Page 89 of Surrender
“Um…hey,” I reply stupidly as I make my way over to the nearby sink.
“I just wanted to take a moment to chat privately while we have the time,” she states, watching me out of the corner of her eye. She chuckles softly and adds, “Up until tonight, all I really knew about you was that you were Sloan—the stylist who’s been jerking my brother around for some time now.”
My blood runs cold at the tone in her voice. It’s as ice cold as the water coming out of the faucet. I look at Vi’s reflection in the mirror and reply, “It’s more complicated than that.”
She nods knowingly and eyes herself in the mirror, gently fluffing her long blonde curls. “I can respect complicated. Lord knows I’ve had my fair share of complications with my fiancé, Hayden.” She stops primping and stares at my reflection when she adds, “What I can’t respect are lies.”
Instantly, my eyes drop down to focus on the soap I’m pumping into my hand, willing the act to calm my nerves. “I’m not sure I know what you’re referring to.”
She exhales and leans herself on the counter to face me. “I’m told you’re a mother.” My face falls further when she adds with a wink, “No secrets in the Harris family.”
I stare into her clear blue eyes to search for what mood she’s going for right now. Her eyes aren’t cold, but they aren’t warm either. They’re…cautious. She’s sending me a warning, and I’m picking it up loud and clear.
“You’re a mother, too, right?” I ask, reaching for a towel and recalling how excited Gareth was when he became an uncle last year. Maybe this small commonality will help Vi understand my point of view.
“Adrienne is one year old,” she replies with a serious nod.
“Then you know how important it is to protect our children from things we’re unsure of,” I reply, straightening my shoulders.
“Oh, I understand that completely,” Vi replies, moving in closer as she points to the bathroom door. “Adrienne has four uncles out there who would literally take a bullet for her if it meant they could protect her from something that might cause her harm.”
Tears prick the backs of my eyes from the conviction in her voice. She’s not overstating a thing. She’s speaking one hundred percent truth. This is the kind of family devotion that I’ve only ever dreamed of for Sophia.
“That’s incredible,” I state simply because it’s the truth.
Vi’s furrowed brow remains in place as she ignores my response. “Gareth may be my older brother, but he’s protected me his whole life, so now it’s my turn to protect him.”
“Vi, this isn’t necessary—”
“Speaking mother-to-mother here, I will kill you with my bare hands if you break his heart.” Her jaw is tight, but her face is so gorgeous, it’s at complete odds with her threat. Her beauty doesn’t stop the nervous goosebumps from erupting on my scalp, though.
“Why do you think I’m going to break his heart?” I croak.
She shakes her head, her eyes softening only slightly. “Because Gareth doesn’t smile.”
“What?” I ask with a frown. What the hell does that mean? I’ve seen him smile loads of times.
“Not the way he’s been smiling at you tonight.” Her eyes are no longer scary. They’re shiny and vulnerable. Afraid.
“Okay…” I reply slowly, my voice trailing off.
“Mother-to-mother, don’t screw this up, Sloan.” Her voice cracks as she moves back and clears her throat, clearly frustrated that her emotions are getting the best of her.
I’m reading through the lines, though. This isn’t a threat. It’s a plea. An intimidating plea, but one I can understand on so many levels.
She flicks her hair playfully. “I may not be as big as my brothers, but I am mighty.”
I smile at that. “I think that’s a Harris thing.”
“Bloody well right.” Her prideful smile is back as she makes her way to the door. Pausing, she looks over her shoulder and softly adds, “Thank you.”
“For what?”
She takes a deep breath. “For showing me this side of Gareth. I thought it was gone forever.”
With that, she strides out of the bathroom, leaving me in a wake of feelings that will take me years to fully process.
If I could sum up what tonight felt like in two words, they would besexual fucking tension.
