Star Promise by G. J. Walker-Smith Read Free Book Online Page A

you alive if she catches you abusing the furniture this way,” I warned.
    He pressed warm lips against my neck. “There are worse things she could catch me doing,” he murmured.
    I wanted to push him away and tell him to get his act together. The problem was that Adam’s act was perfectly together. It made telling him off impossible.
    “Adam, stop it,” I whispered.
    The line of kisses he was trailing across my skin was almost paralysing, and he wasn’t even close to stopping. I gave in after just a minute, raking my hands through his dark hair as I pulled his mouth to mine.
    Nothing on earth compared to being touched by him. My whole body sang to music that only we could hear. It didn’t matter that we were making out on his parents’ couch. Nothing mattered, which is why neither of us noticed our daughter wander into the room.
    “Stop kissing,” she demanded in a tiny voice.
    I tried to move but Adam’s arms remained locked around me. The best I could do was turn my head. “What’s wrong, Bridge?”
    She stood just inches away looking dangerously close to tears. “Mamie gave me a present,” she whispered. “I don’t like it.”
    It could only have been the creepy doll. I was almost glad that she didn’t like it. I’d been dreading the thought of her proudly carting it around with her since I first laid eyes on it.
    Adam freed me, allowing me to sit up. “Where is it?” I asked.
    When she pointed toward the kitchen, Adam reached for her hand. “Are you okay?”
    Bridget shook her head but didn’t say a word. The poor little girl looked terrified. There was no need for her to explain why. Fiona came waltzing into the room a few seconds later cradling the doll from hell in her arms.
    “Darling, you left your baby in the kitchen.” She tried handing it to her, but Bridget was having none of it. She piled on top of her dad, who was still flat out on the couch.
    I took it instead, trying to save the queen some hurt feelings. Adam wasn’t as considerate. “Mom, that’s awful,” he told her.
    Fiona ripped the doll from my grasp. “I’ll have you know she’s incredibly special.”
    She sounded truly offended. Even Bridget picked up on it. “She’s nice, Mamie.” Her little white lie backfired instantly. The queen gently positioned the doll in Bridget’s lap as if she was placing a real baby. To her credit, Bridget didn’t protest, but she clung to Adam’s shirt as if depending on him to keep her safe.
    “You must treasure her,” Fiona instructed. “What’s her name?”
    Not much thought went into Bridget’s reply. “Treasure,” she blurted, making it sound like a question.
    “Trashure,” Adam murmured.
    I slapped his leg. The queen scowled. And Bridget discreetly knocked the hideous doll off her lap, letting it fall to the floor.
    ***
    Treasure didn’t eat much. I know that because the queen insisted that she sit next to Bridget at the table. Every time my poor little girl edged closer to Adam, Fiona would push the doll’s chair closer.
    Freakish dinner companions were the least of our worries. I’d never eaten venison before but I was pretty sure that it wasn’t meant to be grey. I tore my eyes from my plate in time to see Adam’s reaction as Fiona set a plate in front of him. He looked a little grey too.
    Dinner suddenly became a magic trick. The meal was spent shoving it around our plates and hiding it under vegetables. Bridget ate like a bird at the best of times, so no one took offense when she set her fork down and claimed to be full.
    The only person without a game plan was Jean-Luc. If he thought it was awful, he wasn’t letting on. “This is magnificent, my darling,” he praised. Fiona beamed. “Outstanding,” he added. “A touch of mustard would complement it nicely.”
    Jean-Luc had a game plan after all. It kicked in the second Fiona rushed to the kitchen to fetch his mustard. He shamelessly scraped most of his dinner on to Bridget’s plate.
    “No, Papy,” she