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“Everyone here has secrets. They have a life no one wants you to know about. You’ve got to learn to fight,” Caleb said. “Or you really are going to be eaten alive.”
The bell rang. I got to my feet, as did Ashley.
We’d run over for lunch, but Caleb took my hand, pulling me back down to sit.
“What are you doing?” I asked. I seemed to be saying that a lot, but the guys were acting in ways I wasn’t exactly accustomed to.
“You’re not going anywhere,” Caleb said.
“I’ve got to study.”
“Yeah, you can study another time.”
“I need your phone number,” Ashley said. “I’m going to have to talk to you.”
I nodded. I’d never given my cell phone number out to anyone. My dad, brother, and driver were the only ones to know it.
Looking at Caleb and the guys, I felt a tightening in my stomach.
They got to their feet and no one stopped us as we walked out of the school. I couldn’t help but glance back, imagining hundreds of eyes watching us.
Caleb opened the passenger door, waiting for me to slide in.
I did.
The guys took the backseat while Caleb got behind the wheel. He turned over the ignition, and I wondered if this was where I find out they’d been playing me all along.
We didn’t head out of town but drove toward Caleb’s house. There were no other cars. His house was one of the biggest, and as I climbed out of the car, I tilted my head back, looking up at the mansion.
It had to have five floors, and I was sure I saw a guard on the roof.
Caleb put his arm across my shoulders, leading me into his home. Even though there were no cars outside, once inside his house, it was busy.
Manic.
Men and women were running around, carrying cutlery, or vases.
I stayed perfectly still, watching, tucked against Caleb’s side.
“What do you think they’d do if I went and melted the ice sculpture?” Gael asked.
“You’d have to deal with your father,” a woman said, coming down the stairwell.
This had to be Molly Falls, Caleb’s mom.
She offered a smile, coming to stand in front of us. “Boys, you should all be in school.”
“Yeah, school sucks, and besides, it’s only fair we come and check out how the ball is getting along. We are guests, after all,” River said.
Molly looked at the knife in River’s hand. “You will not be allowed that at the ball. No weapons.”
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Vadik said.
“Your father’s rules,” she said, turning her gaze toward me. “You must be Emily.” She held out her hand and I took it. Her grip was tight, almost like a threat, so I held hers firmly, not showing any weakness.
A minion’s daughter I may be, but I had learned not to be trampled over. Molly wanted to dominate, and I got that.
This was her castle. Caleb was her son. She had nothing to fear from me. I had no intention of taking her place.
“I better get back to work.” Molly turned on her heel and left.
“Damn, she’s as cold as ever,” Gael said. “How does your dad put up with her?”
“He pays her in money.” Caleb’s voice sounded firm, almost angry.
He held my hand and led me out of the house, past the garden and toward the pool house.
“You ever been swimming?” he asked.
“No.” Their pool was indoors and as we stepped into the room, I felt the warmth surround me.
“Well, we’re going to have to rectify that.” He kissed my cheek before wrapping his arms around my waist and throwing me into the pool.
I released a scream, which was swallowed up by the water as I fell into it.
Chapter Thirteen
Caleb
I didn’t trust Molly.
There were secrets she knew and she hadn’t been honest with me. Every time I looked at her, I had to wonder if she was paid to play the role of my mom. There was no way she gave birth to me.
“What the hell?” Emily coughed as she came to the pool’s surface.
I was already removing my clothes, watching her.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“You’re an asshole. A grade-A asshole.” She pushed her hair off her face as I stripped down to my boxer briefs.
All of us removed our clothes and one by one, we climbed into the pool, which was deep.
Emily’s arms moved out in front of her, keeping her balanced.
From all four directions, we closed in.
There was no way for her to turn. She spun, looking at each of us.
I saw the fear, and we all paused.
“We’re not going to hurt you,” I said.
“You sure about that?”
“If we were going to hurt you, we’d have done it already,” Gael said.
I was the first one to close the distance and wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her close.
She was tense.
“You need to learn to trust.”
