Page 72 of Together We Burn
“Everything okay?”
“Did you see Alex and Chris?”
He shrugged one shoulder impassively. “I’m sure it’s nothing, baby.”
I scowled and joined everyone in the kitchen. Nate had pulled out a Nintendo Switch and was trying to get Alex’s attention, which was firmly fixed on Chris as she drank from a water bottle.
“Uncle Alex?” Nate said, tugging on the short sleeve of his pink Henley t-shirt. “See? This is the game. Uncle Alex!”
“Uncle Alex?” I mimicked, ignoring my nephew and staring daggers at Alex. “Since when are you,Uncle Alex?”
“Nate’s always just called him uncle since he could speak, Stefy,” Chris placated. But then Alex’s mouth tilted up at the sides as a dirty grin tugged at his lips.
“I like it,‘Uncle Alex.’It makes me feel special.” He then flicked his eyes to Chris, running them up and down her body blatantly, as she took another large drink of water. I suspected she was doing that to ignore the tension in the room. Awkward, sexual tension in this kitchen that could be cut with a knife.
Then, under his breath, but not nearly quiet enough for us to miss, he muttered, “But I love it when Chris calls meDaddymore.”
Water sprayed out from Chris’s mouth as her face went beetroot red. Nate, none the wiser, looked at his mom and laughed.
“What the fuck, Alex?” I snarled, stepping toward him until Jake’s arm coiled around my waist, holding me back.
Nate gasped. “Five bucks.”
“What?” I said, glaring at him. And right then, I felt like the world’s shittiest auntie as he cowered back, looking at Chris and then Alex with pleading eyes.
“Mom–Mom says that’s five bucks in the jar whenever someone says a swear.” Nate wrung his hands the way Chris had done when she was little, nervous as he sidled up beside her.
“Shit,” I muttered, and Nate’s eyes widened. “I… fuck… Nate…”
“That’s fifteen dollars now, baby. You’re on a roll.” Jake laughed, kissing the top of my head and making Nate laugh.
“C’mon, buddy, why don’t you go show Uncle Alex your game outside for a bit, huh?” Chris suggested, smoothing down her son’s hair lovingly. “Let me and your Aunt Stefy catch up?”
“Okay, Mom,” he replied with a smile.
I watched as he and Alex left for the backyard as Nate’s excited chatter resumed.
“Chris, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”
“It’s okay, Stefy. You’re not used to kids, that’s all,” she said, her voice warm and not at all condescending. Chuckling, she said, “You just have to be careful. They are like sponges, soaking everything up."
Looking at Jake, then at me, she became serious as she said, “I think it’s time you tell me why we’re really here.”
Chapter twenty-eight
Stevie
“SoDad’sdead?”Chrisasked, and I nodded.
I’d just finished updating her with the past couple of months, starting from my assignment right up to the news of Mom’s investigators finding out where they were, but purposely leaving out the delightful letter Daddy Dearest delivered from the grave.
“Why didn’t you call me sooner, Stefy?” she asked.
“I didn’t want to put you in danger, Chris,” I replied, and she huffed, throwing her hands in the air.
“Danger?” she repeated. “Don’t you think it was more dangerous not to alert me to the threat rather than keep me in the dark?”
My stomach dropped. Wasn’t this what I’d been saying for months now? By Will, Alex, and Jake keeping things from me, I’d been put in unnecessary danger, became seriously ill, and almost got my nephew taken by a certifiably insane woman.
