Read Slow Burn (A Madaris Family Novel) for Free Online

and then said, “Vincent should be here in an hour or so. I asked Justin before he left and he said there’s no soccer practice today.”
    Skye set her glass of iced tea down on the table beside her when her hands began to tremble. Just thinking about meeting her brother for the first time had her feeling anxious. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves.
    “You aren’t getting all nervous on me, are you?” Slade came over to the table and sat down beside her and asked, flashing those sexy dimples of his.
    She returned his smile. “Should I be?”
    He shook his head. “What do I have to do to convince you that everything is going to be all right? We’re Madarises and we’re known for our warm southern hospitality. We plan to make you feel right at home.”
    Gosh, in a way she hoped not. But then Slade had no way of knowing just how her home life had been at times. Especially lately. Her father had somewhat mellowed, but her mother had not. She actually seemed resentful and hurt.
    “I hear a car pulling up. It’s probably Lorren returning with Justina and Christopher.”
    A few minutes later they could hear the front door open and then slam shut. A loud, masculine teenage voice then called out, “Mom. Dad. I’m home.”
    Skye’s throat tightened and the hand at her side clenched. She knew the person who’d just walked in the door had to be Vincent. She met Slade’s gaze, and he gave her an encouraging smile. “Remember what I told you,” he whispered calmly as he stood. He then reached out, captured her hand, and pulled her up beside him.
    She nodded. She not only wanted to remember everything he’d told her, but she wanted to believe it as well. She glanced toward the doorway when a teenage boy walked in. Her breath caught. At sixteen Vincent Madaris was already a very handsome young man. She could imagine how he would look ten more years from now. He was lanky as well as tall, but not as tall as Justin and Slade. However, Vincent had to be at least six feet already. He favored the younger pictures she’d viewed earlier in the photo album, and he was smiling.
    “Hey, Slade, where is everyone?” he asked, coming into the room.
    When Slade moved out of the way, Vincent noticed Skye when he walked closer into the room, and with manners that were lacking in a lot of teens his age, he offered her his hand, smiling. “Hello, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Vincent Madaris. Are you Slade’s friend?”
    At that moment Skye felt all kinds of turbulent emotions and fought the tears that wanted to form in her eyes when she stared into the face of her brother. She had to swallow the huge lump in her throat but couldn’t do anything about the influx of feelings that suddenly filled her heart.
    “And I’m Skye Barclay,” she forced herself to answer in a calm voice that to her ears still sounded somewhat shaky. She glanced at Slade before smiling back at Vincent and saying, “And yes, I’m Slade’s friend.”
    And deep in Skye’s heart she believed that statement was true.

CHAPTER 4
     
    “Vincent! Your dad and I didn’t expect you home from school this early,” a breathless Lorren said, quickly walking into the room with two kids on her heels. The little girl was a replica of her mother, while the little boy favored Justin.
    “Hey, Mom,” Vincent said, smiling. He then crossed the room to give Lorren a huge hug and kiss on the cheek. “With only one more week of school left before summer vacation begins, the teachers decided to end the school day an hour early for the rest of the week.”
    Lorren smiled. “You’ve met Skye, right?”
    Vincent returned his mother’s smile. “Yes. She’s Slade’s friend.”
    Lorren nodded before proceeding to introduce Skye to her other two kids.
    “Are you Slade’s girlfriend?” six-year-old Christopher asked, staring at Skye with wonder and curiosity in his eyes.
    “He’s never brought a girlfriend to our house before,” nine-year-old Justina tacked