CIRCE
“If I thought the air was thick with tension with the two of us, ohhh, my big brother is in for a typhoon of trouble. This shit is about to be cray cray.”
China, in her odd way, is right. I’m watching my best friend try to shut out the world. I’ve never seen Carli like this.
And him? Oh, I may not know Jamieson well, but history has shown what one Crown is like, the rest seem to all be. Cut from the same Crown. Possessive, dangerously loyal, drunk on love, and family oriented to the point of scary.
Talking low, Risen cuts into our conversation. “What do you mean? Those two are not as bad as we were, China. And I’ll prove it.” Pulling out his phone, he starts to dial.
Smacking her hand over the screen before he can hit send, China hops up. “Oh, no you don’t. No calling her. How do men not see when to pump the brakes?” Plunking herself across his legs, she fights for the phone, kissing him for distraction. The distraction eventually turns to moans and murmurs.
Turning away from their TMI, I look over at Wyatt, my Casper, my epically crazy love interest. His smile is miles wide, and he knows the truth. We were all a fucking mess, and still are.
“Don’t you start, Mister. This is fucked up enough without you deciding you need to get your funk on. Dr. Callie’s instructions were explicit, no sex for at least another week.”
“No, Siren, that’s not true. It was no intercourse. Nothing was said about me tonguing that sweet—”
Rising up fast, breaking away from Risen, China shouts out, “Yeah, no. You are not about to say that right now, Casper. Keep that trap shut.”
“But—”
“No.”
“There’s no buts, Ghostman. I’m not taking a flight across the world to hear how you get your jollies with my sister-in-law to be. No, Casper. No.”
Laughs are heard from the boys as they try to now outdo each other in antics to piss us off. I walk over to Carli. She’s so quiet, which is horribly out of character.
“Car?”
Looking up from the magazine she was trying to engross herself in, she pulls out her headphones. I can hear the loud music squealing. “Yeah, lover? What’s up?”
“You okay? I mean, I know it’s a big surprise to see all of us here, but you looked off, even when you just saw it was me. You’d tell me if there were problems, right?”
Waving me off, acting like it’s nothing, her smile is the fakest I’ve ever seen. “I’m good. Really. Once the choppers are ready, and my psycho sisters get here with their bodyguards, we’ll take off. Easy peasy. All will be fantastic.”
“Are you trying to convince me, or you?” I ask.
She quirks her eyebrow. “A bit of both, I guess. It’s just so—”
“Much?”
“Yeah.” Seeing she’s close to cracking, I lean in to give her a hug.
“I love you. You know that, right?”
“Of course. But if that Crown comes over here again, like he looks to be attempting right now, I’m hanging his balls like fuzzy dice from the chopper’s rearview mirror.”
Hugging me back tightly, I can feel when she’s ready to let go. And by let go, I mean the floodgates will open up and she’ll attempt murder on one Jamieson Crown. “I’ll keep him at a distance for today. But tomorrow, all bets are off. I can’t hold him back indefinitely.”
“Yeah, that I know. I have to sing his tune soon. I’m just afraid to do it.”
“Kaori!”
“Jesus, my sisters are here. Get ready.” As I step back, Carli sets the magazine down, places her earbuds back in her bag, and rises out of the chair.
Walking in are two, drop dead gorgeous, runway model perfect, Dolce and Gabbana specimens. On their heels are what I assume are their bodyguards. Though the one looks more interested in his charge than just that of employer / employee.
“Kaori, who are all these people? And why the fuck was I dragged away from a fitting? I had plans to go out tonight at Shishu with friends, and the Incredible Bulk here tells me we’re going back to Amanemu. Why?”
“Miori, I’m still head of this house, and you’ll do as you’re told.” Then Carli flips to Japanese in essence, shouting to her sister. Miori is defiant looking, whereas Kano seems more interested in checking us all out.
She steps over to me. “Hey, I’m Kano. You have to be Circe. Kaori has told us all about you.” Turning her head, she shouts over her shoulder in English. “Miori, she’s going to win, so just give up.” Turning back to me with a sweet smile, she says, “Sorry about that. We’re a pretty heated bunch.”
“No worries. You haven’t seen this bunch lose their shit yet. Trust me, you have nothing on the Crowns.” Quirking her head, looking around me, her eyes bug out. Blinking a few times, she grins wildly. Her expression when she comes back to me is gleeful and fangirlish.
“That’s them, isn’t it?”
“Who?”
“Like, Casper, Doll, and Whiskey, right? Holy shit!” She’s so excited, I think she might pee. “Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit! I can’t believe it!”
Stepping around me like I’m a traffic cone, she traipses straight to Casper first. “When I saw your crash on TV, you know the narrow miss one with the guy on the track? I was like, whoa! Then everything that’s happened to you all…” She stares up at Whiskey, like he’s a monument to beauty. “I feel horrible for you, really. I mean, our mom died a long time ago because of rival shit, but that’s in the past. And with Dad just dying, and Kaori taking over, it’s been chaotic. But you! Oh my God, you!” Walking up to China, she hugs her around the middle. I swear Kano’s about to explode. “Seeing you race is so awesome. Like, awesome, awesome. To see a girl like you doing so much for the sport, it’s amazing. Really, just amazing. I like bikes. Maybe we can go for a ride—”
“Kano! Cool your fucking jets, woman.” Miori, her twin, shouts across the room.
Closing her mouth, relaxing to excitable, yet controlled, Kano nervously giggles and steps away. Walking back over to Carli, I look at the others. I can’t help but laugh, because it’s funny as fuck. Their expressions are more shell shocked than anything.
“Oh, I’m keeping her,” I say between giggles.
Wyatt slaps my ass. “Be good, Siren.” He doesn’t mean it, but it’s nice to see his lightheartedness.
“Jesus, that was some first class spewage,” China quips off, flopping down on Risen again.
“I feel sullied. I need a drink,” Jamieson says as he heads off to the vending machine in the corner.
Watching the three sisters interact, in Japanese, no less, is comical. I don’t know how much longer Carli is going to keep her shit together, because she looks ready to lose it any moment now.
Looking out the window, I not only see, but hear two helicopters landing.
“Thank fuck,” Wyatt whispers in my ear. “I want to get to this place and strip you naked. I even brought you toys.”
“When the hell did you have time to buy toys? You just left the hospital?”
“I have ways. Even you can’t know all my secrets.” Nipping my ear, I lean into his chest.
“You used Dr. Callie, didn’t you?”
He steps back and smirks, giving me that dimple grin. “I will take it to my grave, Siren.”
“You are incorrigible.”
“Yep,” he says, popping the ‘p.’ He doesn’t smack my ass this time, but instead, he grips it tightly. This is going to be a long few days, weeks, or even hours as I try to avoid him. Dr. Callie gave me instructions, and I’ll do everything I can to keep his ass at a distance.
“Carli,” I call out, loud enough for her to hear me over her sister’s high-pitched yelling.
“Yeah?”
“Those the things we’re waiting on?” I point outside.
She smiles. “’Bout damn time.”