Adjournment (The Fate Series) by Emersyn Vallis Read Free Book Online Page B

control yourself,” she mumbles.
    I’m trying, but she makes it so damn hard.
    “And where are you two off to at this hour?” Stanley sends us a sweet smile when we approach him at the door.
    “Frozen yogurt… I accidentally set her up on a date with a man—ouch! Seriously?” she barks.
    “I can guess who. Shall I arrange for an alibi?” He laughs, opening the door for us as we exit.
    “That won’t be necessary tonight. But it’s very sweet that you would do that for me.” I smile, patting him on the cheek on my way out the door.
    “It’s called survival. If you go to jail and one day get out, you might come looking for me,” he yells from behind us.
    Snapping my head up to where he’s standing, I try to give him a dirty look but the smile on my face ruins it.
     

 
    Frozen yogurt fixes everything.
     
    By the time we return, Stanley is gone for the night, and we quietly eat our creamy concoctions on the ride back up.
    “Want to watch some TV?” she offers once we’re inside kicking off our shoes.
    I don’t know why but I feel the need to look at the stupid photo when I walk past it.
    “Actually I am going to bed. Early morning you know…” I give her a hug then begin to retreat to my room on the opposite side of the apartment.
    “I wish you would just admit that you care,” she says loudly in a sing song mocking tone after me, waving the paper around.
    “The only thing I care about is avoiding him and his jackass brothers when we go out.” Slamming the door on that note, I change into my pajamas and after a few whispered curses I fall asleep.
    A few hours later, my insufferable alarm starts to go off precisely at three. I roll over to smack it then lay back to stare at the ceiling. Lexi is already up and singing her morning routine from the other side of the apartment. “Now I’m gonna brush my teeth. Then I’m gonna straighten my hair.” It’s annoying but at least I know the events of last night haven’t weighed too much upon her. She’ll bounce back, perhaps date a man who is actually single and maybe even a little fun.
    For a girl who is as pretty as she is you would think she would have better taste in men.
    Nope.
    Lexi is tall, with gorgeous long dark brown hair and perfect curls. You know the kind you see in the magazine and want, but then you remind yourself it’s airbrushed to look that way. Only her curls aren’t, but she straightens them.
    Mine, on the other hand, is light blond and straight, cut into a short wedge with longer sides. Both of us have the same side bang that makes people ask if we are related.
    Yes—we’re related…
    She has olive skin and brown eyes, I am exactly like my sisters, fair with green eyes. Let’s also point out the six or seven inch height difference. I had to start wearing higher heels since she would mockingly lean down and say “what” every time I spoke. Now I wear them for two reasons—one so she won’t lean down, and two because she knows I will kick her with one of them if she does.
    I look over at the clock, and it’s already four am.
    Seriously where does this time go?
    Rushing into my bathroom I quickly brush my teeth, smooth back the sides of my hair so I can pin them into place, and run some mascara over my lashes.
    Done…
    Hey, I am paid to make others look good… not myself.
    Sliding into my black pants, I grab my white button-down, twisting the buttons through the holes as I race down my short hall. I grab my scarf off the back of the couch as I cross the room to make the coffee. Movement in the kitchen makes me stop, Lexi has the coffee already ready next to the fruit she has cut up and put in to-go containers for the drive.
    “You’re going to make us late. If we don’t leave now we’re going to risk seeing Mr. Willis in the hall.” She cringes as she stuffs a cube of watermelon into her mouth.
    Our neighbor Mr. Willis likes to take his morning walk in our hallway… naked. I was thankfully made aware of it when I