Game of Devotion: House of Secrets (Book 1)

The morning sun filtered through the massive panoramic windows of the living room, casting long, golden geometric shapes across the hardwood floor. The soaring ceilings, which gave the house a touch of architectural elegance, caught the faint echo of the first morning alarm. But the true epicenter of life in the Mason-Parker household was currently somewhere else. From the bright, spacious kitchen, the rich aroma of freshly ground coffee beans and toasted bread was already drifting through the air.

Mila Parker sat on one of the white wooden stools by the large kitchen island, her fingers idly drumming against her mug. Her hair fell over her shoulders in untamed, loose waves, and her eyes were still half-closed as she watched the tiny bubbles pop at the surface of her hot cocoa.

“If you hit that snooze button one more time, James, I am personally going to dump a pitcher of ice water directly over your head!” a sharp, clear voice shouted from the top of the staircase.

Liam stepped into the kitchen with an enviable, quiet composure that was almost unnatural for this hour of the morning. His dark brown hair was already neatly combed, and the focused, serious expression on his face showed that his mind was already deep into his analytical notes for law school. He adjusted the collar of his button-up shirt and flicked a glance toward Mila.

“Morning,” he said, his deep, quiet voice cutting through the hum of the refrigerator as he walked straight to the espresso machine. “Has the slacker shown any signs of actual human life yet?”

Mila smiled, keeping her chin rested in her hand against the smooth stone countertop. “I heard a distinct thud from his bedroom exactly three minutes ago. There is a high probability he just rolled out of bed and fell back asleep on the rug.”

“Classic,” Liam muttered, pouring himself a cup of black coffee. “I don’t understand how someone can be nineteen years old, require three different alarms, and still manage to be late for lectures that are in the exact same building as yours.”

Before Mila could offer a witty reply, heavy, rapid footsteps thundered down the wooden stairs. James—or simply Jay, as everyone called him—burst into the kitchen like a sudden gust of wind. His sports duffel bag hung loosely over one shoulder, his zip-up hoodie was only half-done, and his light brown hair was sticking out wildly in every direction. Yet, despite the obvious rush, his face practically glowed with the kind of boundless, athletic energy that only he seemed to possess.

“I did not fall asleep on the rug, thank you very much for the concern,” Jay announced loudly, his voice echoing off the high ceilings. He slid right up to the kitchen island next to Mila, leaning his hip against it. Without even asking, he reached out his and snatched a piece of freshly toasted pastry right from under her nose. “Mila, you are a literal lifesaver. Seriously.”

“Hey! That was mine!” Mila protested, though her annoyed tone instantly dissolved into a giggle as Jay playfully nudged her hip with his elbow.

“Division of assets, little sister,” Jay said with a quick wink of his hazel eyes, which were always brimming with a sort of cheeky, untouchable charm. “You know what the law says about shared household property.”

“The law says you borrowed my favorite oversized hoodie last week and I haven’t seen it since,” Mila countered, reaching up to mess with his already chaotic hair. “So you’re currently heavily in debt, Jay.”

Liam leaned against the far counter, slowly sipping his black coffee while watching their back-and-forth. His face remained carefully neutral, but a familiar, faint protective glint softened his eyes. Ever since their parents had met at that corporate conference years ago and blended their families, this chaotic morning routine had become their rhythm. When the tragic accident took their parents away, they were left alone in this massive, inherited estate. The inheritance ensured they would never be poor, but it also left them with a quiet weight they each carried differently. Liam did it with silent, analytical responsibility; Jay with loud, defiant energy; and Mila stood right in the middle, the gentle bridge between two wildly contrasting brothers.

“Departure in ten minutes,” Liam interrupted coldly, checking the sleek watch on his wrist. “Jay, if you eat the rest of that spread directly out of the jar with your fingers again, I’m leaving you at the bus stop.”

“You are truly heartless, Liam,” Jay grinned, his mouth half-full as he rummaged through the fridge with one hand while adjusting his basketball sneakers with the other. “Mila, tell him he can’t leave me. I have team practice right after lectures today. If I miss the warmup, the coach will make me run suicide drills until I puke.”

“The coach is going to kill you because of your mouth, not your timing,” Mila joked, walking over to the sink to place her empty mug inside.

Just as she was about to grab her backpack from the nearby chair, a short, rhythmic honk echoed from the driveway outside. Mila’s eyes instantly lit up, her shoulders dropping in relief.

“Olivia’s here!” she exclaimed, completely forgetting about her half-packed notes.

“Of course, your other half,” Jay muttered, though he still quickly turned his head toward the window to catch a glimpse of the driveway.

The heavy front door clicked open before Mila could even reach the entryway. Olivia Bennett walked in as if she owned a small percentage of the place. She was the definition of effortless intelligence—her sharp, perceptive eyes immediately reading the exact temperature of the room, her calm demeanor serving as the perfect counterweight to Jay’s loud presence.

“I let myself in because I thought someone was currently having a crisis over their missing keys,” Olivia announced instead of a greeting. She held up her right hand, triumphantly dangling a keyring attached to a massive, fluffy pink keychain. “Found them on the bench outside. Again.”

Mila flushed a faint crimson, running over to throw her arms around her best friend. “You are an absolute genius. Seriously, I don’t even remember them slipping out of my pocket when we were sitting out there yesterday.”

“I know, that’s why you pay me the big bucks,” Olivia teased, squeezing Mila’s shoulder affectionately. There was no room for pretense between them; they had been inseparable since the first day of high school, and Olivia was the only person outside of this house who knew every single one of Mila’s hidden anxieties. Walking deeper into the kitchen, she nodded toward the brothers. “Morning, boys. I see the morning circus is performing right on schedule.”

“Morning, Olivia,” Liam said, giving her a polite, measured nod as he cleared his space. “Coffee?”

“No, thank you, Liam. I’ve already had my lethal dose of caffeine for the morning, otherwise I won’t survive the mid-term review,” she replied, before shifting her gaze to Jay, who was currently trying to cram a whole apple into the side pocket of his bag. “Jay, does your hoodie always smell like a high school gym locker, or is that a specific statement you’re trying to make today?”

“This is the smell of dedication, Bennett,” Jay fired back smoothly, taking a deliberate step closer into her personal space just to push her buttons. “And if you ever actually showed up to support the team at a home game, you’d recognize it.”

“I value my eardrums far too much, thanks,” Olivia shot back with a calm, razor-sharp smile that effortlessly deflected his teasing. “Your yelling on the court can be heard three blocks away.”

Mila watched them exchange jabs, a familiar warmth spreading through her chest. This was her world. Her safe harbor. Even though her days were often loud, chaotic, and caught in the crossfire of two stubborn brothers, she couldn’t imagine a single universe where she would want it any other way.

“Alright, enough banter,” Liam interrupted, setting his clean mug down with the precise, deliberate care that characterized everything he did. He grabbed his car keys from the hook by the door. “Mila, James, let’s move. Olivia, are you riding with us or driving?”

“I’ve got my car today, thanks,” Olivia said, tossing the fluffy keychain back to Mila. “See you outside lecture hall, Mila. Don’t be late, the professor is on a rampage this week.”

“I promise I’ll be there before the doors lock,” Mila said, slinging her backpack over her shoulders.

As the three of them moved out onto the front of the house, Jay threw a heavy, casual arm over Mila’s shoulders, pulling her into his side so abruptly that she nearly tripped over her own feet. “If Liam starts lecturing you in the car about defensive driving statistics and optimal lane changes again, just give me the signal. I’ll start singing that annoying song he absolutely loathes.”

“Please don’t,” Mila laughed, digging her elbow lightly into his ribs to get some breathing room. “That will only make him drive slower out of pure spite.”

Liam, who was walking a few paces ahead toward his clean SUV, suddenly stopped near the driver’s side door. He turned around, his gaze dropping instantly to Jay’s arm resting heavily across Mila’s shoulders. His jaw tightened imperceptibly, his eyes narrowing for a fraction of a second as he took in the sight. The playful, easy dynamic between his younger brother and Mila seemed to cast a sudden shadow over his features. For a brief moment, it looked as though he wanted to say something sharp, to break them apart, but he merely caught himself, drew in a slow, controlled breath, and opened the car door.

“Get in the car. Now,” he commanded, his voice dropping into a low, firm register that left absolutely no room for argument.

Jay rolled his eyes behind Liam’s back, but the wide, confident grin never truly faded from his face. Mila stepped forward, stepping out into the cold autumn air, completely unaware that beneath the calm, familiar surface of their shared life, the deep currents of the bonds they had spent years building were quietly beginning to shift.