Page 21 of Fragile Sanctuary

“What’d you work on today?” Lolli asked Kye, saving us from any battles of wills before dinner.

“Pretty decent chest piece and a tribal on a calf.” He rolled his eyes at the second one. “Lots of idiots turning eighteen this spring.”

Lolli chuckled. “I got a tattoo when I turned eighteen.”

Kyler’s brows rose at that tidbit of information.

“Wild child, right across my?—”

“Okay,” Trace cut in as he picked up Keely. “I think that’s enough corruption for one night.”

Keely looked up at her dad. “What’s corrupston?”

“It means your uncle and supergran are bad influences.”

Keely just giggled. “No, they’re not. They’re the besterest.”

“Listen to the child,” Lolli said, grabbing her wine. “She could teach you to live a little.”

“Don’t start, Lolls.”

She just sent Trace a pointed look. “It wouldn’t hurt for you to go out on the town. Have a beer. Do some…dancing.”

Keely patted her dad’s chest. “You should, Daddy. Dancing is the best!”

Shep choked on a laugh. “Your dad hasn’t been dancing in a long time. Maybe that’s why he’s so grumpy.”

She frowned at him. “Are you missing dancing? I’d be grumpy if I couldn’t dance.”

Trace covered his daughter’s ears. “I hate you all.”

“It’s not nice to hate, Daddy,” Keely yelled too loudly.

Nora shook her head as she carried a massive baking dish of lasagna to the table. “Fallon, will you get the salad?” She glanced at Shep, a hopeful glint in her eyes. “Is Anson able to make it?”

A little of the levity left his expression. “Not this time.”

Nora’s shoulders slumped, and my annoyance at the broody bastard flared. The idea of anyone being on their own, withoutpeople, would hurt her heart. But Anson wouldn’t care about that. He’d just be off in his sulky corner.

Lolli made a tsking sound as she carried her glass and the open bottle of red to the table. “Gotta get past that boy’s defenses. He’s too pretty to be wasting away all alone.”

I couldn’t help the scoffing sound that slipped past my lips.

Lolli sent me a pointed look. “Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed those muscles and piercing eyes.”

“Doesn’t make his personality any more charming,” I grumbled.

“Their personality doesn’t matter if their mouth is busy doingotherthings,” she said with a devious grin.

Keely’s face scrunched. “What would their mouth be doing? It’s rude to talk with your mouth full. Dad says.”

Trace pinched the bridge of his nose. “For the love of all that’s holy, will you all please rein it in before my girl gets expelled from the first grade?”

A chuckle slipped past Kye’s lips, then Fallon giggled. It only took a matter of seconds before laughter engulfed everyone. But I couldn’t help but remember the flicker of coldness in Anson’s gaze. Something that didn’t seem as if it had always been there. A coldness that something awful must have put there.

7

ANSON

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