a blank stare aimed at his plate. The muscle in his jaw jumps as if he’s uncomfortable with his dad’s attention on me.
He’s not the only one.
I set down my fork and wipe my mouth. “You mean how Alexander saved my life?”
Alexander’s gaze flickers and slides up to meet mine.
I tell the story of how I got lost and fell into a ravine. The storm. How Alexander found me and brought me to the cabin. I leave out the details of our arguments and his darker side making an appearance, sticking to stories of his heroism. “If it weren’t for your son, I wouldn’t be here.”
“Alexander, the hero,” August says, his voice sounding a little sloppier since we arrived due to the bottle of wine he’s killed since we sat down.
Hudson drops his fork on his plate a little too loudly. Hayes stares at his father with a look of sheer boredom, while Kingston shakes his head like he’s heard it all before. The brothers resent the hell out of Alexander, that much is obvious.
August holds up his near-empty wine glass. “A toast to Alexander, who has successfully changed his branding.” He chuckles as if he’s told a joke, but no one else at the table seems to be in on it.
I hold up my glass, but Alexander keeps his eyes on his plate. I wish I were sitting next to him rather than across from him so I could put my hand on his thigh and reassure him. Not that I know what I’d be reassuring him for.
“From one extreme to the next, huh, boy?” August slugs back the rest of his wine.
I lower my glass without drinking because the way he referred to Alexander as boy makes my hackles rise. Alexander’s hands are fisted on either side of his plate, and his head sinks between his shoulders. His cheeks are red, and his muscles look tense enough to snap.
“August.” Hudson leans over his plate to get his dad’s eyes. “That’s enough.”
“What?” August says loudly, ignoring Hudson’s subtle request. “Am I wrong?” A staff member fills his glass with wine, pouring fuel on a simmering fire.
Leslie, who hasn’t touched her food all night, raises her glass. “A life for a life!”
August bursts out laughing. The sound sends chills up my spine.
Alexander’s on his feet so quickly that his chair falls back. His hands are gripped on the edge of the table so hard that the heels of his palms are white. The table tilts and then slams the ground. Wine spills from upended glasses, and the china clatters.
“Here we go again,” Hayes grumbles, then tosses his napkin onto the table in a literal throwing-in-the-towel kind of way.
Kingston looks relaxed as ever, sipping from the wineglass he managed to save.
Alexander’s eyes are cold and black as he glares at his stepmom.
Hudson jumps to his feet and stands between his mom and his brother, and I have to wonder if defusing his older brother has always been this twin’s role in the family. “Zander, deep breath.”
August seems amused at watching his oldest son nearly lose his shit.
I push back from the table. “We should go.”
Alexander’s eyes snap forward and focus on me.
“Good call,” Hudson says. “I need to head out, too.”
“What, you’re leaving?” August slurs. “We haven’t even had dessert yet!”
“Things just got interesting,” Kingston says, smirking. “Don’t leave now.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Hayes says to his youngest brother while standing from the table. He glares at his parents. “Hope you’re happy.”
I scurry to Alexander’s side and pry his fist from the table. He refuses to hold my hand, and I try not to take the rejection personally. I follow him to the door, making sure to quickly thank the staff for dinner as I try to keep pace with him.
The elevator ride is silent, and I peer out of the corner of my eye to see that he’s practically vibrating with tension. When the elevator doors open, I follow him through the lobby and to his waiting car. He gets to the door before James and roughly pulls it open for me. I scurry inside, and he follows.
The air in the car is so thick it’s hard to breathe. I crack the window. Thinking he’d rather not discuss personal family shit in front of James, I hold my tongue until we’re back at his penthouse.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I say as I follow him into his bedroom.
He strips out of his sweater and heads for the closet