Even The Weak Can Be Wicked (PLAYBOOK #2)

CHAPTER 45: It's the most wonderful time of the year?

ALEKSANDER

"Oh, you came?" My mother is clearly surprised to see me in Portofino.

I made sure to cut it very short and to come after the dinner so I could miss the pre-Christmas festivities. I am staying in the estate for 3 days because they made Ethan call me.

"Of course," I let her fix my hair. "Merry Christmas, mother."

"No Mrs. Henry the 8th today?" Her face falls, "oh. Merry Christmas sweetie."

"Mom, I'm really tired." I face the stairs, "I'll see you the morning."

"Wait Alek," she follows closely behind and makes me put down my bag. "There is something you should know before you go up."

"Yes," I rub my neck to remove the knot formed there.

I have been flying back and forth between Paris and Boston for weeks and my body is getting the worst of it.

"April agreed to come with Anna and spend Christmas with us, she is—"

"I know." I raise my hand to stop further information. "Kylie is elated about it," and of course she doesn't know it's her sister but she loves babies and is glad to have a 'cousin' now.

She was even glad to find out it wasn't mine because she is still against the thought of April and me.

"Oh," mother's face falls. "Goodnight then," she turns away and I nod before going up.

I hate what's happening between us but I can't do much, not even for her.

I can't pretend I am happy to be here or be bothered to be interested on all the things that are occurring in this family. I've already lost too much and I am done being the sacrificial lamb.

"Uncle Zander!" Kylie and Ethan run in to my room at the crack of dawn.

"Ah you little monkeys," I open my arms when they jump on my bed to shower me in hugs. "Merry Christmas." I kiss their heads when the tackle me back down and tickle them away.

This is the exact reason I hauled my butt into that flight yesterday.

"Come, we are opening presents!" Ethan pushes while Kylie pulls me off the bed.

"Okay-okay." I grab a t-shirt on my way out. "I hope you guys got me something good this year," I was sadly the one that let it out Santa wasn't real.

"Us? You're the uncle with the black card." Kylie counters as Ethan runs down the stairs in his pajamas.

"Hurry, Anna is almost awake." He explains as he runs across the foyer to the living room.

Right, Anna is here.

To ease the children into the news, April and Ashton have been having a lot of dinners and playdates with them and now they are attached.

"Morning," I greet everyone in the room.

Lori is sitting as further away as possible from Ashton who is on the floor with presents. April is in the corner watching my mother rock a sleeping Anna in her arms and as usual, father is by the bar—adding bourbon to his cup of morning coffee.

"Hi Alek." They all respond with mummers as Ethan pulls me down to his level.

"This is for you." He gives me an A4 box. "Open it, open it! We've been dying to know what it is."

I shake the box but it doesn't make noise.

"What do you mean?" I pull the bow and sit across from my niece and nephew, their innocent expectant looks making this an important moment.