Page 15 of Graves & Griggs
In the next moment, a figure comes into the room, dropping down behind Skyla. She startles for a moment before smacking Liam’s arm.
“Don’t scare me like that, asshole!”
He snickers, placing kisses against her neck before smiling at me. “How’s it going in here?”
I smile. “Good. The boys are infatuated with Seraphina.”
“As they should be—she’s the best.” He beams with pride.
“How’s it going out there?” Skyla asks.
“Oh you know, my dick is bigger than yours. I have a better plan. No, I do,” he says, imitating each person’s voice absolutely terribly.
“Awesome,” Skyla sighs.
“But I come with good news. Wesley and I are starving?—”
“What’s new?” Skyla scoffs.
“Ah, rude,” Liam throws back before smiling. “I was going to run out and pick up some provisions. Anything the boys like in particular?”
The gesture is surprisingly kind, and it settles a piece inside of me. Shaking my head, I smile. “Whatever you get, they’ll eat. Thank you.”
“Alright! I’ll be back soon,” he says, pressing a kiss to the top of Skyla’s head before he practically bounces out of the room.
“He’s got… a lot of energy,” I say slowly.
Skyla laughs, nodding in agreement. “That he does.”
Chapter Six
Ronan
Liam brought home a mountain of food—tacos and burritos. Typically, our takeout orders are large because we have nine mouths to feed, but this is insane. Seven takeout bags later, the kitchen island and dining room table are covered, every inch, with food of some sort. All the kids are eating burritos decently in peace until Liam flicks a spoonful of beans at Jackson. He gives Liam a wicked smile as he does the same, nailing him right in the forehead. Naturally, the Graves twins think this is hilarious and begin grabbing handfuls of food, tossing them at anyone and everyone. When Brooks gets an eyeful of sour cream, I decide to call it.
“Alright, we’re done. Enough!” I snap at Liam, who’s still throwing food.
He pauses, looking at me with a guilty smile. Rolling my eyes, I smack the back of his head as I take a bite of my food and point my fork at him. “You’re a bad influence, so you’ll be cleaning up this mess.”
Liam’s eyes go wide the way the kids’ do when they’re outraged by something. “C’mon—that’s not fair. I was just messing around!”
“Liam, you’re almost twenty-eight years old,” Skyla scoffs, laughing as she shakes her head.
He shrugs like he couldn’t care less how old he is before he starts eating some of the food on the table. The Graves twins grin before they begin doing the same. Seraphina watches them carefully before going back to her own meal.
“I need a drink,” I mutter as I stand.
“Get me one too, Daddy!” Liam calls out.
“No,” I answer flatly. “Blake? Would you like something? Beer? Wine? Tequila?”
Skyla laughs as Blake shakes her head.
“No, thank you.”
“You sure?” I ask as I pour myself a Scotch.
She pauses for a moment before giving me a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m okay. Thank you, though.”
