Lil☆’s Reviews > Addicted After All > Status Update

. “Thanks,” I tell Connor.
“For you, anything.”
This time when he says it, I recognize the depth to his words

“I need a favor.” My shoulders tighten. I rarely ask him
for favors, and I know that Connor Cobalt attaches a million strings to a
single one. He does something for you; you do something for him.
That’s how it works.
“For you, darling, anything,” he smiles genially, but I trace grief in his
blue eyes. Or maybe that’s just my own

“Because she’s like my bratty older sister. Even though we can’t stand
each other at times, we still love one another and she’d be willing to do this
for me.” I know she would. “Though, she’ll need to be a partner in that
division. Rose likes her titles, and she won’t want to take orders from me.”
I’m always honest with the board.

I wait for Connor to banter back and ease the tension. Like he always
does. But he stares off at the rug, not even looking in my direction.
“Come on, it was a joke,” I say dryly, my ribs binding around my lungs.
Connor suddenly rises to his feet, visibly upset. And he’s trying hard to
hide it, avoiding everyone’s gazes. “You’ll have to excuse me for a second,”
he says softly, sidestepping past the armrest.

And then Connor’s deep blue eyes meet mine, and he smiles at me, a
genuine one that he only reserves for friends.
He can slice through arguments, lower boiling points and keep our
friendship intact, not even remotely awkward after we just kissed.
And he’s a part of my life.
Thank God.
Or rather, thank him. Yeah, I smile, he’d want me to rephrase that.

And then Ryke says, without missing a beat, “Kiss Loren. For thirty
fucking seconds.”

“I hoped you would roll over,” Connor quips. “I didn’t even get to rub
your belly.”
Ryke is not amused. He doesn’t even flip him off this time. Shit.

Connor is too conceited.
Rose is too high-strung.
Daisy is too wild.
Ryke is too aggressive.
Lily is too awkward.
I’m too hateful.

“Don’t be offended,” Connor says, not denying it. “Almost every animal
plays a role in the kingdom. Even zebras.”
“Yeah?” Ryke says roughly. “If I’m a fucking zebra, then what’s my
brother?”
Connor’s deep blue eyes pin to me, full of clarity, something I
desperately crave. His face becomes a complacent blank slate. “What
animal do you want to be, darling?”
My eyebrows rise. “I have a choice?”