me?” Levi crossed his arms.
I nodded. “Yes. I know it sounds out there, but it’s true.”
Levi turned to Jared. “Is it?”
Jared nodded. “Yes, but remember Robert loves Helen. This news doesn’t change that.” Jared’s voice softened.
“That’s not my concern right now.” Levi turned to look at the house.
“Got it.” Jared quickly dropped the subject.
“All right, if we’re going to talk to my mom, we might as well ring the doorbell. I don’t want them calling the police if we try to break in.”
“Should we be with you when you knock?” Jared asked.
“Yes. I’m not the one who wants to do this, so I’m definitely not doing it alone.”
“Your dad isn’t going to try to kill us, is he?” Levi ran a hand through his brown hair.
I put a hand on my hip. “Are you really that worried about a bear attacking you?”
“No, just trying to prepare myself.” He smiled.
“Let’s do this thing.” I walked around toward the front of the house, hoping the guys would follow. At least they’d put their shirts back on. I’d like to say that my parents wouldn’t jump to conclusions if they saw me with two half-naked guys, but they would have. I had a bit of a reputation in my teens.
I walked up the front steps with a quick glance over my shoulder to make sure the guys were with me. Once they were flanking me, I tentatively reached out and hit the doorbell. It was strange to ring the doorbell of my childhood home. I’d never been a visitor there before.
Nothing happened at first. I wasn’t surprised since it was late enough they’d all be sleeping. I didn’t ring again. I wanted to give them some time. A moment later I heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs and the door flew open.
“Vera?” Chris’s eyes widened.
“Hey, Dad. I’m home.” I took in his messy hair and his backwards t-shirt. He’d run downstairs in a hurry.
“What?” He reached out a hand to me. It almost seemed like he hadn’t noticed the two 6 feet plus men standing with me. Then he abandoned my hand and pulled me against him. “It’s really you.”
“It’s really me.” I wasn’t sure what to say or do. I knew so much now and had so many emotions running through me that I could barely think straight. I stepped back from his embrace.
“Vera’s home?” Mom ran down the stairs with Casey on her heels.
My eyes locked with my sister’s. Casey was there. She was ok. I sighed with relief.
“What? You’re back?” Mom asked several questions at once as she hastily tied the belt on her pink cotton bathrobe.
“Yeah. I'm here.” I smiled sheepishly.
She pulled me into a near bone crunching hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” Her words were mumbled against me.
“I missed you too, Mom.” I reluctantly let go.
"Who are they?" Casey pointed to the guys. Of course the first words she’d utter to me would be about them. She was an eighteen-year-old after all.
"Some friends." It was the simplest explanation.
"Please tell your friends to wait outside. We all need to talk." Mom blinked back tears.
I shook my head. "They need to talk too."
"Whatever it is they want to say can wait." Chris crossed his arms.
"That one is Levi Laurent." I pointed to Levi. I hadn’t wanted to pull the royalty card, but I didn’t have another choice. Leaving the Pterons outside wasn’t going to work.
"What did you say?" Mom leaned forward.
"You heard me right. He’s heir to The Society throne." I didn’t want to be argumentative with my parents, but I had no choice.
"The Society?" Mom made a sorry attempt at acting confused.
"Don't bother. I know you know. I know who and what you are."
"I am sorry for intruding at this late hour, but would it be possible for us to come in?" Levi turned on more of an accent. Did he think his southern charm was going to change anything?
"Yes." Mom stepped away from the doorway. “Please, come in.”
Chris grunted something, but stepped back. I guess even he wasn’t going
I nodded. “Yes. I know it sounds out there, but it’s true.”
Levi turned to Jared. “Is it?”
Jared nodded. “Yes, but remember Robert loves Helen. This news doesn’t change that.” Jared’s voice softened.
“That’s not my concern right now.” Levi turned to look at the house.
“Got it.” Jared quickly dropped the subject.
“All right, if we’re going to talk to my mom, we might as well ring the doorbell. I don’t want them calling the police if we try to break in.”
“Should we be with you when you knock?” Jared asked.
“Yes. I’m not the one who wants to do this, so I’m definitely not doing it alone.”
“Your dad isn’t going to try to kill us, is he?” Levi ran a hand through his brown hair.
I put a hand on my hip. “Are you really that worried about a bear attacking you?”
“No, just trying to prepare myself.” He smiled.
“Let’s do this thing.” I walked around toward the front of the house, hoping the guys would follow. At least they’d put their shirts back on. I’d like to say that my parents wouldn’t jump to conclusions if they saw me with two half-naked guys, but they would have. I had a bit of a reputation in my teens.
I walked up the front steps with a quick glance over my shoulder to make sure the guys were with me. Once they were flanking me, I tentatively reached out and hit the doorbell. It was strange to ring the doorbell of my childhood home. I’d never been a visitor there before.
Nothing happened at first. I wasn’t surprised since it was late enough they’d all be sleeping. I didn’t ring again. I wanted to give them some time. A moment later I heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs and the door flew open.
“Vera?” Chris’s eyes widened.
“Hey, Dad. I’m home.” I took in his messy hair and his backwards t-shirt. He’d run downstairs in a hurry.
“What?” He reached out a hand to me. It almost seemed like he hadn’t noticed the two 6 feet plus men standing with me. Then he abandoned my hand and pulled me against him. “It’s really you.”
“It’s really me.” I wasn’t sure what to say or do. I knew so much now and had so many emotions running through me that I could barely think straight. I stepped back from his embrace.
“Vera’s home?” Mom ran down the stairs with Casey on her heels.
My eyes locked with my sister’s. Casey was there. She was ok. I sighed with relief.
“What? You’re back?” Mom asked several questions at once as she hastily tied the belt on her pink cotton bathrobe.
“Yeah. I'm here.” I smiled sheepishly.
She pulled me into a near bone crunching hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” Her words were mumbled against me.
“I missed you too, Mom.” I reluctantly let go.
"Who are they?" Casey pointed to the guys. Of course the first words she’d utter to me would be about them. She was an eighteen-year-old after all.
"Some friends." It was the simplest explanation.
"Please tell your friends to wait outside. We all need to talk." Mom blinked back tears.
I shook my head. "They need to talk too."
"Whatever it is they want to say can wait." Chris crossed his arms.
"That one is Levi Laurent." I pointed to Levi. I hadn’t wanted to pull the royalty card, but I didn’t have another choice. Leaving the Pterons outside wasn’t going to work.
"What did you say?" Mom leaned forward.
"You heard me right. He’s heir to The Society throne." I didn’t want to be argumentative with my parents, but I had no choice.
"The Society?" Mom made a sorry attempt at acting confused.
"Don't bother. I know you know. I know who and what you are."
"I am sorry for intruding at this late hour, but would it be possible for us to come in?" Levi turned on more of an accent. Did he think his southern charm was going to change anything?
"Yes." Mom stepped away from the doorway. “Please, come in.”
Chris grunted something, but stepped back. I guess even he wasn’t going
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