CHAPTER 93: I’M GOING TO SAY A BAD WORD

We turned the corner, and there she was.

Alia.

In the kitchen, barefoot in an oversized hoodie, holding a slice of pizza in one hand and a half-eaten chicken wing in the other.

"Alia?!" I shouted, clutching my chest as I slammed into the wall. "What the hell!"

She blinked at us like we were the intruders.

"What?" She shrugged, with tomato sauce smeared across her cheek, crumbs on her chin, and the guiltiest stare I’d ever seen in my life.

Dominic snorted beside me. "You almost gave us a heart attack."

She pouted, blinking dramatically. "Huhh?" she mumbled through a mouthful of cheese. "Why are y’all looking at me like that?"

"We thought someone broke in. I was about to call 911," I gasped, still trying to catch my breath.

She looked offended. "Okay, first of all, I woke up to the smell of pizza. That’s on you. You knew what I was capable of. Second, don’t yell at me, I’m literally a minor."

Dominic covered his mouth to hide his laugh.

"And also, I can’t believe you were going to call the cops to arrest your adorable baby sister. You don’t love me, Ash. Do you want me to grow up with trust issues?!"

"Oh my god, I love you, Alia. But seriously, you scared the crap out of me."

She held up the slice. "I was in my room starving. I almost died in there."

Dominic, now shirtless, sat on the arm of the couch grinning. "She’s got a point. Hunger is not something to joke about. I’d have done the same."

"Don’t encourage her," I snapped.

Alia narrowed her eyes and tilted her head. "You’re wearing your hoodie backwards."

I looked down.

She was right.

The tag was sticking out in front.

"...It was dark," I muttered.

I groaned and dropped onto the couch beside Dominic.

Alia took another giant bite, hopping off the chair like she hadn’t just given us a near-death experience.

"Also... what were you guys doing? I heard whispering and sounds."

She leaned in to whisper.

"Jayden says his parents make those noises when they think he’s asleep."

Dominic froze. Our eyes widened.

I nearly choked. "We were talking. Eat your pizza and go to bed."

"Uh huh," she said, squinting at us. "Talking doesn’t usually sound like..."

She paused... and made the most horrifically accurate moaning noise I’d ever heard.

"ALIA!" I jumped up. "Don’t ever make that sound again. Oh my God. I definitely need to see your teacher this week."

"Okay, okay! Jeez." She rolled her eyes, completely unfazed. "But just saying... Jayden told us his mom said ’it means they love each other very much.’"

Dominic died laughing, falling back on the couch, with his hands over his face.

I turned and whispered to him, "I told you she’d hear us. The walls are thin."

Alia tilted her head at me. "Why are you red? You’re acting very... suspicious. Are you blushing?"

"I’m not blushing," I lied.

She grinned like she knew everything. "Or because Dominic is around. You liiiike him."

I stood up. "Okay, that’s it. You’re going back to bed."

"Noooo." She clutched the pizza box to her chest. "If you make me go to bed...I’m going to say a bad word."

Dominic burst out laughing again. "Wait! what kind of bad word?"

"A real bad word," she said dramatically. "I’m not bluffing."

"Alia," I warned, pointing at her. "Don’t even."

She grinned. "It starts with ’S’."

Dominic leaned forward. "Now I’m curious."

"Alia. I swear, if you....."

"Shittyballs!" she yelled, sprinting down the hallway. "I said it! I said the bad word!"

I bolted after her. "YOU CAN’T JUST....ALIA, YOU’RE EIGHT!"

"I’m emotionally fragile and you’re yelling at me??" she screamed from the other room. "WOW!"

"She doesn’t even know what that bad word means!" I yelled to Dominic.

"Yes, I do!" she yelled back. "It means don’t scream at kids with big feelings! Google it!"

Dominic was howling on the couch, laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes. "She’s... she’s a menace. I love that kid."

I collapsed next to him, out of breath. "She’s a Scorpio. She feeds off chaos. We never stood a chance."

I flopped back onto the couch, still breathless from chasing Alia around the room. I heard her bedroom door slam shut.

He smirked. "Well, to be fair... I did have you making some sounds earlier."

I rolled my eyes. "Don’t finish that sentence."

"I wasn’t going to," he said innocently. "I was just going to say I like your voice when you’re, you know...." He raised an eyebrow.

Eventually, I rested my forehead against his, whispering, "I’m so exhausted."

He chuckled. "From the making out or the chaos?"

"Both." I pulled back and reached for the pizza box on the counter. "Let’s finish this and go to bed. I want to cuddle."

"Yes, sir," he said, before stealing a slice. "But just so you know, I cuddle dangerously."

We were still catching our breath when Dominic said, between laughs, "Oh, remind me to tell you what your sister did today."

I raised a brow. "What now?"

He grinned like he’d been waiting all day to say it. "So June told her that Ian’s been bullying you..."

I sat up straighter. "Yeah?"

"...and Alia....without a second of hesitation, kicked him."

I blinked. "She what?"

"Kicked him. Like a tiny MMA fighter,"

I burst out laughing, falling sideways onto the couch.

Dominic nodded, eyes gleaming. "Ian had to promise her right there that he’d never mess with you again. I swear he was terrified."

I started laughing again, shaking my head in disbelief. "God... I can’t even be mad. That’s so her."

Dominic leaned his head back, still smiling. "She’s wild, but... she really loves you."

I looked toward the hallway where her door had slammed.

"...I’m glad she’s okay," I said softly.

I nodded, then leaned into him and closed my eyes. "Come on," I murmured. "Let’s go to bed."

He stood, offering me a hand. "You better keep that promise about cuddling."

"I will," I said with a sleepy smile. "But don’t try anything. I’m armed."

Dominic grinned. "Armed with what?"

I smirked. "My overwhelming sense of self-control."

He chuckled. "That’s funny... because I’m armed too."

"With what?"

He snorted, and pointed to his crotch. "This hard, massive weapon of mass distraction."

I rolled my eyes. "Get a hold of yourself."

"Ha! you love it," he shot back.

Before I could react, Dominic grabbed me by the waist and hoisted me up over his shoulder like I weighed nothing.

"DOM!" I shouted, hitting his back. "Put me down!"

"Nope," he said, with one hand gripping the back of my thighs while the other gave my ass a pat. "You said let’s go to bed. I’m just helping."

He kicked the door open with one foot, marched into the room, and dropped me onto the bed. I bounced once, scowled at him, then tried to sit up...before he crawled over me and pinned me with his weight, grinning like the devil.

"I said no funny business," I reminded him, trying to sound firm.

"I never agreed to that. Besides, I’m about to commit several crimes." He licked his lower lips.

"Dom, don’t," I whispered, arching up as his fingers slid under my hoodie.

"But you’re already in bed."

I bit my lip, my pulse kept racing. "I’m still tired."

"Good," he whispered, spreading my legs apart. "Then just lie back and let me ruin you slowly."