the skin from his back for that.”

“What about yourfavorite, Rory?” Aran crosses his arms. “Do we get to play with him? He fucked up just as badly.”

“My favorite?” Philomena looks amused. “You always were a jealous little brat.”

Devin bares his teeth. “That cowardly runt should never have been adopted into this pack.”

“Would you still say that, if it had saved Mom from trying for another kid?”

Devin bristles, deliberately ignoring the question.

I sneak a glance at Torin.

His attention is fixed on the scene in front of him. After all, he is that kid.

I also have a sense that his family never let down their walls and talk like this in front of him.

How must it feel to know that your own siblings are united by the wish that you weren’t born?

Devin looks away. “Are we playingwhat ifnow?”

Aran smirks. “I’m good at games.”

“What if Tortor had died, rather than Mom? What if Rory wasn’t only good at looking pretty and having his ass kicked, so Dad hadn’t wanted another kid to start with? What if…?”

“What if I decide thatyourather than Torin needs to be sent to the Alpha Center?” Philomena examines her nails.

Devin scowls. “Look, you can have fun pretending that Rory is your bonded bitch. He has to be good for something, right?” A chill runs down my spine. Is Rory simply being insulted like he always seems to be, or is Devin implying something that I hate to think about? “But Rory can kiss my ass as much as he likes. I’ll never stop fucking with him.”

Philomena gives Devin a long look. “Are you going to try to kill him like you tried to kill your baby brother?”

Silence.

Torin becomes ashen.

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