Suit (The Twin Duo #1)(80)

I refused. “No, you’re not doing that, Paxton. You heard me tell Phi, I’d read the shoe book. I’m reading the shoe book and then I will wait for you in my room.

Paxton jerked my arm and squeezed hard. “You’ll fucking do what you’re told when I tell you.”

His angry words through gritted teeth did little for my submission. Not this time. I couldn’t even see a filter, let along control it. My fingers tried to ease the hold around my arm and I spit. Right in his face. Both his eyes closed and then opened. Oh shit.

The pain from his grip loosened when he removed it to wipe his face with his shirt. I didn’t move. I stood perfectly still, waiting for the inevitable. Paxton would kill me dead.

“Get the fuck away from me before I knock your teeth down your throat.”

“Paxton, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”

“What the fuck is wrong with you, Gabriella?”

I smiled a sad smile and stepped around him. I felt so lost. One minute I was happy and content, and the next this. “Head injury,” I said while shrugging both shoulders. I stepped away and went to the kitchen.

Two glasses of milk and four Graham crackers waited for Rowan and Ophelia on the table. I pulled my butt to the counter and waited for them, trying to figure things out. Any things. I didn’t care what. Something just had to fall together. A memory from somewhere other than before Paxton. Whatever went on with Lane would have been nice.

Rowan showed up for her snack wrapped in a towel, and Phi came with her pajama-shorts twisted to one side and no shirt. I smiled at both of them without a word. They both climbed to the stools in front of me and bit into Graham crackers. The girls talked about seeing a snake when they walked to the shop earlier with their dad. That was before the blink of an eye. When Paxton wasn’t angry.

“I don’t get Graham crackers and milk?” Paxton asked, interrupting my trance. I was focused on Row and Phi. At how different they were from me and my sister. So far, I hadn’t had one memory of being angry with her. I loved her with my whole heart. Of course Rowan and Ophelia did, too, but man could they ever fight.

I let my eyes drift to Paxton as I slid from the counter. He kissed two wet heads and moved beside Rowan.

“Where’s your clothes?” He asked Rowan when he realized she was wearing a towel. He turned and said the same thing to Phi when he noticed she was half naked, too.

I poured him a glass of milk and dropped the pack of crackers in front of him with a thump. He could get his own napkin.

“What do you think about going to Disneyland for your birthday, Ophelia?” Paxton asked her while looking at me. A truce maybe? Jesus. This man was impossible to understand.

“Can I take, Row-row?”

We both laughed and I felt a little better. At least I wasn’t worried about a replay of the night before. I hoped anyway. I couldn’t take another night like the last. The fifteen minute power nap I stole while Paxton took the girls back to his shop did little for my exhaustion. I couldn’t wait to sleep.

The girls and Paxton talked about Disney. Ophelia was over the moon excited about a birthday trip. Even after Paxton gave her the ultimatum of either a princess birthday party or Disney, she chose the trip. Thank God.





Chapter Eighteen


The funny thing about it came after the girls were sound asleep. We both went different ways. Paxton upstairs and me to my room. I showered, yawning the entire time. I couldn’t wait to lie down, to relax my exhausted body, and let sleep take my mind. I wrapped my lavender scented body in soft black satin and routinely walked out to the view. The ocean was quiet, yet full of life, and the moon looked majestic.

“Did you cheat on me, Gabriella?”

I didn’t have to look up to know Paxton was above me. The quiet words lingered above my head, and I looked up. I could barely see him. A silhouette in front of a moon. I leaned against a stone post and looked up.

“I don’t know, Paxton.”

“Something happened.”

“I’m afraid so, but I swear I don’t know what. Tell me what you know.”

“I don’t know anything. I only speculate.”

“Can I come up?”

“Suit yourself.”

I didn’t wait for a formal invitation. If Paxton was even close to opening up, I would take it. Once I peeked in on both my sleeping angels I started up the stairs, stopping at the bottom. I needed a drink for this one.

A shot of rum, a half a shot of apricot brandy, a splash of lemon, pineapple juice, and Galliano thrown quickly into two glasses and I had a drink. A damn good drink. How did I know how to do that? I was rather good if I said so myself.

“Thought you changed your mind,” he said from the top step.

I replied back with a smile and one word. “Drinks.”

“You don’t drink.”

“Stop saying that. I don’t know how I lived with you for six years without drinking. I’m lucky I didn’t do more than that. Here, try it.”

I heard a heavy sigh when he took it and walked back to his room. I followed behind feeling like I always did when he did that. Beneath him. To my surprise he stopped and let me walk in front of him. Our eyes met when I stepped around him, smelling the scent of his cologne.

“Outside?” I questioned over my shoulder.