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“And what do you think about it?” he asked me, looking genuinely curious.
“I…uh.” I looked to my mom for help, but she was gazing over me, lost in her own head. “It was scary. But if you did it, then he must have been a bad man.”
My second lie of the night. I’d heard the rumors at my school about my family and the rest of this city’s founding families. Not that anyone would come straight out and say it. They were too afraid. But even with as little as I knew, I was positive William wasn’t only the businessman he portrayed himself to be.
“I didn’t do it,” William replied, raising an eyebrow. “Did you see a gun in my hand? Is that your plan? To run out of this room and tell the world you saw me murder a man?”
“No,” I nearly yelled, leaning forward in my seat. “No. I would never say anything. I swear.”
“You’re too curious for your own good. Do you know what happens to people who see things they aren’t supposed to? They end up like Jack.”
I sucked in a breath as terror seized me. My mom seemed to snap out of it, and her hold on my hand tightened.
“You forget who she is,” my mom snapped, her voice stronger than I’d heard in years. “You will not touch her.”
“She’s a liability,” William growled, his face growing red in anger. He didn’t like being challenged. Especially by a woman. “Always getting into things she shouldn’t be.”
My mom let go of my hand to stand up. “She can go to boarding school. Year round.”
“What?” I squeaked out. “No—”
“Do not interrupt me, Katalina,” my mom cut me off, keeping her eyes on William. “She can leave tomorrow.”
Defeat clawed at my gut as I watched William consider her words. He was going to agree. The only reason he wouldn’t was so he could keep on playing mind games with me. But maybe he was growing tired of it.
“Fine,” he reluctantly agreed. “Go say goodbye to whoever you need to.Quietly.I do not want your hysterics to ruin the evening for our guests.”
I wanted to argue. Stomp my feet and scream. But it was no use. Their minds were made up. I’d be gone as soon as possible. I glared at my mom as I stood from my chair. Her eyes glistened with tears, but she nodded at me to get moving.
I ran from the room, a sob escaping me as I did. With my vision blurred from tears, I made it to the grand staircase and bounded down, skipping every other step. Guests stared at me as I raced through the ballroom. The women’s metallic gowns all blended together as I darted through the crowd, not caring who saw me like this.
I finally made it to the other side of the house with a cramp in my side slowing me down. Trying to catch my breath, I pushed open the doors to the gym and stepped into my safe haven. Just like I expected, the three boys I grew up with were shooting around the basketball court. Their suit jackets were thrown on the floor and their ties hung loose as they took turns shooting. All three of them stopped and watched me as I got closer.
“Where’d you go?” River asked, dribbling the ball. “We were supposed to play a game.”
River Ward.
Weston Adams.
Elias Perry.
The three closest friends I had, even though I couldn’t stand them half the time. But we’d been forced to spend nearly every weekend together since the day we were born. Their parents were just as powerful as mine. The other founding families of our city.
“Where’s Noah?” Relief flooded me when I saw him with a few other kids at the other side of the gym.
“What’s wrong, Kat?” Elias asked, frowning as he looked at my hand. “What did you do this time?”
A slice of anger cut through my dread. “It’s always my fault, right? Half the time it’s you guys with the great idea that gets us in trouble. I didn’t do anything.”
Lying to them felt wrong. But there was no way I was telling a soul about what I’d witnessed in William’s office. Then he really might kill me. Ignoring the three of them, I jogged to Noah with my heart in my throat.
I’d been wanting to run away for years. Boarding school would be a dream compared to living here. But Noah…he was the reason I stayed and bared it. My little brother by four years. Innocent and sweet. I’d practically raised him since my mom was never coherent enough to make sure he was fed and clean. William never missed a chance to tell me that I was the outcast in our family. Noah was William’s and my mom’s child. My dad had died when my mom was pregnant with me.
But to Noah, I was his sister. His everything. I shielded him from anything bad. Luckily, William doted on him while I got the brunt of his cruel words. But even living in a lavish mansion didn’t mean our lives were easy.
“Noah.” My voice cracked as I sat on the floor next to him. “I have to tell you something.”
His face lit up as he faced me. “Hey, Kat. Did you see the chocolate cake we’re having for dessert? It looks so good.”
