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“Well, this must be Ella,” he says, causing my father to look unnerved. He rushes to usher the man towards the door. It’s the only time in my life I ever recall feeling remotely protected by him.
The guy’s head turns over his shoulders, his eyes continuing to assault me.
“Ain’t she a pretty little thing, Judge Jackson,” he taunts as Father opens the door. “Can’t blame you for keeping that little treasure locked away.”
I feel dirty just from his glare, and as much as I want to run to the kitchen, my feet are rooted to the spot I’m standing in.
“I’ll be in touch,” Father promises him, and if I wasn’t so unnerved it would make me laugh at how submissive he’s being. A man built like this one could crush my father without breaking a sweat and he knows it.
“Who was that?” I ask after he closes the door.
“No concern of yours,” he snaps, passing me on the way back to his office and slamming his door.
While Penelope prepares my pancakes, I can’t help but wonder about the man. He didn’t look like the type to have business with my father. Maybe he was threatening him. The way he’d looked at me had been a warning in itself. Maybe he’s someone who Father has sentenced in the past. Whoever he is, he’s wrong if he thinks he could get to my father by hurting me.
Mom steps into the kitchen, red-faced, and breathless. She heads straight for the fridge, pours herself a long glass of water, and drinks it down as quick as her throat can take it.
“Darling, I’m just gonna take a shower. Then I thought we could go to the mall, maybe get some lunch?”
“Who was that man?” I ignore her suggestion.
“What man?” she plays innocent, and her oblivious act pisses me off.
“The man, who was just in our house, Mom.” I tilt my head sideways and pull a face that shows I’m not going to play up to her bullshit.
“You know how focused I am when I exercise, darling. He was probably one of your father’s associates. So, are we going to the mall or not?” she asks.
“He looks scary, you don’t think Father’s in any kind of trouble, do you?” I impress myself with how I make curiosity sound a lot like concern.
“Of course not. Your father is a clever man, Ella, he doesn’t mix with people like that,” Mom assures me.
“Right,” I nod, pretending to be convinced.
After an hour at the mall, and Mom trying on countless outfits, all of which I’ve assured her she looks great in. She buys me a handbag that most girls my age would offer up a kidney to own, but all I can get excited about is the thought of seeing Nyx tomorrow.
When we get home, Mom needs to go for a lie-down. All the excitement of shopping and the four glasses of wine she had with her salad at lunch must have really taken its toll on her. I chat to Penelope while she waxes the floor in the dining room, and she tells me what her plans are for the vacation time she has coming up. She’s going to visit her brother and his family and can’t wait to spend some time with her nieces and nephews.
“And how about you, Miss Jackson, how will you spend your summer?” she asks, working her hands vigorously against the floor.
“Maybe I’ve met someone,” I whisper, feeling heat spread to my cheeks. Penelope looks up at me, her big brown eyes spreading wide with excitement.
“Sounds interesting,” she smiles. “Tell me, is he handsome? Does he treat my girl well?”
“He’s perfect,” I tell her, feeling my body sag dreamily.
“Ella, can I see you in my office,” Father’s voice bellows from behind me before I get the chance to fill her in. It immediately brings me back down to earth again. Dread pooling in my stomach as I stand up and make my way towards him. He marches ahead of me, holding the office door open, and then closing it behind me with a thud that makes my bones rattle.
I close my eyes and take deep breaths as he stalks around me, remembering what had happened the last time we were in this room alone together. The scream collects in my throat, but I swallow it back down thickly.
I’ll be brave, showing him that he scares me only feeds his power.
“Last night while we were at the Millers, where were you?” he asks calmly, settling himself in front of me so our toes almost touch.
“I was here, at home finishing an assignment.” It’s a lie but if he knew where I really was, I’d have been in serious trouble way before now.
“Are you sure about that?” He twists his head to the side and I nod back, nerves tight and heavy in my stomach, turning over like an over-crammed washing machine.
“See, while you were grounded I took the opportunity to have your car fitted with some software,” he explains, his finger brushing my shoulder and making me shiver.
