Filed To Story: The Perfect Spiral Book PDF Free by Ashley Constantine
“Back to New York with me? Yeah, Knox told me the same thing.” He takes my head in his hand and pulls me close, kissing the side of my head affectionately.
“I was talking with him when we both saw it. He thought nobody was watching him. But we had our eyes on him like hawks that night.
“I didn’t like him, and I especially don’t like him now that I know he cheated on you.” He frowns. slightly, a rare expression for him.
“Damn, I was so oblivious to him and his ways.”
“His loss, kiddo. You’re one of the most special people in my life. I don’t know what I’d do without you, Alex.
“You’ve grown into such a strong and beautiful woman, like the woman I’m in love with, and I’m glad I get to call you family.”
“Thanks, Eric. That means a lot coming from you. You’re special to me too. I don’t know what I would do without you either. You’ve been more of a father to me than my own dad.
“You’ve been through so much with us and still stuck around. I will forever be grateful you took us in as your own.”
I kiss him on the cheek and rest my head on his shoulder. We sit in silence, listening to the families playing music and the children screaming playfully.
We arrive back home in one piece and open the front door to find everyone seated in the kitchen, even Lauren. Cue the eye roll.
My mom rushes to me as soon as I enter, with Andy and Hannah not far behind her. After they greet me, I see Knox standing beside my mom with his arms stretched out, waiting for a hug from me.
I smirk at him and walk over to give him a hug. As soon as I make contact with him, he wraps his arms tightly around me and lifts me up, making me laugh and struggle for air.
“Okay, you can put me down now! I’m too young to die from lack of oxygen,” I plead, gasping for air. I’m pretty sure I’m turning purple. I can feel my head pounding.
“Fine! I don’t want you to die…” he rolls his eyes sarcastically.
“You must be Alex?” I turn my head to face the blonde-haired girl, a.k.a. Miss USA. You would know with that fake smile on her face.
“Yeah, hey! You must be Lauren? Nice to see you again.” NOT! Wipe that fake smile off your face,
Barbie.
“Yes, that’s me, or Miss USA. Have we met before? I’m so sorry, I don’t remember.” The tone in her voice is very convincing, but I know it’s fake.
I’ve dealt with this type my whole life, trying to befriend me to get to my brothers and their friends. This situation is all too familiar to me.
“Uh, yeah. I met you at my stepdad’s gala in New York two years ago.” Everyone has gone quiet, listening to the two of us.
“Oh, were you that girl with braces?”
“Nope.”
“The girl with bad skin?”
“Nope, try not to hurt yourself with all that thinking,” I smirk, throwing in a dig of my own.
“I was-
“The girl with the red tight silk dress with one slit up her right leg and a low back, red lips with long brown hair flowing down her back, and the black bag that you constantly kept dropping….” Knox cuts in.
He surprises me with the most accurate description of me that night. How did he remember? I give him a skeptical look as to how he remembered. His cheeks start to flare up a shade of pink and he looks down at his feet.
“Yeah, that… that was me,” I say slowly, trying to figure it all out.
“No, I’m sorry I don’t remember you,” she denies sweetly but not convincingly enough, making my head turn back to face her.
She remembered me, I know she did. But whatever, I don’t have time to play these childish games. I move around her to get to the table to get some snacks.
“I’m so hungry from all that running,” I smirk down at the bowl and I hear a few chuckles behind me. I cup my hand and put some goldfish into it to eat.
I turn around and see Adam waving at me so I walk over to him and give him a big hug, making the other two and Lena hug me too. I’m still in my bikini.
Casting a sidelong glance, I notice the back door standing wide open, the pool beyond it beckoning me with its cool, inviting allure. I glance down at Adam, nudging my head subtly towards the pool, hoping he’ll catch my drift.
His smile broadens, and I turn to Noah, shouting, “Race you!” Without waiting for a response, I sprint towards the pool, diving in and submerging myself completely.
I linger under the water for a few extra seconds, hearing the splash of other bodies joining me. Resurfacing, I wipe the water from my face and look around to see my family and friends, their laughter echoing around the pool.
I spot Eden at the edge of the pool and am about to swim over when Knox scoops her up, holding her securely in the water. Eden’s not a confident swimmer, so she always needs someone to hold her- usually it’s Max or Knox. My mom emerges from the house, Eric wrapped around her, smiling at all of us until her gaze lands on me.
“You, sweetheart, are giving me too many heart palpitations!” she calls out over the chatter around the pool. Ace, Delilah, and Hannah’s parents join them on the deck.
I respond with nothing more than a grin, while we all relax in the pool-except for Lauren, who wears a bored expression on her face.
“Want to come in, Lauren?” Kyle asks, his polite tone at odds with his expression.
“No, I’m good. I just got my makeup redone. Thanks,” she replies, her tone snobbish as she checks her nails.
“Knox, I made dinner reservations for tomorrow night. I’ll have the driver pick you up first, then me. Alright, babe?” she coos, trying to sweet-talk him into dinner. I can’t help but giggle, catching his attention.
I mime zipping my lips shut, while he shakes his head, trying to suppress a smirk of his own.
“I’m here with my family, Lauren. I’m staying with my family,” he says sternly, not even bothering to look at her. She starts to pout, but he’s too busy playing with Eden to care.
“And don’t call me babe. We’re not dating,” he clarifies, twirling Eden around in the pool. Eden clings tightly to him, while I have Adam on my back and Noah clasping onto my arm.
Then Noah decides to swim over to Andy, and Kyle huffs, annoyed that her attention isn’t on him. anymore.
After dinner, all the older kids gather outside on the sofa-the same one I’d shared with Knox the night before. I steal a quick glance at him, and he’s already looking at me, smirking as if he can read my mind.
I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling. We all sit around, drinks in hand, relaxing. Knox sits across from me, with Andy and Hannah on either side of me, sharing a blanket.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.