Ice & Prejudice

Chapter 70

Ria's POV:

As the familiar brick facade of my childhood home came into view, my heart started pounding in my chest. I squeezed Nik's hand, hoping the tiny gesture would steady my nerves. This was it-there was no turning back now. Oh, God, I'm way too young to die at the hands of my sisters.

We reached the front door, and I hesitated for just a moment before pressing the doorbell. Nik stood beside me, cool and collected as always, but I could tell he was enjoying this way too much. The door swung open almost immediately, and Lia's face lit up with a wide smile.

"Ria! Happy almost bir-" Her gaze drifted over my shoulder, and the words died in her throat. Her smile dropped like a rock as she pointed at Nik. "What is that?"

I cleared my throat, trying to maintain my composure. "Nik..." I replied, forcing an innocent smile, completely ignoring the 'that' part.

Lia's eyes narrowed as she looked at me like I'd just brought home a live grenade. "I can see that. What is it doing here?"

"I am dating 'it'?" I said, though it came out more as a question than a statement. I could feel the sweat forming on my brow as the reality of the situation started to sink in. Lia's smile twitched, the pain evident as she tried to process my words.

"What," she said, her voice tight as a forced smile stretched across her face, her eye twitching ominously.

"Happy birthday?" I tried, my voice going up an octave as I desperately attempted to change the subject.

Without waiting for her to respond, I quickly stepped past Lia, dragging Nik behind me like a human shield. Her gaze didn't leave him, though, and as Nik passed her, she leaned in close, her voice low and menacing. "I still own that gun."

"Okayyy," Nik said quickly, rushing in behind me, his bravado momentarily faltering.

Inside, the calmness of the house enveloped us. There were balloons, cute decor and the unmistakable smell of freshly baked cake. It should have been comforting, but the tension between Nik and my sisters was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Before I could fully brace myself, Mia came bounding out of the kitchen, her eyes lighting up when she saw me.

"Ria!" she squealed, leaping into my arms with all the enthusiasm of a golden retriever puppy. I laughed as I caught her, stumbling back slightly from the force of her hug. "I missed you!"

"Oh, thanks," I said, hugging her tightly. Mia pulled back, narrowing her eyes at me. I roll my eyes, but add, "Fine, I missed you too, Mia."

Next was Gia, who walked over with a calm, measured pace and wrapped me in a warm, steady embrace. "Happy almost birthday, Ria," she said, her voice soft but genuine.

"Thanks, Gia," I replied, giving her an appreciative squeeze. "Happy birthday."

And then, they saw Nik.

The air in the room shifted instantly. Mia untangled herself from me, stepping back as she spotted him. Gia's smile froze in place. It was as if the universe hit the pause button, and everything became painfully silent. The three of them just stared at him like he was some sort of alien that had crash-landed into our living room.

Nik, being Nik, didn't miss a beat. He leaned casually against the closest wall, channeling every ounce of his infuriating charm. With a smug, almost comically cocky grin, he flashed them his best Flynn Rider smolder and said, "Hi, there."

Oh, God.

For a second, no one moved. It was like the world held its breath. Then, Mia's eyes widened, and she suddenly burst out laughing, doubling over as she clutched her stomach. I couldn't help it-I joined in, my laughter mingling with hers until we were both nearly in tears. Even Gia, who usually kept her emotions in check, shook her head with a smile tugging at her lips.