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)
He wants to protect her, and having Audrey at this party might make Ben panic. My birthday is not going to be the day Ben spirals out of control.
Nope.
No.
I can’t tell if Audrey is in party-crashing attire. She always looks ready for an event: nails polished, hair blown out in perfect waves, dress steamed, and heels on. Right now, she wears a pink puffy-sleeved, princessy dress, and the long hem skates the tops of her white high heels.
She tilts her chin. “Can’t I just wish you a happy birthday, Tom?”
“I would’ve accepted an overly complimentary happy birthday over the phone—and only because this party is for legal adults, which I expressed to you and gave you my sincerest apology.” I point at her. “Which you accepted.” I whirl to Eliot. “Did she not?” He was on the phone mitigating this whole back and forth weeks ago.
“She did,” Eliot says, then asks her, “Why the change of heart, sister?”
Before she can answer, the door opens. Great, it’s Phoenix. Because today just needs a little more spark.
The thought almost makes me smile.
Phoenix enters this warzone with a water-repellent duffel bag and a backpack. His luggage for the tour. His brows crease in puzzlement at the girl in the kitchen.
Audrey lets out a delighted squeal. “You’re Tom’s drummer.”
He sets down his duffel and backpack, side-eyeing me before saying to her, “No offense, but should I know who you are?”
“None taken,” she says. “Tom is to blame for not describing me properly.”
Phoenix can’t restrain a laugh, not even on my fucking birthday.
I defend myself, “I described you perfectly. I told him you supply at least ten percent of drama to my life. Which, accurate.”
Audrey whips her orange hair over her shoulder as a fuck you to me. Then she outstretches a hand to Phoenix but makes no move toward him. “I’m very pleased to finally introduce myself—”
“Audrey Virginia Cobalt,” I steal her thunder with pride.
She humphs but keeps her palm extended.
It forces my drummer to bridge the distance. He shakes her hand. “Phoenix.”
“I know.” She grins. “You’re trending all over social media, but as your stage name, which is your middle name, I’ve heard. It’s exceptional, really. All the videos dissecting your little finger twitches on your knees. They say you’re holding yourself back from touching Tom romantically. Est-ce vrai?” Is that true? She adds, “J’ai entendu que tu parles français.” I heard that you speak French. Then she gasps. “You brought luggage! Are you spending the night?” She gasps again. “Where will you sleep? With Tom? In the same bed?”
Eliot opens a box of cigars with an amused grin.
Phoenix gives my sister a sharp look. “Am I under investigation?”
“Possibly. I did hear you have an arrest under your belt—”
“Hey, I have a birthday wish,” I cut in before Phoenix can speak. “Don’t aggravate my drummer before we leave for our national tour.”
“She’s fine,” Phoenix says, unperturbed. “Your parents were more intimidating.” His jaw muscle tics.
“Wait.” I hold the marble counter behind me, so I don’t fall over. “You’ve met my parents? When?”
“Like two minutes ago,” Phoenix says. “In the lobby.”
Holy shit. My parents are here. He had a full-blown interaction with them and I wasn’t there? I need a play-by-play. My head spins, especially as I stare right at my little sister and her shrewd smile. “Did you ride here with Mom and Dad?” I ask.
She never mentioned them.
“Yes,” she confesses. “We’re briefly stopping by to wish you a happy birthday and a deep congratulations on Silver Sweet. Then we’re leaving to spend the night at The Plaza.” Audrey loves that hotel.
“So you never intended to crash my birthday?”
“No birthday crashing will be had,” she confirms. “I promised you I would skip this one on behalf of Ben’s emotional state. But the next one, I will be in attendance. You can’t cast me out forever.”
“We would never,” Eliot declares.
She got us good tonight. I’m impressed.
I begin to smile, and Eliot and I exchange proud grins. We applaud Audrey with hearty claps.
“Well done, sister,” Eliot says.
“Masterful tomfoolery,” I add.
“I only learned from the best.” She curtsies.
Eliot slings an arm over my shoulders. “They grow up so fast.”
“But not too fast,” I say, then glance over at Phoenix.
He’s taking this in like he’s watching a foreign film that’s not French. “You said the Cobalt Empire has a ton of online Wiki pages?”
“I’ve only told you this like a thousand times, yes,” I say.
“Is there a part in there that says you’re all really fucking weird?”
I laugh. “It’s not every day someone gets one over on me and Eliot, Phoenix.”
“Somehow I don’t believe that.” He sweeps me head-to-toe. My face burns, but I’m smiling even more.
Until I hear a perfunctory knock. Then the door opens to reveal my formidable parents. My mom, in her classic black dress and matching heels. My dad, in navy-blue slacks, a leather belt, and a lighter blue button-down that molds his fit build. They carry themselves like they’re about to enter a boardroom. Which they do on the daily.