Redeemed (Dirty Air #4)(17)

“Chloe seems nice.” She bats her lashes.

Chloe seems like a criminal who needs to be locked up, but I refrain from fact-dropping. “That she is.”

“What’s she like?”

“Sneaky and cunning.”

Maya laughs. “Reminds me of you, seeing as you kept her a secret for how long?”

“A year?” It seems like a solid amount of time.

“A year?!” Maya screeches to the ceiling. “How could you keep this from us for that long?”

I lift a brow and wave my hands at her reaction.

She laughs. “Okay, true. But still. Keeping secrets from me is so not cool.”

I survive another ten minutes of Maya’s questions. So far, I’ve made up Chloe’s hobby for restoring cars with me, our bond over horror movies, and her preference for chocolate over candy. I’ve basically created a female version of myself that my sister gushes over. She’s so enthralled, she doesn’t realize the unlikely similarities.

“Why haven’t you ever mentioned her before?”

“Because of the way you’re acting now.” Good save, Santi.

“Mami is going to freak out when she hears about this.”

“Don’t tell her yet.” I don’t want my mom to grow attached to my fake girlfriend. The same girlfriend who has absolutely no clue who the hell I am, let alone about my family and Formula 1. That information in itself adds to my interest in her. And interest is bad. Interest leads to infatuation, and I can’t bother entertaining either.

“I’ll give you two weeks to tell her yourself. She’s on a cruise anyway so she won’t be able to rush over and bombard Chloe like I’d want her to. But if you don’t tell her, I will because there’s no chance I’m letting you get out of them meeting each other.”

I swallow back the lump in my throat. “Deal. Does that mean you are leaving Marko with me after all?”

“Yup. I think he’ll be in good care with you and Chloe.” She offers in a singsong voice.

I suppress the urge to groan. “You made that conclusion about Chloe from the one conversation with her?”

“She worked at a daycare. That’s a glowing recommendation letter if I’ve ever heard one.”

“You’re too trustworthy. Thank God Noah keeps an eye out for you and Marko.”

Maya opens her mouth to speak, but the doorbell chiming pulls us from the kitchen. My sister opens the door like she owns the place. She pulls Chloe in for a crushing hug and welcomes her to the house.

I now understand why Noah invited Chloe to breakfast because Maya’s happiness makes this crazy plan worth it. I’d do anything to banish the sad look in her eyes whenever I catch her daydreaming.

Chloe gazes at the two of us with denim blue eyes. I take a moment to appreciate how she looks in daylight for the first time. Her white dress makes her appear rather innocent, but her ratty sneakers say a different kind of story. One that shows she probably runs around and gets in trouble on a daily basis.

She’s on the taller side, and I like the way she reaches my chin. Her loose, black locks sway as she moves, resembling the night sky, with hints of navy when they shift in the light.

God. She’s gorgeous. She probably gets away with a ton of illegal shit because her beauty has the power to distract a man.

I take back what I said about this crazy plan being worth it. I’m instantly tempted to shoo her out the front door based on the way my body responds to her nearness. Blood rushes to my cock as she licks her bow-shaped lips.

Is it too late to say we broke up?

She walks up to me and offers a bouquet of flowers tied together by a tattered ribbon. The array of flowers ranges from orange to purple, mixed together with random tufts of white and green. Her smile brings my attention toward a small white scar crossing diagonally from her cupid’s bow through her top lip. “I picked these from the forest you call a front yard.”

Why the hell would she pick flowers from my yard? Is she some kind of delusional princess who walks around with a team of singing animals?

Seriously, where is this girl from and what’s the return policy?

“Interesting choice. Thank you.” I move to grab them from her hands. Our fingers graze one another, heating my skin like flames.

She rocks back on her tattered sneakers. “I thought it could liven up the place.”

Noah laughs as he walks down the stairs with Marko in his arms. “You’re going to need more than a dozen flowers for that. This guy is so doom and gloom, he needs an injection of serotonin to survive the week.”

“I think they’re lovely.” Maya fawns over Chloe.

I look down at the bouquet. The wildflowers remind me of her, beautiful in an untamed and understated kind of way. I grip them harder, forcing some stems to snap by accident. A couple of petals fall to the floor and Chloe stares at them in horror. My sister plucks the bouquet out of my hands and scowls at me.

Shit. “Are we going to keep chatting or does someone want to eat the pancakes I made?”

“Pancakes!” Marko squirms in Noah’s arms.

“With chocolate chips.” I grab Marko from Noah’s grasp. “What do you say, little guy?”

He screams yes as I throw him in the air.

I sneak a peek at Chloe, finding her mouth gaping open. “Hope you like pancakes.”