“Of course, she told you before she told me,” Atlas says, lowering his gaze at me. “And you didn’t tell me.”
“I like to keep you on your toes, lil bro,” I say, winking back.
Cecelia’s dad beckons her. “Can you come outside for a second? Just wanna show you something.”
We all follow them outside toward their private parking garage, where her dad keeps all his expensive cars. But there’s one parked right outside with a giant ribbon on top. A brand-new, top-of-the-line Mercedes.
“Happy birthday, sweetie,” he says, before kissing her on the cheeks.
“For me?!” she shrieks, then hugs the car. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
“Really?” I raise my brow at him. “You had to go and one-up me.”
“Anything for my daughter.” He winks back.
“That girl is spoiled rotten,” my dad says, folding his arms while chuckling.
“Oh, c’mon, she’s our only girl. Let her have her day,” Mom says.
“The women in our families deserve a little extra every now and then,” Aspen’s mom, Penelope, says. “Too much testosterone to deal with.”
“Oh my God, Mom,” Aspen says, playfully nudging her mom.
“She’s right, though,” her dad, Dylan, says. “We are mad fuckers to deal with.”
“True that,” Alistair says, chuckling.
“Well, I don’t agree,” Orion’s dad, Blaine, muses, sipping on his champagne.
“Of course, you don’t, you’re the fruitiest fucker here,” Felix says.
Everyone laughs.
Suddenly, two more cars drive up to the mansion, and we all wait with bated breath as the doors open. But the minute Kai, Nathan, Milo, and Lana, along with all of their kids, step out of the car, it’s almost as if the outside air dropped by ten degrees.
Man, I thought this was going to be a party, not a funeral.
Levi looks at me and nods, and I raise my glass in a toast to him, praying he won’t fuck up this birthday party. I didn’t even know my parents had invited them over.
“What are they doing here?” Penelope grits.
Here we go again.
“Hi to everyone, I guess?” Elliot says, gently waving, before lowering his hand again when all he’s met with are raging glances.
“We’re here to celebrate Cecelia’s birthday,” Lana replies, pulling out a gift. “As we’ve always done.”
She hands it to Cecelia, but she doesn’t even know if she should open it, as she looks around at her guests, who can’t stop throwing eye daggers at each other.
“Congratulations, Cecelia,” Levi’s dad says, hugging her.
Dylan’s nostrils flare, but it’s Felix who first waltzes off.
“Happy birthday, doll,” Nathan tells my sis.
“Where’s Felix going?” Cecelia asks.
“Don’t pay any attention to him,” Nathan answers.
