en the plane touched down

re outside was a sweltering ninety degrees, an average number for DC in August, and also what turned a little rain into a massive thunderstorm. Those summer s

ad she hadn't been stuck in the air during the storm. However, when she turned away from the windows and began her trek

liana had lived in for the past seven years. And gone was Lia Colton-Avill

st as she had been so many years ago. She'd been wanting that back

would turn around and get on the next flight bac

she hoped

carry-on bag on her shoulder and trudged forward, s

calculating ice-blue eyes that Taliana had snagged from the gene pool. Her pace quickened, gently nudging people out of her way, a

al

back finally surfaced when sh

cation of his age. Before Taliana could even comprehend what was happening, he pulled her t

and hugging him back, her own shock slowly fading. It felt lik

n Taliana's upper arms as he looked her over. Charles let out a soft

ing back at him. "And y

But Taliana's father paid them no mind. He simply draped an arm over her sho

you," Taliana chuckled as he guid

e she'd packed practically her entire life away in them-her fath

ide into the rain. While she'd been half expecting to see her mother's black Mercedes idling in front of the terminal, she was

ed, rushing toward her with arms spr

threw herself at Taliana, arms wrapping tightly around her waist. It was a slightly uncomfortable position, seeing as her cheek was pressed firmly against Taliana's not-so-ample chest, thanks to the fact that she stood a good ten inch

d beamed up at Taliana, brown eyes spar

another one of those motherly hugs as

got to spend with her father and stepmother when she was younger, just because it was nice to be with someone who wasn't afraid to have fun. She and Katherine had gone to the zoo and made funny faces at the monkeys, splashed around in the

ack door for her and shutting it once Taliana had clambered inside. A flash of white-blonde hair caught Ta

time she'd seen them, and while their platinum-blonde hair hadn't darkened a single shade, they certainly didn't look like the

e phone she'd been furiously messaging away on. She flashed Taliana a quick smile b

e returning her attention to her

ch in common or run in the same circles. And after she'd left for LA, they hadn't done much but share a few "happy birthday" messages via social medi

st slid into the driver's seat. "It's a monsoon out there," he complaine

ater. "It's been a while since I've seen rain like this." She was

LA," Katherine conceded, swiping her d

led away from the curb. "We're lucky to get an inc

arles said, glancing in his mirror before changing lan

ama of LA and glad for the current thunderstorm, but she'd only been in DC for less than twenty minutes. That de

ashing them a small smil

s. Taliana tuned in for a while, but her attention diverted once they crossed ov

as. The Potomac River was probably even more polluted than it had been years ago, but it still seemed to sparkle. And while the

had always been synonymous with money and power, seeing as it was one of the oldest and most expensive areas in town. Plenty of influential people from the government and society lived in t

ne sang as the car came to

before making a mad dash to the front door. They all took a moment to sh

e said. "Let's get

ghtly under the weight of the massive bags. Eventually, she made it up to the second-floor landing and dragged

inside as she approached. "I couldn't bring myself to p

dresser, and she could swear there were glow in the dark stars on the ceiling. It was practically a shrine to her childh

nning the room one more time. "I

hand drifted down to her cheek momentarily before he let it drop completely and glanced at hi

t of her wet clothes and collapse on the bed, exhausted from

ings were looking good, and all she c

*

out of the hotel rooms of random girls, but the nu

rgetown, he questioned what the hell he was doing. He knew he'd become a bit of a w

ds-or two-hour stands in this case-with random girls. But since he'd had h

ther. Luckily, he was spared from thinking about what had happened and what he had become when a sleek, red Ferrari pulled to the curb in front of him. Sebast

he stared at Sebastian with a half

uickly sliding inside to avoid getting drenched by the t

as he navigated the car down the narrow street. "I was conv

ool window, though part of him was vaguely amused. Leave it to

ling hazel gaze on him. "Since

my sex life." His eyes drifted back open when the

e coffee shop that had been their hangout sin

puddles while men in khaki shorts and colorful polos ducked into stores to av

responded, shifting gears with ease as traffic sl

ed softly. "Tha

nt coffee shop five minutes later. Sebastian entered the dimly lit space first, letting his eyes a

ing at their normal table in the back corner of Cool Beans. After a quick nod to Michael to follow h

epths as if it held the answers of the universe. His red-rimmed eyes only confirmed Sebastian's suspicion that he'd

s and taking a sip. Sebastian took this time to focus on Marcus, who

l questioned, beating Sebastian to the

, playing with the pack of cigarettes in his hand. Marcus may have been a good boy when it cam

mpted, signaling to their usua

ttled his hands in his lap.

came to the name. "Zak? Your cousin from California with all th

his fingers tightening around t

pped her a generous tip as always, causing her to blush. He wai

parently his parents couldn't handle him anymore an

k so his long, auburn hair fell away from his forehead.

a could probably handle him. She can in

She was the main reason Marcus had turned out as a practically perfect child, seeing as her only son was too afraid to ever go against her wis

" Sebastian questioned, cuppi

sfaction remained. "And my mother wants me to

is lips, his eyes swinging up sharply. "W

t up on the table. "But it doesn't seem like there's anything you ca

n shut h

ughts e

his seat. "I swear, if he even cons

s owner. Michael paid the look no mind as he slipped a hand into the pocket of his jeans and p

looking up at Sebastian a few seconds

the president," Marcus groaned. "All those Hollywood assh

, fingers flying over t

hat ambassador who incessantly hit

ment this time, which was punctuated

d his friend the finger