Chapter 4
GRACEN
There’s a pyramid of presents on the table as I approach. Of course there is. I wouldn’t expect anything less from Kairo’s kid. I set mine on the table, not bothering to try to add to the pyramid. I’m sure if someone is going for aesthetics, there’s a person designated to maintain the pyramid.
It’s not difficult to spot Kos. Kairo hasn’t given the boy a haircut yet, and his hair is in two elastics on the very top of his head like little horns. Not kidding. I both love it and find it very disturbing. Kairo’s kid being a demon? Yeah, that tracks.
“Hey, brother.”
Sighing, I turn around to find Cole with a wide smile on his face. “What’re you doing here?”
“The same thing you are. Celebrating Kairo’s kid’s birthday.”
“You’ve never met the kid.”
“Not true. Christmas. Thanksgiving. His first birthday,” he rattles off.
“If I put him in a lineup with all the kids, you’d have no idea which one he is.”
“You’re here.”
“I’ve been living here for years now. Me stepping out of my house to attend the party is different from your flying halfway around the world to come to the birthday party of a kid you barely know.”
“I’m a Van Doren too,” he says and turns away.
I’m not shocked to find our father chatting it up with my great uncle Jalon. You just know that Dad isn’t the one continuing the Van Doren line in my family. That would be my mother, who likely didn’t waste the money to attend a two-year-old’s birthday party he won’t remember tomorrow.
I’ve always thought Dad married Mom so he could be a part of the Van Doren family. Not because he loves Mom. Maybe he does. The real question is why Mom married my dad. The way he foams at the mouth and basically fangirls over Jalon is embarrassing.
I know what it’s about. It’s the same reason Cole is here. Neither is truly a part of Van Doren Technologies. They work for the company, of course, but they’re in sales or lower management.
They aren’t privy to the secrets.
Cole tried to follow me into private investigating, but he was shit at it. No amount of throwing his surname around got him hired. Sensitive information goes through that part of the company, and no one was going to take a chance of Cole getting his hands on it.
Turning my attention from my family, I scan the growing crowd for Malin. He’s not here yet. None of the triplets or their families are.
When I turn back, I find my younger sister sitting in a chair surrounded by young kids as if they’re getting ready for story time. She’s looking a little harassed. Chuckling, I weave my way through the crowd until I’m standing over her. Her dark eyes meet mine, and she sighs in relief.
“You get tagged in as babysitter?” I tease.
“I don’t know. I sat down with Bethany, and suddenly, half a dozen kids are here.” Brielle leans in to whisper, “I don’t even know who that one is.”
I laugh. “This is Emric.”
Emric looks up at me and smiles. He raises a hand, and I lean forward to give him a high five.
“He speaks with hand gestures. Don’t you?” I give him my fist, and he hits his against mine, then laughs. “You here to hobnob with the greats, too?”
Brielle’s eyes find our father and brother immediately. She doesn’t hide her scowl well. “No. We’re traveling for John’s work and happened to be in Vegas. Since we were relatively close and had the weekend free, we thought we’d stop in for the party and visit with everyone.”
“I’m glad you have a legitimate reason,” I muse. “I’d be mortified if I weren’t used to it.”
Brielle huffs, nodding.
Jalon’s partner joins the small group of my brother, father, and Jalon with their daughter in his arms. Jalon wraps his arm around his waist and kisses the side of his head before kissing their baby girl’s nose.
By baby girl, I mean she’s six. She’s wearing this frilly dress with all the ruffles and bows. The girl is as brilliant as Voss was at her age. Voss says more so.
It’s crazy to see how much Jalon’s sons dote on their little sister. As if they’ve been waiting their entire lives for a sister, and finally, here she is. A couple decades late, sure, but she’s here and ready to take over the world.
First stop, first grade. Which I’m under the impression that she’s the one teaching the kids science. I didn’t know there was science in first grade. She’s going to blow up the classroom with a volcano or something. I can just see it.
Their arrival allows Jalon to break away from Dad and Cole. I can only imagine who they’re going to accost now. Jalon is far more polite than his kids are, though.
My attention is stolen the moment I spot Malin walking toward the party with the Van Doren triplets, Haze, and their kids. He looks just as distant as he always does. Even surrounded by family. By laughter. By a dozen bounce houses of various sizes and shapes.
I know it’s not my job to make him smile, but a pit forms in my stomach, as it does so often when I see Malin.
I hate his misery. His pain. Those aren’t words that he tends to use, but I know he’s not happy.
He hasn’t found happiness even a decade after being removed from the abusive situation he’d spent his entire life in.
“If you’re waiting for him to notice you, it’s never going to happen.” I decided it was Ellory that day at the docks. His words are constantly moving through my mind as I try to think of something reasonable to give Malin and me some common ground.
I’ve been here for a long time now. It’s not like I can just walk up to him and introduce myself. He knows who I am. He knows I watch him on the lake.
Then again, maybe he doesn’t realize he’s the reason I’m there. Perhaps he believes, like him, I visit the lake most days to relax.
They set gifts on the table and turn toward one of the bounce houses.
Five or so years ago, Jalon had a pavilion built a hundred yards from the south border of the pond.
Currently, it’s filled with tables and chairs where we’ll all gather for a meal and cake.
I’m guessing the cake is going to be as big as a wedding cake.
Kairo would never allow a boring sheet cake to celebrate his kid’s birthday. Blasphemy.
Making a semicircle around the pavilion are half a dozen bounce houses. One is open-topped and has a ball pit for the younger kids. One has a water slide and waterspouts, and whatever.
Then there’s the giant one that feels like it’s a mile long and has more than a dozen obstacles for the kids to go through. Not going to lie, I’d love to take a turn at that. Just because it looks fun.
Malin joins his family at the littlest bounce house, where the youngest Van Dorens are set within the pit. One of the triplets joins them. I’m guessing that’s Ellory. It’s a very Ellory thing to climb into the ball pit.
I take a seat with Brielle and the littles as I covertly watch Malin. Not in a creepy way. I suppose it could be creepy, but then again, I’m going to remind myself that Ellory didn’t take offense to my watching Malin on the lake.
A squeal has my attention pulled away for a second.
The bulk of the youngest generation was born between 2024 and 2026.
Three kids in 2024, six in 2025, and two more in 2026.
Since everyone lives right here, they’ve grown up like siblings, so it’s not unusual to find them wrestling or fighting or laughing together.
Now is no different. It looks as though Orev, Arek, and Daxton have shoved Novan down one of the slides and Paisley is screaming at them that Novan could have gotten hurt.
“It’s filled with air!” Daxton hollers back. “He’s just going to bounce.”
Meanwhile, Novan is laying sprawled out in a starfish with a grin on his face. Yeah, not at all hurt. He just likes Paisley fussing over him.
Brielle laughs under her breath. “This must be a chaotic place to live,” she muses.
“It’s not, but then, I’m not around the kids often. It likely is chaotic wherever there are more than two.”
She hits me suddenly, and I look at her with surprise. “What was that for?”
“Bro, why didn’t you tell me Jessica was having another kid?”
I follow her direction, and yeah, there’s no mistaking Jessica’s round belly for what it is. Especially when neither she nor Myro can keep their hands off it.
“I guess I thought there was some kind of announcement chain for those who don’t live on the Estate.” I shrug.
She rolls her eyes. “When is she due? Boy or girl?”
“Six weeks, I believe. And… girl. I think. Fairly certain.”
“You suck at keeping me in the loop.”
“I do,” I agree. “I didn’t realize I was signing up for family gossip when I moved onto the Estate for a job.”
“Now you know, so I expect better.”
I laugh. “Honestly, I think this is the last baby here for a while. Everyone says they’re done having kids.”
“So this one is going to be spoiled like a princess. Worse than Kairo spoils Kos.”
“Oh no. Not possible.”
She snorts.
I sometimes worry about Kos. He’s going to grow up with a chip on his shoulder, a superiority complex, and a super spoiled rich boy. Hopefully, his second father will even out Kairo’s extreme parenting. I’ll be surprised if Kos isn’t gifted a jet for his birthday.
Speaking of parenting, Kairo calls everyone together for Kos to open his presents. I glance at the mountain and shake my head. We’ll be here for days. Hopefully, he does this in stages. Kos is only two. He’s going to lose patience and enthusiasm pretty quickly.
I linger behind as my attention turns back to Malin. Like me, he doesn’t join the crowd gathering around Kos. He watches them and then turns away.
He wanders over to one of the bounce houses and peeks inside. When he doesn’t move, I wander toward him. He meets my eyes as I approach the last dozen feet.
“Want to jump?” I ask.
He glances into the bounce house again. He shakes his head, but answers, “They’re for kids.”
“Adults can use them too. Just take off your shoes.”
His eyebrows knit together as he studies the bounce house. His eyes flicker to mine for a second and then toward the party.
I bend over to untie my boots so I can pull them off. Then, I shimmy my way through the small opening, laughing when I roll away. “Only a word of caution, the way in and out is really small.”
I remain on my back, waiting to see if Malin will join me. I’m surprised and thrilled when I feel the bouncy house push up and shake with every movement Malin makes.
It’s difficult not to grin like a loon. He climbs in and lies down beside me. For several minutes, we’re silent. I’m not sure what to say. I didn’t actually expect him to climb in. Hell, part of the reason I’ve never spoken to Malin is because I’m not sure what to say to him.
Eventually, I turn my head to look at him. Malin meets my eyes. “Want to bounce?”
He chews the inside of his lip, and I’m fucking ecstatic when I see the hint of a smile on his face as he nods.