Specifically, I start fucking shit up—more than usual—when I don’t gag my demons with Julian’s potions.
I let out a dramatic sigh. “You two gossip more than country-club wives.”
“This isn’t a joke, Preston.”
“I know. Jokes are funny. Speaking of funny, your wife yelled at Miley. Isn’t thathilarious? Actually, it’s not. She’d better watch it, Dad. I see her talk to Miley like that again and?—”
“And what?”
I lift a shoulder. “Guess we’ll have to wait and find out.”
“Find out? Or find you bleeding somewhere random again?”
“Hey, that was one time, and Hayes found me kind of sleeping, so it doesn’t count?—”
“Enough. I’ve seen this before countless times. You start with minor misbehavior, then you spiral and ruin everything around you.”
“Don’t worry. You’re already ruined, so you’re safe.”
“I’m serious, Preston. Take the pills.”
“Hmm. Maybe if you say please.”
“Please.”
Well, fuck me sideways. My usual smirk falls. He didn’t even hesitate.
I force my mouth to curl into my usual expression of asshole provocateur. “Wow. Almost sounded human.”
“If you’re done being snarky, will you take them?”
“Whatever.” I straighten, ready to bolt out of here, because I don’t know how to feel around my father, and he doesn’t know how to deal with me.
A rift happened between us long ago, when he divorced my mom, and I never forgave him for it.
Yes, petty as fuck.
“Was it something Osborn said?”
I pause with my hand on the knob, then turn around to face him. “Osborn? Who’s that?”
“Marcus Osborn. It looked like you changed drastically after he said something to you.”
“Him? Please. I don’t even remember his face, let alone what he says. He’s a nobody. Speaking of nobody, are we okay with the Osborns bringing an outsider into our midst? Kane’s dad isn’t, so do you have any information you’d care to enlighten me with?”
“It’s none of our business whether they bring Marcus in or not.”
“It should be. He was raised with rats and peasants. He doesnotbelong here.”
I clear my throat because Dad is watching me in that way he reserves for when he’s about to figure me out.
“Anyway,au revoir, Papa. Nice talk. Enjoyed the fatherly love, can feel it in waves. So touching, I could cry.”
I leave before he can trap me with his questions or further analyze me with the way he seems to be reading me so openly tonight.
When I finally go outside, I let out a breath, and it coils in the cold.
Lenin is waiting by the car that brought me here, but there’s no Nelly inside.
