Page 100 of Where Broken Wings Fly

“Nope. That’s all.”

Pressing a hand to my aching stomach, I breathe through another wave of pain. To make matters worse, two familiar pairs of short, stocky legs are approaching the gazebo. Seeing the twins side by side is a huge shock to the system.

“Hey guys,” Zach greets. “What did we miss?”

I gesture towards the bouncy castle. “The big reveal.”

“Sorry, babe. I was dragging this one out of his antisocial cave.”

Micah narrows his eyes on his twin. “It’s a studio. Not a cave.”

“Smells like a cave to me,” Zach comments.

Helping himself to a beer, he deliberately doesn’t offer one to Micah who looks beyond desperate for a drink. Standing next to each other, their similarities are stark, but so are their differences.

“What were you two chinwagging about?” Zach uncaps his beer and takes a long pull.

Ryder laughs. “Wouldn’t you like to know, Zachariah. Can I ask if there’s any particular reason why you’re walking around in a princess’s tiara?”

He adjusts the plastic tiara buried in his caramel hair. “What? I’m embracing the theme. It was this or a zebra mask.”

“It’s quite the look.”

“I figured I’d make a sexier princess,” he replies smugly. “Willow?”

“You’d make a beautiful little princess.”

“Little?” Zach frowns.

We burst out laughing at the look of indignation on his face. Taking a seat next to his brother, Micah spares me a nod that kills my short-lived good mood. He’s avoided me like the plague, and he won’t even meet my eyes.

Thinking my luck can’t get any worse, I nearly combust into flames when Killian leaves his isolated perch in the corner of the garden and collapses into one of the empty chairs instead. He makes a point of resting a possessive hand on my thigh.

“Sooo,” Zach singsongs. “Should we play a game or something? Is truth or dare still a thing at parties? Anyone got a juicy secret to tell?”

“No,” Killian and I blurt at the same time.

Zach nearly falls off his chair, he’s laughing so hard. Ryder smothers a grin as he polishes off his drink. Amidst the laughing dickheads, Micah sits in stony awkward silence.

I can only assume that Zach spilled the beans to him about finding me in Killian’s bed, very much naked and thoroughly fucked for the world to see. I’ll add it to the list of things I need to apologise for.

“I’m gonna get some food,” Killian announces.

Zach bats his lashes. “Get me some, cuz.”

“Piss off, kid. You’ve got legs, haven’t you?”

Ryder stands, sparing me a wink. “I’ll come too, Kill. Back in a mo. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Traitor,” I mouth at him.

I’m left alone with the twins both facing me from their rattan sofa. Zach stares at me like I’m a meal he wants to devour, while Micah cracks open a bottle of water, looking longingly at the cooler full of alcohol in the corner.

“How are you doing, Mi?”

He shrugs. “Fine. Got my supplies.”

“That’s good, then.”

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