Stoking the Fire (Salus Security #1) - Teodora Kostova Page 0,16

goblin.”

Alec laughs, the tension easing off his shoulders.

We find Evie talking to my cousin Joshua and his wife Betty. My sister’s face is scrubbed clean, clear lip gloss and some pink blusher instead of her usual heavy eyeliner and bright red lipstick. I stare at her, mesmerized by how young and how beautiful she is. Evie is always beautiful—she also inherited Mom’s bone structure and her ocean-blue eyes—but she looks so different without the heavy makeup she usually wears.

She looks up from her conversation when we approach. Joshua and Betty greet us warmly before they excuse themselves and leave.

“Thank god,” Evie murmurs when they’re out of earshot. “If I had to listen to Betty’s gushing about their genius three-year-old any longer, I was going to puke.”

“Genius?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

“Apparently, he can already spell ‘hierarchy’.”

A laugh bursts out of Alec. Evie eyes him curiously.

“Evie, this is my boyfriend Alec. Alec, Evie.”

“Evelyn,” she says pointedly when she thrusts her hand at him.

I roll my eyes. Thankfully, she doesn’t see me.

Alec’s smile is charming when he takes her hand. “Nice to finally meet you, Evelyn. I’ve heard so much about you.”

She scoffs. “I can’t imagine he ever talks about me. But you’re smooth.”

I scowl at her profile, but I can’t say she’s wrong. Evie is four years younger than me, and we never had much in common. Our interests were always vastly different, our parents never encouraging much of a close-knit family environment.

I can’t help but feel protective of her, though. She’s my baby sister, and as much as she’s a giant pain in my ass most days, I want to shield her from the nasty world. If only she’d let me.

“What are you guys doing after?” she asks, taking out her phone from the tiny purse she’s carrying. I have a suspicion Mom had a lot to do with her outfit and appearance tonight.

“We haven’t thought about it,” I say with a glance at Alec. He shrugs.

“Ugh, this party is so boring. I couldn’t imagine anything more tedious than Grandma Sofie’s tales about her horse-training farm, but here we are.” She types on her phone furiously while she’s talking.

Alec watches her with a strange expression on his face as if he can’t quite figure out what to make of her.

“So,” she says, eyes bright when she looks at me and then at Alec. “I’m going to Encore later. You guys wanna join?”

Alec and I share a look, and I can see that he’s not very excited at the prospect. “If you want…” He trails off, lifting a shoulder.

“Nah, I’m kinda tired. I’d rather go home and chill.”

Evie rolls her eyes as expressively as only a moody teenager can. “Suit yourselves,” she says and waltzes off.

I shake my head at her retreating back.

“Zachary!” My father’s voice makes my spine straighten. “There you are, son.”

I turn to greet him and introduce Alec.

“Ah, the infamous Alexander Bonovich. You caused quite a stir two weeks ago when you saved Gordon Kade’s life.” Dad offers Alec his hand and, when he shakes it, claps him on the shoulder. My father is a good eight inches shorter than Alec, but his charismatic presence makes up for what he lacks in height.

“It wasn’t my intention to be caught on camera, sir,” Alec says, his jaw ticking.

“The best things happen when you least expect them.” My father winks at him. “Zach, how are your exams going?”

He aims his dark blue gaze at me. I start to fidget.

“Fine, I guess.”

His eyes narrow. “You guess?”

“Dad, can we not talk about school at the family Christmas party?”

He lets out a long-suffering sigh. “I barely see you otherwise. You snubbed my last two invitations for lunch…”

“I was busy with exams!”

He continues as if I haven’t spoken. “And you rarely come visit anymore. Your sister misses you.”

I curtail the urge to snort. Barely. “Dad…”

“All right.” He raises his hands like he never meant to cause any trouble. As if. “But you come see me after the holidays. I need to talk to you about your role when you join the company.”

I nod, less than enthusiastically. He gives me a disappointed look, claps Alec on the shoulder again, and walks off.

“I need a fucking drink to get through this evening,” I grumble, making my way to the bar.

Later, as if knowing exactly what I need after enduring my parents’ Christmas party, Alec worships my body until I’m a quivering mess. He takes his time, his big hands as gentle as if they’re holding something