Before I can wonder who it is, Knox’s next word answers my unasked question. “Dad?”
28
ANASTASIA
Did he just say “Dad”？
My heart thumps against my ribcage and my throat is drying with each passing second. I quickly button my shirt—Knox’s shirt—and I’m grateful it’s big enough to cover my nakedness.
Before I can run to hide into the bedroom or even the kitchen, Knox reappears in the living room accompanied by a much older man who’s probably in his early fifties. He’s wearing a sharp three-piece suit and has light blond stubble covering his jaw.
Two women are on either side of him, both are shorter than him and look nothing alike. One is slim, blonde, and tall like my cousin, Rai, and the other is petite, wears her black hair short, and has tiny features.
Knox’s twin sister.
I don’t even have to guess. Although her eyes are a darker brown and she’s way shorter than him, the look in her eyes is similar to his.
A little bit haunted.
A little bit odd.
And just…deep.
It’s as if they’ve both seen the world and didn’t like it, but they won’t give it the satisfaction of leaving. They both have this determination of “I’m here to stay.”
And as much as that fascinates me, I don’t have the luxury of feeling it right now, because I’m half-naked. In front of who I assume are Knox’s dad and sisters.
Assume, as in, I stalked them on social media when I first came to W&S and met Knox again.
What? I had to look out for myself.
Is it too late to actually disappear? Because I feel like I’m about to catch fire from the way three pairs of eyes are watching me intently.
“Did we come at a bad time?” his father asks with a slight smirk.
“Who are you?” the blonde asks with more amusement than judgment.
I rub my foot against the back of my calf. “I…uh…”
“No one you should worry about.” Knox strides to my side and even though he’s not touching me, his presence brings much-needed comfort.
“Nonsense,” his father says with the same tilt of his mouth. “My name is Ethan Steel. I’m Knox’s father. This is Teal, his twin sister, and this one is Elsa, his other sister. What’s your name?”
“J-Jane.”
I bite my lip after the stutter. Why the hell did I want to say “Anastasia” just now? It doesn’t make sense when I should be keeping my other identity completely under wraps.
“Nice to meet you, Jane.” Elsa leaves her father’s side and takes my hand in a handshake. “I can’t wait to hear all about you.”
“Or…” Knox stands between us and tactfully pushes her back. “You can take the next plane back to London. Take Dad and T with you while you’re at it.”
“Not going to happen. We didn’t come all this way just to leave. Right, Teal?”
Knox’s twin sister nods. “Yes. After all, I’m here because I was wondering what’s making you so different lately.”
“T!”
“What? You wouldn’t tell me.”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“Obviously, there is.” Elsa smiles with clear mischief. “I’m so glad we decided to tag along on Dad’s business trip.”
“Well, I’m not. So the three of you can leave.”
“No,” Teal announces point-blank.
Elsa hugs her by the shoulder. “What she said.”
“I’m calling your husbands.” He reaches into his pocket and retrieves his phone and then he puts it on speakerphone as it rings.
I fidget when I read the caller ID—Aiden.
He picks up with a deep, bored, “Hey, fucker.”
“Hello to you, too, arsehole. In case you didn’t know, Elsa is here, in New York. I don’t see you anywhere near her, which, if I remember correctly, hasn’t happened in the past thousand years.”
“So?”
Knox pauses, then shakes the phone as if he can physically shake the person on the other end. “Hello? Is this Aiden King’s phone? Who are you and what the bloody hell did you do to the crazy fucker?”
“Shut the fuck up and take care of Elsa for these couple of days.” There’s a tinge of annoyance in Aiden’s deep voice. He sounds a bit murderous, too.
I only heard him on the phone, but that’s enough to send a shiver down my spine. I can’t imagine what it’s like to meet him in real life.