Series: Cobalt Empire Series by Krista Ritchie
Total pages in book: 220
Estimated words: 215301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1077(@200wpm)___ 861(@250wpm)___ 718(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 215301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1077(@200wpm)___ 861(@250wpm)___ 718(@300wpm)
“Nothing will compare.”
Beckett has yet to drop his hands from the air. “Simple. Small. You two need to consult your friend list and disinvite anyone who will trash the apartment.”
I mean…that’s a lot of the friend list. Eliot and I share a subtle look to talk later about the invitees. “Some might still show. The party is tomorrow,” I tell Beckett.
“Give their names to security,” Beckett says. “They won’t let them on the elevator.”
Ben has a hundred-yard stare, banana peel limp in his hand. “Um…about the date,” he says. “Can we…is it possible not to do it tomorrow?”
I’m not understanding the issue. “You have other birthday plans, Ben Pirrip?” I ask since we’re throwing him a birthday party. He’s turning twenty tomorrow.
“No, none. It’s just…if, um.” His eyes redden. He’s not blinking and too choked to speak. He looks to Beckett.
“We’ll change the date,” Beckett says softly, then explains to me and Eliot, “He’s going to feel responsible if something were to go wrong on his birthday.”
“What better way to challenge yourself,” Eliot says to our little brother. “You’ll come out of this party unscathed and realize you’re fine.”
Ben casts me a quick glance, and I’ve started interpreting these looks as lifelines. He’s asking me to help with Eliot, who is so fiercely supportive that Ben really hates disappointing him.
“Dude, we should just change the date,” I tell my closest brother.
“He just needs all of us to rally around him,” Eliot says, then nods at Ben. “You can do it, brother. You’ll be fine. We’ll be right there—”
“Dude,” I cut in. “He added extra therapy sessions this week. We don’t need to be pushing anything other than a date change.”
Ben hangs his head for a moment, his arms on his bent knees. Is he…is he crying? Oh fuck. How did I phrase that? Was I too harsh?
“Pip,” Beckett says gently, using Ben’s nickname.
“I’m sorry,” Ben chokes, pinching his wet eyes. He’s for sure crying. “Fuck.”
Beckett is the first to move. Soon, he’s sitting on the floorboards beside Ben, his bicep curled around our little brother in comfort.
I swing my arms to stretch out the tension in my limbs, and I shrug at Eliot, who nods back like, it’s okay. All will be okay.
“Ben?” I risk speaking. “Should we just cancel the party?”
“No, please don’t,” Ben says, rubbing harshly at his welled eyes. “I don’t want to derail things that far.” He tries to catch his breath. Beckett whispers in his ear, and I watch Ben take a few big lungfuls of air.
“This is going well,” I mutter with a couple nods, walking back and forth, the only one standing up. “We should do more morning house meetings.”
Charlie zeroes in on me. “Maybe at the next one we can bury you.”
“Please, thank you. I haven’t communed with the dead in a while. I think they must miss me.”
“The living have had enough of you.”
Ouuuuch. I smack my lips. “Thanks. Hey, question? What crawled up your ass and died this morning?”
Charlie grimaces, then tries to glare out the window, but Eliot is sitting there, so he’s met with a delightful finger wave from our brother.
It dawns on me that he hasn’t traveled much lately. “You need a vacation, Charlie Keating? Trip to Prague? Paris? Because if you’re cooped up—”
“Stop trying to solve my problems. You can barely solve your own.”
Direct hit again. My chest collapses. Am I just overly sensitive today?
“Brother,” Eliot warns Charlie with a biting tone. “Cease and desist.”
I dig out my lighter and flick it open, then closed. “Okay, so we’re in agreement that the party isn’t tomorrow?” I ask everyone but Charlie. He can be excluded. He did it to himself.
“Yeah,” Beckett nods.
Ben dries his face with the side of his fist, nodding too. “I’m sorry—”
“Dude, it’s fine. Not a big deal at all,” I console. “I like maneuvering. Eliot likes maneuvering. You’re keeping things exciting.”
“It’d be dull without you,” Eliot says, then claps his hands together. “New plan. Let’s throw a party on Tom’s birthday instead. If something goes awry, it’s Tom’s fault.”
“Perfect,” I agree since my April birthday isn’t too far away. “I will take responsibility for any chaos and drama that should and will likely ensue. It’s on me.”
Ben has calmed and intakes a deeper breath. “You sure?” he asks.
“Positive.” I start to smile seeing a soft, appreciative one across Ben’s face.
“Thanks, Tom.”
My lungs swell, and then a text vibrates the phone in my fist. I covertly check the message.
PHOENIX WOLFGANG
You have a sex dream about me, nepo baby? Why the change of speed all of a sudden?
My heart rate hasn’t slowed. I flick open the lighter and burn my thumb. Shit. “Meeting adjourned?” I ask my brothers, shaking out my hand. “Because I need to go take care of something.”
“Ominous,” Eliot frowns at me.
“Vague,” Charlie says with a head tilt.