The Next Chapter: Twisted Series Next Generation

Chapter 14: Dahlia Harper

My brother came out of the womb with a death wish. His snarky mouth will inquire him to die by the hands of a warlord, mark my words.

Currently, I stare at his bleeding lip and bruised cheek as he dabs a cotton swab over the wound.

Not much information was disclosed but Camilla informed me that he was decked in the face by Jeremy, thus it would be awkward if he returned back to their penthouse so Camilla drove him over here before she took off to tend to her own family issues.

I make my way towards him as I nudge his shoulder and narrow my gaze at him, attempting to look intimidating.

He catches my glare in the mirror and all he gives me is a sly smirk as he turns his head towards me with a grin, "If that is your attempt to intimidate me, you require more classes."

Unfortunately for me, my mothers Bambi features were gifted to me. Of course I am incredibly grateful, my mother is a beautiful woman with ethereal features.

Yet when it comes to dealing with the two maniacs I call my dearest brothers, my lack of sternness makes it difficult to tame the beast of the two.

"I can't believe you were able to provoke him, he's always so silent." Disbelief clouds my tone as I cross my arms and lean against the doorway of the bathroom.

My ideal notion was to move in with my Sofia all the way in DC, even though my father discouraged the fact big time. He allowed it, however his one condition is that I would live in one of his buildings, and I refused to live in the one that shared the penthouse with the boys. I need a break from the mayhem.

A scoff smothers in the air from Callums lip as he drops his head and shakes it with an eerie smile growing on his face. A murmur escapes him, too soft for me to hear.

Frustration seeps into my veins as my brows furrow, "What's so funny death wish?"

"Your lack of assertiveness, you have the face of a baby dear." His voice carried an unnecessary amount of mocking, to my dismay.

"And you can go sleep on the streets."

His head lifts as he stretches his arms over his head as he turns and begins walking towards the door of the bathroom, my eyes widened at the realization of the situation.

Luckily, the height difference in my family is not lengthened to a dramatic amount as I reach forward and grab the back of his collar, yanking his body back and pushing his chest back into the bathroom, "You are insufferable, clean your wound properly." My fingers lift and point to the set of first aid items as I nudge him back in that direction, "Go and do not cause trouble." Snarling out towards him, turning on my heel as I stomp out of the bathroom and head towards the kitchen.

To meet the worried gaze of Sofia as she waits by the island. The plan was for Sofia, Camilla, and I to all move in together and be in DC.

Yet, Camilla stayed in Eladora preparing for the duties as the future queen, leaving me and Sofia to live together.

"Did he tell you the details?" Sofia questions.

Instead, all I return is the shaking of my head as I grab an almond and throw it in my mouth, brushing my hair out of my face. "He just gave me his creepy super villain laugh, he won't talk."

She hoists herself up on a stool by the island as she rests her elbows on the marble, "It's been quite a day for you Harpers."
A groan falls from my lips as I slump my head against the cool material while an exasperated sigh follows through, "Yeah well my parents cannot find out about Callum's invitation to Jeremys fist, they're already on edge about the thing that happened to Maverick so if they learn about their little battle, mom is going to cancel the show she's been working on for months to stay here and deal with those two idiots.

"You know, sometimes I look at you and I realize this is what it would be like if I had another Niko in my house." She retorts only to fuel my frustration.

Without lifting my head, I grab an almond and toss it at her, not worrying about my aim.

The noise of creaking and scuffing against the wood, the growing volume of footsteps as a loving arm wraps around my waist, I lift my head and meet her gaze as a frown forms on my face.

Sofia may show the grumpy exterior characters of her father, yet underneath, her nickname fulfills the deep affection she introduces.

"Being the eldest isn't always sunshine and rainbows." She speaks in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Amen." My voice doused with exhaustion, lifting my hand up to rub my weary eyes. 

"Any guesses to what even happened?"

"Knowing my brother, I guarantee it was him being himself." Humming out amused, still not being able to fight the bitter feeling in my stomach at the lingering effects, It had been a long day and I wanted nothing more than to fall asleep in a bubble bath but with the amount of chaos, I feel my shoulders remain tense.

Sofia seems to notice the stiffness in my posture and her own lips purse in displeasure, before she has the opportunity to open her mouth, the noise of the door creaking open catches both of our attention.

"I cannot stay at my house, I am crashing here." Anastasia announces as if it is a given, strolling in with a storm cloud above her head and a grim expression which resembles a nightmare.

Sofia exchanges my gaze before they land on the stiff posture of the scowled face brunette, dropping her small bag on the couch while she hoists herself up onto it and adjusts herself. "I'll be out of here in a day or two."

"Do we want to know?" Sofia counters with a narrowed gaze.

"Take a wild guess- Oh my God you have got to be joking!" Anastasia shrieks out, sitting up in a jolt as she catches sight of Callum emerging from the bathroom.

His lips curl into a sly smirk at the sudden expression from her he invigorated leaving a strange atmosphere for bystanders.

A desperate sigh follows from my lips, pinching the bridge of my nose as I struggle the urge to explode. "You two decide which one wants the couch."

"You have two extra bedrooms." Callum retorts deadpanned, excruciating the anger in my veins.

My fingers lift in a scolding manner as I keep my gaze narrowed at the two of them, "Step foot in those at all one point in the night and I will-" My eye-line meeting up with Sofia as I flash her an SOS expression, desperate for a threat.

She catches the message in an instant, fixing her posture that contrasts mine in a humiliating manner. "How do you think Daddy dearest will feel once he learned his baby's tantrum was induced by you?" Her deviant glint drops Ana's expression causing her scowl to deepen as she falls on her back against the couch cushions, content with her situation.

"I wasn't even complaining." She retorts.

Sofia's peer journeys back towards Callum who uninterestedly leans against the wall with his leg in front of another.

"Well?" He wonders, his expression detached as his posture remains loose.

"I know how to get the numbers of your old hookups." She replies with zero hesitation.

Very little change carries out into Callum, however with the blessing or some would say curse of spending twenty years with this man I have come to be able to finally identify the smallest amount of amend he makes for himself.

His shoulders stiffen by the slightest inch, just enough for me to catch the image and smile.

"Fine."