“Wendy?”
Relief flows through me when I hear Jon’s voice. I was in the shower, and when I got out and saw that I had missed his call, I started blowing him up until he answered, not wanting to do anything until I heard him speak.
“Jon, hi,” I breathe down the line. “How are you?”
“I’m okay.”
“I miss you so much, my dude.” My voice cracks, the emotions from the past few weeks bubbling over. “I’m so sorry I haven’t been able to call until now.”
“Oh, it’s okay, James told me you were sick.”
My breath stalls. “Ja… what?”
“Yeah, he said that’s why he was calling to check on me instead. Listen, I really don’t need babysitters.”
My heart explodes in my chest, my mind racing at what he’s saying; at what that means.
“When did—” I clear my throat. “When did you talk to James?”
“Almost every freaking day since I’ve been here, Wendy. That’s what I’m trying to say. It’s a little overbearing.”
“He calls you?” My throat swells.
“Yeah, did you not know?”
My chest cracks wide open, tears rimming my lower lids. Even when he was threatening me, he was checking on Jon. Does that mean he was always bluffing?
“No, I knew,” I sniff. “I’ll let him know to back off.”
“Okay, thanks. Hey, you gonna be home tonight?”
My brows pull in, and I glance around. “Yeah, why?”
“Dad said he’s picking me up and to call and let you know.”
My stomach twists when I realize he’s talking about the mansion. “Dad’s coming to get you?” I repeat, unsure I heard him right.
“Yeah. Said there’s something he wants to tell us. I don’t know, but I don’t really want to be with him by myself.”
My loyalty splits in two, wanting to stay true to James, and knowing he wouldn’t want me anywhere near my dad, but also wanting to be there for Jon. And as much as I want to say no, wait for James to come home and pretend my dad doesn’t exist, I know I can’t. Not if it gives me a chance to see my brother. “Okay. I’ll head there now.”
“Cool.”
“Cool,” I repeat back, smiling as I hang up.
There’s a lightness floating through me from the anticipation of seeing him, even though guilt wraps around my middle, knowing James will hate that I’m there. But hopefully, he’ll be able to see things from my point of view.
I was feeling off all morning. I told James I loved him, and he couldn’t say it back. Not that I was expecting it, but still, when you lay out your emotions, it hurts when they aren’t returned. But him checking in on Jon, even while he was spinning a different tale to me? That means more than any words ever could. I pull up James’s number on my phone and dial, my heart swelling with gratitude for what he’s done. I want him to know that I know, and I also want to tell him where I’ll be. He won’t be happy, but he promised not to control my life.
I’m not a hostage anymore, and I won’t let him tell me who I can and can’t see.
His phone rings and rings, but he doesn’t answer. I frown, trying to dispel the unease the trickles into my gut. I leave him a message and then send a text, just in case, and blow out a breath, brushing off the anxiety.
An hour later, I’m pulling James’s Audi into the mansion’s drive, and being stopped at the gates.
My brows draw in at the new, extensive security features that line the perimeter. Four men are stationed on the outside and one walks up to my window, knocking on the glass.
I roll it down, confusion spiraling through me. “Uhh… Hi. I’m Wendy.”
His brow raises.
“Peter’s daughter? He’s probably expecting me.”
The man doesn’t speak, just nods and walks away, whispering into another guy’s ear before they open the gates and let me through.
What the hell?
Nerves snap and crackle beneath my skin, like ants scurrying through my veins. I’m so disgusted with my father I can hardly see straight. Not that I’m the gatekeeper on morals, after all, I’m in love with a man whose morals are severely lacking at best. But at least he owns who he is. My father puts on a show, fooling the masses.
Fooling me.
I park my car and walk up the brick walkway, opening the front door and making my way inside. It’s eerily quiet, and my stomach tenses with nerves.
“Jonathan? Dad?” My voice echoes off the high ceilings in the foyer, but nobody responds.
Odd.
I walk into the formal living room, pulling out my phone to bring up Jon’s number.
“You came.”
The voice shocks me, and I spin, my phone flying across the room, cracking as it hits the floor. My hand shoots to my chest, my heart banging underneath my palm. “Jesus, Tina. You scared me.”
Tina smiles, walking into the room until she’s only a few steps away. “Sorry.”
“Where’s Dad?” I ask, glancing around. “Is he picking up Jon?”
Her eyes are slightly unfocused, her pupils round and dilated as she grins.
“Tina.” I wave my hand in front of her face.
She jerks, snapping out of her daze. “What?”
“Is my father here?” A warning tingle races up my spine as I take her in, something feeling off about this whole encounter. Suddenly, I wish I would have waited for James to get home, so he could have at least attempted to talk me out of coming at all.
This just doesn’t feel right.
“Mmmmm, nope.” She laughs. “He told me to wait for you, though.”
I tilt my head, my heartbeat whooshing through my ears, my eyes taking in my surroundings. “Okay.”
She steps toward me, stumbling before she regains her footing.
“Are you okay?” Is she drunk?
“I’m fine. Your father has a new business partner. Brand new, actually, and I was the tester to make sure the product was on point.” She taps her nose.
My eyes widen, stomach dropping. “You’re high?”
“Just a little bit of pixie.” She grins. “Pete doesn’t like to touch the stuff, but someone has to make sure he’s not being gypped.” Her eyes narrow. “And there’s no one your father trusts more than me.”
She throws her barb, and it hits the mark, but it doesn’t rip me open the way it once would have. It merely stings; a phantom ache for what could have been.
Not that I would ever agree to do drugs to benefit his business.
My eyes narrow. “You’re disgusting. How can you be okay with what he does?”
She huffs out a laugh. “That’s rich. Tell me, do you ask yourself the same thing as you let Hook split you with his cock?”
Heat rushes to my cheeks, and I grit my teeth. “That’s none of your business.”
She stares at me, the grin dropping off her face. “Ugh, this really sucks. I was told not to hurt you.”
My hair stands on end, alarm racing through me at her words, and I back away slowly, not wanting to make any sudden moves. “Who told you that?”
“Everybody.” She glares, stepping toward me. “Wendy this, and Wendy that. ‘Don’t hurt her, Tina.’ ‘We need her, Tina.’ ‘She’s my daughter, Tina.’”
My back hits the wall, the table next to me shaking from the thump, anxiety swarming my insides as she continues to move closer, her eyes small slits. “Do you know how exhausting it is always coming in second place?”
I shake my head, putting my hands in front of me, my eyes glancing to my phone across the room. “I never asked to be put first.”
“Liar!” she screams. Her hand shoots out and slaps me across the face, my head swinging to the side, cheek stinging from the burn. I grit my teeth, desperately trying to keep my composure. Blinking slowly, I inhale a breath, and when I reopen my eyes, I realize how big of a mistake it was to close them at all.
Because Tina is right in front of me, and a blue glass vase is in her hand, high in the air. My arms reach up to try and stop her, but she’s fast, and it crashes into my head. I fall to the ground, pain searing through my skull as she brings it down again, and everything goes black.
