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“Nova?” Emery stepped into the dining room, a look of concern on her face. “What’s going on?”
Straight to the point as always.
“Did you know the Parkers were killed in a home invasion? That Melody is missing?”
She nodded, pulling out the chair across from me. “It was all over the news.”
I studied her debating on how much to tell her. What would she think of me when she found out the truth? How could I keep her safe when the person that went to kill Pamela and the Parkers came here next?
Those weren’t home invasions, that was bullshit. Shifting my gaze to my fathers’ urn, I chewed on my lower lip. I’d killed once, and I’d been certain I could do it again. But what if I couldn’t? This thing with my father was so much bigger than me, I was beginning to see that.”
“Do you remember when the news came about my parents? You were the first one there for me who genuinely seemed to care.”
“Of course, I cared. You’re basically my sister Nova. I loved them too.”
I took a steadying breath. “You’ve never kept anything from me Em and I’ve been…” She glanced away and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. I was either ridiculously paranoid or she was hiding something from me.
“You’ve been what?”
“Nothing,” I lied. Again.
Seeing I still had zero notifications, I made an executive decision. “I’m going to Rhett’s,” I announced.
“Um, woa! You can’t drive,” she objected, rising from her chair.
“Why can’t I? I didn’t even get to the halfway point of the bottle. I’m not drunk.”
“Its already nine. We can go over in the morning.”
I stared her down, now positive she was hiding something from me. “Em, you can either stay here and give them heads up I’m coming, or get in my car and ride along.”
Her mouth opened but no sounds came out. I left her there and went to grab my keys. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I was certainly about to find out.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
NOVA
Quite honestly, I was in no state to go around a bunch of people that lived life based off who they could impress. The façade I held so dearly too was more of a worn and beaten flag now blowing in the wind.
I let the Camaro coast the rest of the way up the drive, nearly taking out some couple that didn’t get out of the way fast enough. Parking in front of the garage, I ignored Em’s voice and got out.
People stared, of course.
What else was new? That’s all they ever did.
I made a beeline across the expansive lawn, towards the fire. Someone called my name, I paid them no attention. I was there physically. Mentally I was in another galaxy. With every step I took I lost another piece of who I’d tried to be. Good. Sweet. Kind. Anything that wasn’t this.
I felt someone touching my arm and reflexively pulled away. When I blinked, I found multiple sets of eyes staring at me and Rhett a few centimeters from my side.
“Come with me,” he spoke in my ear so I could hear him over the pounding music. His hand clasped around mine and he started leading me away, not giving me the option to object. We walked past throngs of people on his lawn, groups lingering in his house. It wasn’t until we got to his room and he shut that door that I felt as if I could breathe again.
“What’s going on?” he asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
Was he serious? “It looks like a party of some kind. You’re the one who lives here.”
He laughed, staring me up and down. “You are something else. You know that?”
I didn’t know what that meant, but it didn’t sound good. Maybe I shouldn’t have come here in this state.
“I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”
“Can’t do what?” Now he sounded confused.
I stared at him, asking myself what it was that kept me in this position. I saw the darkness, the hardened edge, the mystery. I saw Rhett Sullivan so vividly he could have been a figment of my imagination. I was drawn to him like a moth to a lethal flame.
I knew the way his hands felt on every inch of my body. I knew he made those dangerous flutters erupt in my stomach and my heart feel like it could mend or decimate.
But…
“I don’t know you,” I said simply. “I know you said things are complicated, but…Rhett there has to be more to you than selling drugs and throwing parties that you yourself can’t stand. I mean, two people close to me are afraid of you.”
“You don’t know me?” he repeated back, skipping over everything else I’d just said. “Nova, we’ve been fucking non-stop and sleeping in each other’s beds. I stayed up with you until four in the morning watching cooking wars last night, I think you know enough.”
