Snare (Falling Stars #3) (11 page)

Pizza in hand, he sits next to me.

"Growth spurt," he responds, smiling.

Ember slides plates and napkins in front of us. She places another set out when ten-year-old Nate sits next to his brother.

Both boys took after their father's Italian heritage—thick dark hair and olive skin. Ian even resembles Em's husband, Andrew, while Nate looks like a darker version of her.

"Where's Cass and Lyra?" Nate asks, biting into a slice of pizza.

"They're downstairs, asleep," Em tells him, following quickly with, "leave them alone." She points a finger at Nate, warning the little prankster.

"What?" he asks, a little too innocently.

"I mean it, Nathaniel. They're having a hard time right now."

He drops his head, and whispers, "Okay."

"Really, I'm fine, I can just—"

The sound of Sid's voice has me turning toward the staircase.

"Nonsense," my mother cuts her off, dragging her along. "We brought pizza and wine, plus you've been locked away in that room for an hour."

Brow furrowed, Sid presses her lips together tight.

I laugh, knowing she's fighting the urge to tell off her celebrity crush.

Her eyes meet mine and narrow.

"Christ, Xavier, you haven't showered yet?" my mother asks as she and Sid stop next to me.

The scent of Sidra wraps around my body like a seductive embrace.
Damn, she smells good. I've gotta figure it out before it drives me insane.

"Well?" Mom presses.

"I just came up from—"

"You had time enough to eat pizza," my mother, known for inability to let anyone finish what they're saying, says. "Go shower before the boys get drunk off your hangover fumes."

"Says the woman who's going to start drinking in about five minutes," I mumble, standing from my seat.

"Don't talk back," she snaps.

Sid snorts, and I glare at her.

She mouths, "Momma's boy," while pointing and sticking out her bottom lip.

When my mom turns toward her, the face is gone and she's the picture of innocence.

Ember bursts into laughter. "Damn, I love you," she declares to Sid.

My mom looks from Em, to me, then to Sid. Sid gives a small shrug, like she has no clue what's going on.

"What are you waiting for?" my mom asks, perturbed.

"Fuck my life," I growl, walking away to go shower.

"Watch your mouth around my kids," Em taunts.

I'm surrounded by crazy women.

Sidra

After an introduction to Xavier's nephews, Ian and Nate, the interrogation beings: how did I end up at the cabin, when did I arrive, where I'm from. Who knew Sherry Stone, porn queen, would be the leader of the Great Sid Inquisition.

What started as a dream come true—meeting someone I've worshiped for so long—is now fading into reality bites. The woman doesn't let me finish my sentences, demands every detail, and coddles Xavier like he's a little kid.

I stay uncharacteristically quiet, but holding my tongue is taking its damn toll. If the woman keeps it up, I'll have no choice but to hack her salon's computer system and schedule her for a hot mess makeover.

Taking a drink of the wine Sherry's been pouring non-stop, I fight my urge for vengeance.

"How long have you been dating my son?" I knew this question was coming.

"We are
not
dating," I emphasize.

"So, you're just having sex?" she blurts and takes a drink from her glass.

I'm stunned silent, eyes wide and mouth open.

"Grandma," Ian and Nate whine in unison.

"I'm outta here." Ian slips off his seat.

"Me, too." Nate follows his brother.

I look from the retreating boys to Sherry, who doesn't look the least bit remorseful.

"Uh, I think there's a misunderstanding," I say.

"What's misunderstood?" Xavier asks, his body filling the space behind me.

"That we're—hey!" I exclaim.

His arm snakes around me and he takes the glass from my hand.

Tilting my head back, it bumps into his chest. I watch him put my glass to his mouth and drink.

"Thanks," he says, holding the glass out for me to take.

"Keep it," I mumble. "I like my drinks sans Wookie backwash."

I drop my chin and cross my arms over my chest.

"Quit pouting," he orders, setting the glass down in front of me.

"Is there any pizza left?" a sweet voice asks.

Twisting in the chair and leaning around Xavier, I watch one of the twins shuffle toward us. Before I turn back around, her mirror image appears behind her. They stop a few feet from us, side by side.

The line
"Come play with us,
Danny"
comes to mind. Thank God they aren't dressed alike. Instead, they couldn't look more different.

One wears black skinny jeans, a Game of Thrones t-shirt, and a full wrist of different colored bands. The other wears cloud-covered leggings, a Superwoman tunic length t-shirt, and a neon green Apple watch.

Too bad the little stick figures can't share their clothes with me.

"Yep," Em says from behind me. "There's over half of one left."

They come to the island, both of them slipping onto a seat.

Game of Thrones looks me over before meeting my eyes. When she does, I ask, "What house?"

She blinks, opens her mouth, but her father interrupts.

"House?" he asks, confusion in his voice.

I keep my eyes locked with hers and wave my hand toward his face. My nonverbal communication telling him to mind his own business is not appreciated. He grabs my hand mid-motion.

I try to pull away, but I'm forced to move my eyes up to him.

"Let go, Sasquatch," I growl.

"If you're going to wave body parts in my face, be prepared for me to grab them," he quips, grinning unabashedly.

My mouth drops open.

"There are children present," I scold.

He chuckles, releasing my hand.

Huffing, I decide to ignore him.

"Targaryen," she answers.

I turn my head and grin, catching her sister peeking around.

"House of Fire and Blood," I say, giving a wink and earning a large smile in return.

"Here you go," Ember says, sliding the pizza in front of the girls.

"Girls," Xavier's voice booms over my head, "this is Sidra."

"Sid," I correct, wrinkling my nose.

The peeking twin giggles, and says, "I know how you feel."

Furrowing my brow, I ask, "What do you mean?"

"You don't like your full name. I don't like mine either."

"What's your name?"

"Cassiopeia," she answers, scrunching her face, "but everyone calls me Cass. I remember you from Uncle Red's bar," she says, mentioning the one time we previously met.

I nod.

"At least you're not named after a porn star," Ember divulges.

"Being named after my best friend isn't something to be ashamed of," Sherry scoffs.

"Wait," I put my hands up, "you're named after Ember Storm? The same Ember who—"

"Yeah," Em clips, pursing her lips, "the same one."

"Holy Sh—crap," I say, censoring myself.

Xavier's sister is named after the first woman Cherry Summers did girl on girl.

It's painful to hold in my laughter.

"You watch Game of Thrones?" the twin asks, changing the topic.

"This is Lyra," Cass informs, pointing to her twin in the GoT shirt.

"Nice to meet you both," I say, and then answer Lyra, "Read the books, too."

Looking back up at Xavier, I ask, "You let them watch Game of Thrones? Seriously?"

He shrugs. "What's the big deal?"

"I've already tried," Ember chimes in, bringing my attention to her. "Xavier likes to be very open with these two." She thumbs toward the twins.

I put my hands up and say the only thing I can.

"I'm not judging, just surprised." Dropping my hands, I continue with my verbal onslaught. "I don't have kids, but if I did, they'd probably watch shit they aren't supposed to. So, who am I to say anything?"

The heat from his hands warms my shoulders, seeping deep into my skin. He gives a gentle squeeze, his thumbs pressing from shoulder to neck before releasing. The gesture is a bit too personal—too intimate.

I catch the look Sherry gives me over her glass and find myself instantly annoyed.

"Quit pawing at me," I say, taking the annoyance out on Xavier.

I slip off the seat and start for the stairs.

"Not so fast," Sherry says, wrapping her arm around my waist to stop me.

Damn, she's a quick fucker.
I bite the side of my cheek, trying not to laugh at my unintended internal pun.

"You aren't shutting yourself away upstairs again," she informs, guiding me to the couch by the fireplace.

"I really do have work to do," I say, trying to finish my escape.

"You have a lot of electronics up there."

She sits on the cushion next to me.

Sighing purposely loud, I nod.

"Cass, you would be in heaven," Sherry says, keeping her eyes on me. The small twitch at the corner of her mouth doesn't go unnoticed.

"What are you playing at, woman?" I question in a whisper just for her.

It's official. I'm about to make a woman I've worshiped for years hate me.

Instead of answering, she smiles and drinks from her glass.

"What kind of work do you do?" Cass's question breaks the Sid and Sherry stare down.

"Uh…I…" I hesitate. I'm pretty sure discussing Toy BoXXX™ and adult themed blogging would be frowned upon in front of children.

"Actually, Mom, she has a sex toy business you should hear about," Xavier offers, sitting in a chair across from his mother and me.

I take my wide eyes from his mother, look at the twins, and then at him.

"Sid, their grandmother was a porn star, their grandfather and aunt run a porn production studio, they know what sex toys are," he says, a half grin on his face.

"How does that work, anyway?" I turn the question on Sherry. "I mean, how do you porn it up with kids and grandchildren?"

She laughs, loudly, causing me to flinch.

"Get used to that," Ember says, taking a seat next to Xavier.

"Just wait till she gets woo-hooed," Xavier adds, still wearing the stupid half grin.

I narrow my eyes on him and notice the shirt he's wearing for the first time.

Please tell your boobs to stop staring at my eyes.

Instead of a glare, I snort.

"It's not like they came on the set with me," she says, getting my attention. And then, I get my first woo-hoo.

My eyes snap back to Xavier's and I mouth, "Oh my God."

He mouths back, "I told you," and laughs.

"Ha, get it?" Sherry asks, patting my leg and drawing my attention back to her. "They didn't
come
on set with me."

I can't help it, it's fucking priceless. I burst out laughing.

"Whew," she sighs. "Seriously, we didn't bring them to the set, but as they grew up, we would explain things."

"What was that like?" I ask Ember.

"Kami, our oldest sister, had the hardest time. By the time we were going to school, she'd already paved the way." She gives one shoulder a lift. "There were always jerks, but it could've been worse. And the production crews and actors often brought their own kids to the studio."

"Now, back to you," Sherry redirects the conversation, "you sell sex toys?"

"No," I correct, and launch into my Toy BoXXX™ venture.

A quick overview and an onslaught of questions from Ember and Sherry later, and the story is finally told.