“Hi, Mom.” I brush my dark hair over the right side of my face, trying to cover the scars. Even after missing a full year of school, I’m still able to graduate with the rest of my class. That’s what today is: graduation day.
“I hate when you do that,” she scowls as she enters the room. Pushing my hair back, Mom never hesitates to touch my scars. She’s always insisting I wear them with pride. Show my strength. I don’t feel strong, though.
“I don’t like people staring.”
“I’ll kill anyone who stares,” a masculine voice chimes in.
“Holden!” I wasn’t expecting my brother to be here. Running into his arms, I wrap my arms around his neck, and he picks me up, spinning me around before placing me back on my feet. “I didn’t know you were coming.”
“Do you really think I’d miss this?”
“I wasn’t sure. You’ve been so busy.” My eyes drift away, and I feel shame that I doubted him.
“Aria.” He brings my chin back around. “I’d never let you down. You know that.” I do know. He didn’t four years ago or even a year ago. Not when I was five and my dog was hit by a car. Never has Holden let me down.
“Well, I’m glad you’re here.” I smile at him, biting my tongue to stop from asking about the two people I want to see most.
“Come on, princess, time to go.” Mom ushers me out, pinning my hair away from my face as we walk down the stairs.
“There’s my girl.” My father, King Adair, is standing at the bottom of the stairs with Uncle Cas and Aunt Talia.
“Where’s Hadley?” I frown. Born only weeks apart, we’ve been best friends and nearly inseparable since birth.
“Outside.” Cas winks, and I know they’re up to something.
Rushing to the doors, I fling one open to see Hadley standing next to two matching Lexus’s. One in white, the other black. “What is this?” I ask her.
“They’re ours!” Her blonde hair bounces as she jumps and twirls.
Gazing back up at my parents, I ask, “Seriously?”
Daddy nods. “Black one is yours.” Tossing me the keys, I catch them as Holden comes down the steps with a scowl on his face.
“Don’t you think it’s too soon for that?” My brother is a perpetual worrier.
“Not by a long shot.” A new voice interjects, and I spin to see Severo Petrov-Corelli stalking towards me, an intense look in his blue gaze. “Hey, princess,” he mutters before his hand balls my hair in a fist, and he drops a serious kiss on my lips. I’m so shocked, I don’t know how to react, and soon, he’s gone.
“What the fuck, Petrov!” Holden roars as he pulls Severo away from me, shoving him and yelling. I don’t hear a bit of it; I’m still lost in the feel of his lips on mine.
“Hey there, pretty girl,” Seven murmurs in my ear from behind, turning my head around and repeating his twin brother's actions. Shocking me with a kiss I have no idea how to process.
I like it. I liked both.
But two.
Both of them?
What do I do with that?
“For fuck’s sake!” Holden looks murderous, and I know things are about to explode.
“You taste like candy, pretty girl,” Seven whispers as Holden storms over.
“I told you both to back the fuck off. She isn’t ready!” my brother snarls at the twins, and both plant a smirk on their faces that pronounces their dimples. So much like their dads’. Even though they’re twins, heavily favoring Aunt Nika's features, one is fathered by Dimitri and the other by Daniel. No one knows which but me.
I can tell. Severo is calm and sweet; he carries a lightness in his soul, more akin to Daniel’s. While Seven is darker, his eyes scream with wicked intent, and he rarely smiles, much like Dimitri.
“What the hell is going on?” my father roars, death in his cold gaze as he looks between the twins and his oldest son.