Maddox
I stood in my home office, the floor–to–ceiling windows giving me the beautiful view of the city beneath me. While the night lights and stars in the sky were quite the sight to look at, they didn’t hold my attention the way they usually did and it was because of Harper.
Friday was just a few days away but it felt like months. That was how much she made me want
her.
She shouldn’t have been in those jeans in thete–night video chats. They’d gotten in the of everything she could’ve shown me.
way
I was d she wasing but my patience was already running thin. After the previous night, I needed her under me, surrendering to my control.
I turned away from the window and reached for my ss of water. I needed <i>to </i>focus. My father was on his way and I didn’t want to keep thinking about Friday while he was present.
It was going to be his first time visiting me in my new home and while he made it sound like a casual visit, that was so unlike him. I was certain he wanted to talk to me about something important. Could it have been what we had discussed the day we yed golf?
At the sound of an engine pulling up into my front yard, I took the elevator to get to the ground floor faster, even clearing my throat like I was about to make a speech in a boardroom. He still made me want to act like that.
The doorbell rang right as I got to the door and when I opened it, it wasn’t just my father standing there. Grayson, Tiffany and Margot were with him. Why the fuck had theye? The thought of the unpleasant visit made me tighten my grip on the doorknob.
“You’re the only one I was expecting,” I bluntly said to my father. “I didn’t know you’d havepany.”
“We all wanted to surprise you! It’s good to see you, too, dear.” Margot faked augh in her annoying voice.
“Speak for yourselves.” Tiffany rolled her eyes with crossed arms. “Being here already suffocates me.”
“If that’s the case, why did you bothering here?” My expression was nk but my tone was a little sharp.
“Ugh! Do you actually think I want to be here? I came because mom forced me.”
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I almostughed. Of course she had a part to y so she could keep up appearances in front of my father.
“Are you going to let us in, or will you keep us standing here?” his voice cut through the
standoff.
With a clenched jaw, I stepped aside and swept my arm toward the living room.
Grayson was thest one toe in and as he walked past me, I had a small smirk, thinking about everything Harper had said to mete at night.
He noticed it and even stopped in his tracks, but I shrugged and said, “What?”
“It’s nothing,” he said, continuing in his steps so he could sit beside Tiffany.
I sat right across from the two of them, my single seat not so far from where my father had
taken a seat.
Unlike the rest of us, Margot didn’t yet take her seat as she was <i>too </i>busy looking around the entire living room. “This is very impressive. You have such excellent taste a-”
“Anything to drink?” I cut her mid–sentence as I looked around at everyone. I didn’t have time to listen to her fakepliments.
“Thanks, but that can wait,” my father said, his tone firm and businesslike. “We’re here to talk about what happened between you and Tiffany at the party.”
“That’s right, honey!” Margot annoyingly added, dropping herself next to him and right on the side where she would be close to me.
“That argument should’ve never happened,” he continued. “The way I see it, what’s done is done and the best we can do is move forward. Now, both of you are going to talk about this, right now. By the time we all get back to San Francisco, everything should be back to normal.”
Tiffany pursed her lips, shooting me a re. “I have nothing to apologize for.”
I leaned back in my seat with a faint smirk. “Neither do I.”
“Maddox.” His tone was sharp and the kind he used when he wanted obedience. “You’re the older one. That’s why I don’t expect you to be so emotional over what happened. Tiffany’s your sister and one day, my wife and I will be gone from this world. When that happens, the two of you will only have each other.”
I had to press my lips together just so I wouldn’tugh. But I wasn’t about to say anything. I didn’t care what anyone present thought of me.
My eyes were still on Tiffany while she kept ring at me, but just for a second, I caught her
<b>16:07 </b><b>Tue</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>16 </b>
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ncing at Margot and when she looked back at me again, she uncrossed her arms with a warm smile and a fake softness in her eyes.
“Dad’s right.” Her voice was now sweet. “We shouldn’t let things from the paste between <ol><li>us. Can we start over?<b>” </b></li></ol>
I didn’t miss the act for a second, but I decided to y along. I knew that was what my would’ve wanted.
My lips curved into something that looked like a smile, even if it wasn’t. “Sure<b>.</b><b>” </b>
father
Margot loudly sped her hands together. “Excellent! How about the two of you spend some time together tomorrow? You know, a little sibling bonding?”
“I’m too busy,” I said, not even ncing at her.
“Oh, then how about next weekend?”
“I can’t.” My eyes were now on Grayson who was looking down at his phone. “I already have ns with Harper.”
His head shot up towards me with shock written all over his face. He blinked rapidly topose himself, but I had already seen it and loved every second of it.
He looked like he wanted to ask me about it right away and even opened his mouth, then shut it quickly as he had to y it cool in front of everyone else.
“I can’t believe you’re still giving that girl your precious time,” Margot said with genuine disapproval. “I thought what you had with Kate was-”
“Real?” <b>I </b>cut in. “You know how it goes with me. Anyway, Friday’s not possible because I’m not cancelling on Harper.”
I thought it was over with Grayson, but I was wrong because he couldn’t hold back anymore.
“I thought you’d be spending time with Juliet or ire.”
I let out a humorlessugh at how he brought them into the conversation. “I haven’t even met up with them in a while. I’m <i>too </i>busy for that.”
“Not busy enough if you’re meeting up with Harper.”