The Closet Librarian's Bookshelf.

Loved

1. Alexandria

Well Per was not at all what I was expecting, but then I guess my brother's never really followed the easiest path. The news that they were bringing home a girl with them had been received with shock, initially the story had been she was Ru's girlfriend but from the conversations we had been hearing between parents it was more... possibly all of them with her.

Cassian and Cosmo had warned us not to meddle and Hector and Angus had made a few comments but soon dropped it, more interested in spending time on the beach that speculating about our brothers love lives.

But Cassandra and I had talked about it, I knew Cassie had been sad when we first heard the news, I was aware she liked the boys and was always hoping one of the four would take notice of her, though why I didn't know, they were all a pain in the arse, but I had thought she was over the initial upset and knew what was coming.

Now we were listening to them introduce Per and update our parents and I could feel Cassie getting worked up by my side. I snuck a quick look at Cassian and Cosmo they would not be happy if...

"Don't you want to be with your family for Christmas, such a shame to not be with them" Cassandra asks Per snootily and I see the boys tense, I look at her shocked, hearing the bitchiness in her voice. She was not normally so outwardly catty. At least not around me.

Ivo turns his gaze her way and I see her cheeks colour a little at his furious attention on her.

"My parents are aware I am here and are quite happy about it" Per replied evenly, looking straight at Cassandra, "As I am sure are yours" she adds politely.

I bite my lip to stop from smiling, Cassie could be a pain but never to me, but I did know she had been a bitch to others before and now she was being firmly put in her place.

"How long have you been a couple?" Cassie asked looking at the boys who just grinned at each other, I caught Ivo's nod from the corner of my eye and then Rupert was lifting Per's hand to his lips, kissing the back before replying.

"Two days" he replies and watch the confusion on Cassandra's face... Priceless.

"Two days... two days and you have brought her home for Christmas?" she laughs and whispers "Gold digging bitch" under her breath to me and I feel my body tense, I know most of us heard her, Did she mean for that? What was she doing?

My gaze flicked back to Cosmo and Cassian they looked furious and I knew later they would make their displeasure known, maybe I could head them off, though this time even I thought she had gone too far, but first... oh damn!

Laurent Szell leans forward, his gaze assessing Cassandra before he looked at Per, "Per is the heir to BB Pharmaceuticals, the only heir. I believe that, 'She' is more than a match for any other heir here" his gaze swings back to Cassandra "You would do well to remember that Ms Simpson" he tells her. Cassie now flushed with embarrassment and close to tears, glances around before she runs off the terrace.

Damn, damn, damn, what the hell has she done, I get up and look around our families, feeling guilty myself even though I did nothing, but she was my friend, I look towards Cassandra's departing back before turning to Per "I'm so sorry she was rude... Excuse me" and I follow Cassandra.

"Welcome to the families Per" I hear Laurent say into the silence behind me.

"Cassie!" I shout racing after her, finally catching up on the beach. "What the hell was that?" I gasp out.

"Did you hear what he said to me, how dare he" she growled in reply and I pull back shocked.

"Cassie, you attacked Per and called her a gold digging bitch, what the hell do you expect, I'm surprised the boys didn't say something, how could you, you don't even know her" I say trying to be fair but she rounds on me, her face a mask of anger.