The next morning, I woke up with absolute certainty of what I had to do. There would be only one chance. If I messed it up, if I was caught, I wasn’t sure if I would ever find an opportunity again.
Frankly, I wasn’t even sure if I would survive. If my father caught me stealing his most precious possession, would he let me live? Or would he kill me on the spot? Pay off the police, the investigators, and portray my murder as a horrible tragedy?
If I allowed myself to dwell on fear, if I allowed it to control me, then I would wallow here forever. I’d remain frozen until God Itself rose from the deep and took away my ability to make choices at all.
Callum had given me confidence I had never expected to feel. The way he reveled in any show of power I gave, how he craved and praised any authority I dared to demonstrate; it made me feel strong.
But I had a problem. Dad had locked away my car keys, and I needed to be able to make a quick getaway. Unfortunately, that meant I needed my sister’s help.
My knock on her bedroom door was a little louder than I meant it to be. When Victoria ripped the door open, she looked absolutely pissed.
“What the hell do you want?” she said. She had her hair straightener in one hand and a face mask on. Cheerful pop music played from her speakers.
“Oh, just wanted to see if you were going into town today,” I said, not daring to set foot in her room. She’d probably have a fit if I touched anything.
“Yeah, I’m obviously just getting ready for a night in,” she said, rolling her eyes as she sat in front of her vanity. “Why does it matter to you where I’m going?”
“I thought maybe you could give me a ride into town,” I said, trying to sound as innocent and hopeful as I could.
“Did you forget how to drive or something?”
“Um…no.” Patience, Everly, just be patient and polite. “Dad took my car keys. So…yeah.”
She snorted. “So, you got yourself into trouble and now it’s on me to haul your ass around? No thank you.”
“Come on, RiRi,” I said, daring to go for the throat and use the pet name I had for her as a kid. “I just want to go get a coffee real quick. I thought I’d take one to Dad at work.”
Our father had several meetings at the Historical Society that day. There was a conference that weekend, something about land management and the preservation of historical buildings, so of course, he had to be involved.
“You want to take Dad a coffee? God, you’re such a kiss-ass.” She put on a mocking, high-pitched voice that sounded nothing like me, thank you very much. “Aw, boo-hoo, Daddy took away my car keys and won’t let me go to school anymore. My life is so sad!”
I had a sudden intrusive thought of slapping her face as hard as I’d slapped Callum’s last night. Despite the satisfaction it would give me, I resisted.
“It’ll be a quick trip,” I said. “Please? I’ll even tell him it was your idea.”
“Mm, no thanks. I’m not trying to have Dad think I’m trying that hard.” She sighed, reached for the fuzzy pink bauble on her keys and tossed the ring over to me. “Just take the Mercedes. I don’t care. Have it back by two, Everly, do you understand? I swear if it’s one minute later, I’m going to tell Mom you’re the one who put ghost pepper oil in her eye cream.”
“I’ll have it back by two and not a second later,” I said, leaving before she could change her mind. She’d get her car back eventually, but certainly not by two. Once the police hauled it out of the lake I planned to drive it into, she could drive wherever she pleased.
My plan was simple: head down to the Historical Society, and while Dad was distracted running in and out of various meetings and phone calls, grab the grimoire, and run. Drive up to the forest near House Laverne, hide the vehicle, and meet up with Callum to get back to the house by nightfall.
Perfect. Simple. Not scary at all.
God, I was fucking terrified.
It was a relief to see numerous vehicles parked in the lot as I arrived at the Historical Society building. Plenty of people meant plenty of other suspects. Waiting in the car for several minutes, I kept my eyes open for Callum. Although I hoped it wouldn’t be necessary, he would ensure my father was distracted while I got the grimoire.
But five minutes passed. Then ten.
Callum didn’t appear.
Frowning, I got out of the car and whispered his name. Had I misunderstood the plan? This was the only day we could hope to pull this off while my father was distracted with his meetings. Looking around impatiently, I called his name again.
Nothing.
I was running out of time; I couldn’t wait around for him any longer. Maybe he was already inside, keeping my father distracted. My hands were now clammy, and my chest tight, but I couldn’t let fear control me.
With two lattes in hand, I walked straight in the front doors.
“Oh! Hello, Miss Everly!” The secretary, Janet, waved to me cheerfully from behind the desk. She was a graduate from Abelaum University, blonde and curvy. Exactly the type my father usually went for. “Are you looking for Kent? Mr. Hadleigh, I mean?” She gave me a sweet but slightly nervous smile. “I think he’s still up in his office. But you better hurry to catch him, he has a meeting in five minutes.”
“Oh, gosh, I’ll hurry then!” I waved to her quickly and headed up the stairs, toward my dad’s office. The more rushed my father was, the better.
Rapping quietly on the door, I waited until I heard him mumble, “Come in,” before entering.
He looked up from his desk, clearly surprised to see me. “Ah, Everly. I wasn’t expecting you.” He frowned. “How did you get here?”
“Victoria let me borrow her car,” I said, adding quickly, “She wanted me to go get coffee for her since she’s still getting ready for…well, I don’t know what she’s getting ready for. But I figured if I was already out, I’d bring you an Americano.”
Giving him the most innocent smile I could muster, I held out his beverage. He still looked surprised but took it without hesitation.
“Well, that’s kind of you,” he said. “Unfortunately, I only have — Shit!”
Right as he lifted the cup to his mouth, the loosened lid allowed hot coffee to pour down the front of his shirt and jacket. He swore again as I scrambled, apologizing profusely as I helped him pull the jacket off.
I could feel the weight of the grimoire in the inner pocket as I draped the jacket over the back of his chair.
“The lid must have cracked,” I said forlornly as he vainly tried to sop up the stain from his white shirt with tissues. “Do you want me to go home and grab a change of clothes —”
“No, no, don’t bother,” he snapped. “I’ll just ask Janet for my — Well, I likely have a spare coat in the closet downstairs. I’m going to be late for the damn meeting.” He left the room, urging me out the door. “God, this stain. Give me a few minutes, the meeting will be quick. You and I can grab lunch afterward, eh?”
“Oh…yeah…yeah, sure!” I tried not to sound too panicked as he hurried off toward the stairway. Shit, the last thing I needed was for him to immediately come looking for me after his meeting. I thought I’d have a little time to get away first.
I’d have to make this quick.
The moment he disappeared down the stairway, I rushed back inside his office. The building only had security cameras around the perimeter, outdoors, so I wasn’t worried about being recorded. As I rifled through his jacket, I found the grimoire in his pocket.
I could barely breathe as I took it out. I didn’t expect such a swell of emotion, such an instant and undeniable feeling of rightness. I held years of my ancestors’ studies, their devotion to their magic, their blood, sweat, and tears. Their hands had touched these pages, scrawled these words.
Hurriedly, I shoved the book into my bag. Unlocking the window, I pushed it open, hoping to make it appear the thief had entered and exited that way. Shutting the door behind me, I walked as swiftly as I dared toward the stairs.
I just needed to make it out the front door and to the car. Once I was behind the wheel, I would drive north, taking every backstreet I knew. Callum would be watching; he would be waiting for me.
Finally, at last, I would be free. I just needed to get out the damn door.
I didn’t even make it down the hall.
“Bastard couldn’t even show up for his own meeting…” My father was striding toward me up the stairs, looking more perturbed than ever. I quickly backed up, freezing when he lifted his head. “Are you all right, my dear? You look like you’re going to be sick.”
Shit.
“Oh! No, I’m fine. Totally fine.” I nodded, forcing my mouth into a smile. “I was just going to…um…sit in the lobby. Until you were done.”
“Well, I’m just about ready. As it turns out, Mr. Fedderman can’t even manage to show up for the meetings he schedules.” He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, giving me a squeeze before he continued toward his office. “Let me just collect my things.”
Oh my God, I was dead. I was really dead. This was it. He’d throw me down to the God, he would know I was a traitor. My head jerked around as I considered sprinting, then my eyes fell on a stack of cardboard boxes shoved against the wall, piles of old books inside them.
I didn’t have another second to think. As my father disappeared into his office, leaving me outside, I shoved the grimoire into one of the boxes and leapt back, hoping I looked casual as he emerged.
“Everly.” His voice was cold, his eyes narrowed. “Where is it?”
I hadn’t been prepared for this. I licked my lips, stuttering, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The words sounded natural, even flippant. But the problem with being a liar with a suspicious father was that nothing, not even the truth, was ever enough.
He grabbed my arm in an iron grip, tugging me back toward his office. He slammed the door behind us, shoving me so roughly I had to catch myself on the desk.
“Where is my grimoire?” His face was red, his voice raised, his hands clenched into fists.
“Dad, I don’t have it,” I insisted. He was blocking the door and there was no way around him. No way I could make a quick escape without trying to physically fight him, and that wasn’t going to happen.
If I could use my magic…
But I couldn’t. I fucking couldn’t. As if warning me not to try anything, the cuffs tightened, squeezing my wrists until I feared my bones would break.
“Give me your bag,” he ordered. I handed it over, and he ripped it from my hands. I scrambled out of his way as he dumped the contents on his desk. A tube of chapstick and a pen rolled to the floor as my things were spread out for his inspection.
Luckily, I’d made sure to leave nothing of value inside.
He tugged at the bag’s lining, opening every zipper before he tossed it aside.
“Strip,” he said. “Now.”
My mouth gaped open as I stared at him in shock. “You want me to…what? Dad, you can’t —”
“Now, Everly!” His voice filled the tiny office, and I flinched as he took a step toward me. But there was no way. No. Especially not today, of all days, when my body was covered with little scratches and bruises from Callum’s hands.
“No,” I said softly. “Dad, please, you’re overreacting —”
“This is not an overreaction!” he yelled. “That grimoire is imperative to the continuation of our society and you know it, Everly! Do as I say.” He lowered his voice to a hiss that chilled me straight through. “Obey me, or I’m calling Leon here to make you.”
God, where was Callum? I needed to get out of here. Everything had gone wrong. My eyes kept darting toward the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of my demon flying to save me.
But he didn’t come.
My fingers shook with rage and indignation as I reached for the edge of my shirt. I tried not to think about it, tried to imagine I was anywhere else but here as I hurriedly pulled off my shirt and then unbuttoned my jeans.
With my clothing laid on the desk, wearing only my bra, panties, and socks, I spread my arms. “There? See?” My eyes stung with humiliation as he looked at me, and stung even more when his mouth curled into a sneer.
“What the hell is this?” he said. He brushed my hair away from my neck, and I jerked away, arms folded over my chest. But I knew he could see. The bruises, the hickies, scratches, and little red marks. “Who have you been with?”
“It’s none of your business,” I whispered.
“It’s well within my rights to know who the hell my daughter is whoring herself out to!” He grabbed my arm, again, his fingers digging in. I wondered suddenly if he’d leave a bruise of his own, a bruise Callum could see.
Would Callum find a way to kill him too?
“William Frawley,” I said. I hated to drag his name into this at all, but it was the only way. He was the only person who made sense, someone my father hopefully wouldn’t consider too much of a threat.
My father laughed. It wasn’t a nice sound, it wasn’t humorous. It was cruel.
“Oh, Everly.” He shook his head. “Don’t be foolish. You think you have time to invest in this nonsense? Time to be spending with some…some boy? A boy who wouldn’t even love you? Understand you? Truly know you? Do you really think anyone outside this family could possibly accept who you are? What you’re capable of? What you’ve done?”
He looked at me with revulsion.
“Dress yourself and go home. Straight home. Don’t leave the house for any reason.”
He wrenched open the door once I’d dressed myself, leading the way back downstairs. My face was still hot, my hands shaking with adrenaline as we passed the cardboard box I’d shoved the grimoire into. Dad led me all the way outside, and when we reached my car, he said, “I’ll be driving right behind you. Straight to the house.”
