All Chapters of Sold For $1 To The Hawthorne Brothers : Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

“You know…” A smile tugs on my lips as I walk into the kitchen, watching Adrian flip a perfectly done pancake like he’d been cooking his entire life. Like he worked in a restaurant for years. “Hmm?” He rescues me, when my gaze wanders and my thoughts stray from whatever I was going to say, to his bare chest and his muscles and his mouth-watering, genetically appealing, sculpted abs. “Alina?”I shake my head, grabbing my thoughts before it flies off the train. “Nothing. It’s just, you look homely in your sweats, barefoot, making breakfast for me.”“You sound more surprised that I’m making breakfast for you.”I shrug, perching by the island. It doesn’t surprise me that he could tell what I was thinking. “Lucien and Julian. I thought you’d be out there with them, hunting down the bad guys. But you’re here, with me. I don’t…” I lift my palms in a helpless gesture. “I don’t know what to make of it.”He plates the pancakes, then pours batter on the pan in a perfect circle, before turning t

The last pancake doesn’t survive. It ends up on the floor, and when we finally discover that one of us—or both of us—pushed the plate to the floor, it’s a scene of broken ceramic, some of the tiny chips embedded into the slice. “Step back,” Adrian says, putting a hand out to stop me from getting any closer as I jump off the island’s surface. “You’re going to hurt yourself.” “Pfft,” I blow a breath, folding my arms. “I’m not a child, Adrian. I know that getting closer to broken, sharp objects, especially when I have nothing on my feet, is stupid.” He nods, walking over to the sink to grab one of the napkins hanging on a rack. He picks up the dustpan, his head snapping in my direction when I shuffle away from the mess. “Alina…” “I told you,” I insist. “I’m careful. And smart.” He sighs. “Maybe you should leave the kitchen. You can stand outside the door, in the hallway.” I frown, my arms tighter. “Really?” I tilt my chin, a tiny bit annoyed that he keeps herding me. I move,

I yank the covers over my head, letting the darkness swallow me whole and shutting my eyes tight. But sleep wouldn’t come. “Argh.” I groan, tossing it back and giving up, when the sheep I tried conjuring in my mind turned into something else. I turn, glaring at the other side of the bed. His side of the bed. He was supposed to have come in while I was asleep, tucking me into his arms. Technically, I haven’t slept since dinner time, but I had my eyes closed for over twenty minutes at some point, hoping sleep would come. Where was he? Did he have somewhere so important to be that he couldn’t come to say goodnight? I purse my lips, furious and…furious. “Oh well,” I cross my arms. “I’m not going to let him get into my head.” He was already in my head and under my skin and in my thoughts, so I was lying to myself. I try again, pulling the covers higher, and curling onto my side, forcing my breathing to slow. I count to a hundred. Then two hundred. It doesn’t matter. The sheets sti

Shane doubles back in shock as I take off my cap, with the dark colored wig, sitting down in front of him. “H-how did you get out?” He stammers. “I thought the Hawthornes wouldn’t let you leave their sight, much less visit someone like me.”The guilt in his voice when he talks about himself makes my heart break a little bit. I smile reassuringly as I put the disguise back on. We’re at the back of the cafe, hidden from the window, but there’s no telling who might recognize me. “Well, let’s just say that they don’t know I’m here. They think I’m getting my hair done in the building next door. That’s why I suggested this place.”It was an upscale cafe that opened a month ago…thankfully. Because the other places around were either commercial or they didn’t have places to hide and talk. “What if they find out you’re gone?” Shane questions, fidgeting with his hands. “There’s no way Adrian or Julian would let you walk into the salon by yourself.”He says it as a matter-of-fact. My lips qu

Henrietta’s face, when we walk into the house, sends shivers down my spine. I gulp loudly, clasping my hands in front, like a teenager who sneaked out to attend a party despite the express “no” from her mom. “She’s scary,” Shane mumbles beside me. Adrian and Julian went ahead of us as soon as they walked in, because they had something to discuss in private. I called bull. They just wanted us to face the music of disobedience from someone other than them. Adrian knew he couldn’t be strict with me…Julian had a soft spot.But a calm, expressionless look from Henrietta was all it took to put the fear of something divine in me. “Is she their older sister?” He asks. I shake my head, whispering, “No. She used to be their nanny when they were younger. She’s nice, really. It’s just that I made everyone worried when I lied about going to see you. And I did lie to her face.”“Crap,” he whispers back. “Do you think I should leave? Maybe she’ll be less angry if I get out of your hair. It’s ve