Retaliation: An Alpha Billionaire Romance by Lauren Landish Read Free Book Online

talking.”
    “Talking's kind of nice, isn't it?” I ask with a grin. “Especially when you like the guy.”
    Melissa blushes, and shakes her head. “He was definitely interesting. I’m sure there’s a story to that scar, though.”
    “Well, you know there's a lot more to someone being cute than just a flawless face,” I remind her. “Especially for artists who see deeper than just the surface.”
    “Maybe,” Melissa says, her blush deepening before changing the subject. “So how was shooting?”
    “Good today, I feel relaxed now. Range is clean too, so I was thinking maybe Sunday I'd go out and try my old recurve bow. It's been a while, and I can't seem to get that cam issue worked out on my compound. How was painting?”
    “Really good,” Melissa says, brightening. “I just felt it going today, I made some good progress on the piece I was working on. I just was excited this morning, maybe because I'm looking forward to Saturday. I mean, to actually meet Andrea... to meet a blood sister, I'm excited.”
    “Good,” I say honestly, amused by the repetition in her speech. Melissa isn't someone for a lot of words, even with me, and for her to be so jazzed that she's repeating herself is cute and wonderful. “I want you to be excited. I'm excited, too. No matter what happens.”
    Melissa smiles and gives me a hug, and I hug her back, the words I left unsaid running around in my head.
    As long as she fucking shows up Saturday.

Chapter 5
Andrea
    “ S o Jackson , where'd you get this van?” I ask my brother as we roll down the highway in the ten-year-old Ford van. It's not pretty, but it certainly runs well, and when Jackson showed it to me this morning, I was amused. Guess Jackson hasn't run out of surprises for me yet.
    Before Jackson can answer though, I feel a wet nose in my ear and I laugh, turning around and petting Maverick. “You big love sponge! You realize most women don't like having cold, wet things shoved in their ear, right?”
    Maverick pants and gives me a big doggy smile before turning around in a circle and sitting down, comfortable on his oversized dog bed. He yawns once before lowering his head and closing his eyes, content. As long as someone gives him attention, the gigantic Great Dane is happy with his lot in life. I think a lot of people could learn from Mav.
    “You can thank Nathan for the van,” Jackson says from the shotgun seat once he stops laughing about Maverick's antics. The van is huge, and even with the removed seats in the back for Maverick's bed, there's more than enough space for five adults and one baby in her car seat. “Katrina and I only have a little Honda in Baton Rouge. You saw it, right?”
    “That thing Nathan was driving Thursday?” I ask, and Jackson nods. I look at Katrina, who's patiently playing with Andi in her safety seat. “Do you even have a license?”
    “I don't even have a Social Security number,” Katrina answers with a chuckle, and I'm reminded that my sister-in-law and Jackson now live an underground lifestyle. No real IDs, no paper trails, nothing that means they really exist. They're ghosts in the shell, phantoms that don't even have a marriage license, although that doesn't diminish their vows one bit in my eyes. While they've shown me a lot, I have tons of questions still, and I hope that maybe this trip and reunion will give me a chance to ask them. “I do drive, though. Trust me, when Jackson brought that Honda home the first time, I nearly went into labor laughing so hard. From limos, Audis and sports cars to a family-type Honda. Fatherhood changes a man, I guess.”
    “It did indeed. Love more than fatherhood though,” Jackson adds, and Nathan, who's driving, makes a hurling sound that makes me break into giggles. “What?”
    “I think the sweetness levels are getting into diabetic shock territory,” I say, leaning forward and patting Jackson on the shoulder. “But okay. Nathan, where'd you get this monster? And I don't mean