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Though I still indulged her occasionally, over the years, I’d grown to establish boundaries and rebel as need be. For example, I changed the old St. Victoria policies that were outdated and a little misogynistic. The rule of girls having to cover their shoulders because it was inappropriate went flying out the window. I was sick and tired of the male population sexualizing the most trivial things and acting like girls were responsible for their wandering gazes.
Diane Hill had disapproved the first time she walked into my school and saw girls wearing sleeveless tops and skirts just above their knees.
Regretfully, Dacia and I played a hand in our mother being this way. We mollycoddled her, and never put a stop to her whims and demands until we got older. Now when we opposed anything, Mother would emotionally blackmail us. Putting up a fight wasn’t worth it because she’d start to cry and no one wanted to be responsible for making their sixty-year-old mother weep. No matter how annoying she could be, she was still the woman who’d single-handedly raised us—with Alberto’s help, of course.
And Dacia and I were usually respectful towards her, unless she was really pushing it.
“Why do you care what I do or who I sleep with?” Dacia said with an unsettling calm. “For the love of God, it’s my life.”
Mother nearly screeched. “You are my responsibility—”
“Can we put this conversation to bed and talk about why we’re really here?” I snapped. “Please!”
Mother breathed fire down her nose like a dragon and Dacia was the perfect example of an ice princess.
They finally lowered their weapons.
“I called you both here because I’m not certain if you’ve seen the news…” Mother’s frame sank in her seat like a deflated balloon. “Armel Lancaster was brutally murdered last night.”
Our expressions fell at the same time.
I couldn’t breathe.
“Armie?” Dacia whispered, her fists loosening. “Armie’s dead?”
Armel was Mother’s godson. He was a bit older than Dacia and me, but he’d been like a surrogate brother throughout our lives.
“I need a minute.” I was still digesting this heartbreaking news.
“Me, too.” Dacia rolled her bottom lip so she didn’t cry. “I wasn’t expecting this.”
When I looked at Mother, I saw her teary red-rimmed eyes. “I found out this morning. I wanted to wait to tell you both until we knew more about the situation, but the MPD is still digging. The only thing we know for certain is he was shot in his driveway by an unidentified profile driving a speeding car.”
“How devastating.” My voice cracked. “I-I can only imagine what Mrs. Lancaster must be going through.”
Armel was super close to his mother; she must be taking this the hardest.
“I’ve been pulling some strings and doing everything I can to help the MPD, which, admittedly, isn’t much. A lot of people are under investigation, yet they are nowhere close to finding the one who committed this…thishorrendousact!”
Dacia tugged her hand through her blond curls. “Do they have the names of potential people who could have wanted Armie gone?”
Mother nodded. “The MPD is narrowing down a list of all the individuals surrounding him in the last six months. The way the case is laid out, it can be anyone. We all know how it is in business. Armel must have created enemies along the way.”
“Fuck,” Dacia cursed.
I swallowed. “Dacia and I will call Mrs. Lancaster tonight to give her our condolences, and see if we can help arrange Armie’s funeral.”
“There’s another reason why I wanted you both here,” Mother said after we sat in pensive silence. “The MPD doesn’t know if this was a one-time kill or if this individual is targeting others in the Lancasters’ circle. Other families like…us.”
My heart burned to ash and I almost choked on char.
“You’re fucking kidding me.” Dacia stiffened straight as an arrow in her seat.
Mother’s lips pressed in a grim line at her daughter’s casual use of the F-bomb. “I’m not taking any chances with my babies. I’ve hired two new bodyguards for each of you. They start tomorrow.” She stood up and dusted the lapels of her blazer. “Whenever you step outside of the property, they’ll follow you. I’ve also upped the security team so there are more men circling the perimeters. Until we find who was responsible for this crime, they will remain here.”
Dacia and I didn’t say anything.
“Please confirm that you understand the magnitude of this situation.” Diane Hill’s life revolved around her work and more work. She didn’t know how to stop. Even after delivering such sad news, she was back to business. “So I can let the remainder of the staff know that we will have new rules set in place.”
