King of Sloth (Kings of Sin #4) by Ana Huang

Her skin glowed in a way that shouldn’t be possible beneath the unflattering lighting. She wasn’t showing yet, and her cashmere sweater and Italian wool slacks fit her Pilates-toned figure like they were custom-made (which they likely were). A four-carat heirloom diamond dazzled from her ring finger.

It was the same ring Bentley had proposed to me with.

Acid gnawed at my gut, but I met Georgia’s gaze with contempt. “Pen is family,” I said. “She was four at the time. She shouldn’t be held responsible for the poor decisions made by adults in her life.” “Penelope is a Kensington,” Caroline said coldly. “You are no longer a Kensington in anything but name, which means she’s not your family. You have no right to be here.”

“That’s rich coming from someone who pretends she doesn’t exist half the time.” I returned her glare with a chilly smile. “Don’t stay too long, Caroline, or people might mistake you for an actual mother.”

“You little—”

“Caroline.” My father placed a hand on her arm, reining her in. “Don’t.”

My stepmother sucked in a deep breath and touched the strand of diamonds around her neck. Her glare didn’t ease, but she didn’t finish her attack either.

George turned to me, his expression unreadable, and pieces of my bravado melted away like iron tossed into a fire.

It was our first face-to-face encounter since our estrangement. If seeing Bentley was akin to getting hit by a truck, seeing my father was like getting trapped in the sands of time. Every shift of grain evoked a different memory.

The timbre of his voice as we walked through Central Park Zoo for my seventh birthday and he pointed out the different animals to me.

The proud smile on his face when I was presented at my debutante ball.

The shock when I told him I was starting my own PR firm instead of settling down and popping out babies like I “should.”

The defensiveness when I accused Georgia and Bentley of sleeping together behind my back, the fury when I refused to “take their relationship in stride” and give them my blessing, and finally, the utter coldness when he gave me his ultimatum.

If you walk out that door, there’s no coming back.

The weight of our history crushed my lungs. Emotions surged through me in a jumble of old anger and fresh nostalgia, and it took everything I had not to turn and run away like the coward I prided myself on not being.

I’d had many years to imagine what our first post-estrangement meeting would be like. They ranged from ignoring one other (most plausible) to a tearful, joyful reunion (least plausible).

Confronting each other outside my sister’s hospital room after she’d almost died was so implausible that it landed fully outside that range.

“Sloane.” My father might as well be talking to his driver, for all the emotion he showed. “How did you know Penelope was here?”

The bitter pill of disappointment cracked on my tongue. What had I been expecting, a hug?

“I…” I forced myself not to look at Rhea. “I got a message from Annie.”

I felt bad about throwing her under the bus, but she was already fired. Rhea wasn’t, and Pen needed her.

Plus, I doubted my family would check with Annie. Once they fired someone, that person didn’t exist to them.

Caroline’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve never met that woman.” “That you know of.” I arched one brow. “How would I know who she was otherwise?” “Penelope could’ve told you.” “She could’ve. But she didn’t.”

“This is ridiculous.” My stepmother redirected her glare toward my father. “George, kick her out. She stopped being a Kensington the day she humiliated this family by leaving it—my God, the number of whispers I had to endure during my charity meetings after that—and she—”

“You can’t kick me out,” I snapped. “This is public property. You don’t own the hospital, no matter how much money you donate to it.”

“Perhaps not, but we can get a restraining order against you for lying to the hospital staff and intruding on a private family affair.”

“You can certainly try. My—”

“Enough!” my father thundered. Caroline and I lapsed into mutinous silence. “This is neither the time nor place to engage in petty squabbles.”

He turned the full force of his flinty gaze on me. “Sloane, you are legally a Kensington,” he said. “But you gave up all rights to participate in this family the day you walked out of my office. That includes contacting Penelope in any way, shape, or form. I made that clear.”

My nails dug into my palm. “She’s a kid, and she needs someone who—”

“What she needs is none of your concern. You have no more claim on her well-being than a stranger on the street.” Disappointment shadowed his face. “We could’ve solved this. I gave you an opportunity to make amends, and you ignored it. The consequences are yours to reap.”

His dismissal fell like an axe blade, severing my power of speech.

The beginnings of a storm brewed behind my ribcage, but as always, it was all sound and no fury. No rain, no tears. Just an endless, ceaseless pressure that yearned to break but couldn’t.

“Rhea, go inside Penelope’s room and stay there,” he said. “If anyone except myself, Caroline, Georgia, Bentley, or hospital staff try to enter, call security and let me know immediately.”