How fucking satisfying would that be?
Know what I want even more?
To bring Summer Hawthorne to her knees and make her wish she’d never heard the Rothchild name.
Once upon a time, she accused me of playing games.
Oh, the fucking irony of it all. If her deceit didn’t cut so deep, I would be on the floor rolling around with laughter.
Unable to stare at her prone form a moment longer, I swing away before gathering up my clothing. Once dressed, I slip through the door that leads to her private balcony. As I do, images from earlier rush through my brain, tangling insidiously around me. It takes effort to shake them free before I stalk across the lawn to my property.
The only joy I have right now is in knowing that tonight will be the last sound sleep she has before I make her life a living hell.
Chapter Eight
When the alarm buzzes the next morning, I stretch and grab the phone from the nightstand before turning it off. My lashes flutter open and I blink to awareness, rolling over and reaching for Kingsley. Normally when I wake up, my head is pillowed against the solid wall of his chest and his arms are enveloped around me, anchoring me to his warm body.
In that moment, before reality can press in on us, I revel in the feel of him. The safety I’ve found in his presence. And I thank whatever higher power there is that he crashed so forcefully into my life. Maybe I’m confused about everything else, but never that.
Never my feelings for the dark-haired boy.
It’s all the other bullshit that I’m attempting to unravel in my head.
I reach out, stroking my fingers across the cool sheets. Kingsley is always here when I wake up in the morning. Most of the time, I have to kick his ass out of bed.
My brows draw together as I sit up and glance around the empty room. The door to my private bathroom is wide open. There’s a stillness to the space that tells me he’s not here. Further inspection has me realizing that the clothes he shed in a hurry last night are gone.
That’s odd. Why did he take off without waking me up to say goodbye?
My mind tumbles back to the night before. The last thing I remember is falling asleep in his arms after we had sex.
I grab my phone and fire off a quick text.
Where did u go? Missed waking up with you.
As I collapse against the pillows, I stare at the screen and wait. When a response doesn’t seem forthcoming, I realize that I need to get moving. Even the idea of being late to Ms. Pettijohn’s class is enough to have me breaking out into an itchy case of hives. There’s not much I wouldn’t do to avoid incurring the wrath of the older teacher. She has all the charm of a fire-breathing dragon.
I shoot off one last text so we’re both on the same page.
Pick me up for school?
Then I throw off the covers and head to the shower. Twenty minutes later, I’m dressed in my tartan skirt and white button-down shirt. My hair bounces around my shoulders as I head down for breakfast. With a step into the hallway, I glance at the phone in my hand.
There’s still no response.
I don’t get it.
Kingsley always texts back. As I move through the second floor, I press his contact info, deciding to call. Instead of ringing, his phone goes straight to voicemail.
Which is...strange.
Is there a problem?
Something going on I’m unaware of?
Why isn’t he responding?
It’s so unlike him.
Even though it’s stupid and I have zero reason for concern, a little knot of tension blooms in the pit of my belly. Since spending the long weekend at his family’s beach house in Door County, we’ve been inseparable. Kingsley Rothchild has quickly become one of the most important people in my life. The thought of something being wrong has me sick with anxiety.
My feet grind to a halt when I find my brother in the kitchen, wolfing down a fresh stack of pancakes.
“What’s going on? Normally, you’re not even out of bed yet.” I beeline for the cherry wood cabinet and grab a mug before filling it to the brim with piping hot dark brew.
My brother shrugs before shoveling another oversized forkful into his mouth.
“Want some pancakes, sweetie?” Mom gestures to the plate next to the stove. “I made a few extras.”
I snort, giving my twin a pointed look. “Doubtful they’ll stay extra for long.”
Mom cracks a smile. We both know Austin has an enormous appetite. “I’m sure he can spare a pancake or two for his favorite sister.”
“I think what you meant to say is only sister,” I cut in.
My twin shakes his head before pointing his fork at our mother. “No can do.” He pats his flat belly. “I’m a growing boy.”
“If you’re not careful,” I snark, “you’ll start growing horizontal instead of vertical.”
His teeth flash in the light that filters in through the window. “You’re just jealous.”
Truth.
It’s not fair that one individual can pack away so much food and look the way he does. The only thing I’ll concede is that Austin works out in the gym and on the practice field like he’s already a professional athlete. If he doesn’t make it to the NFL, it won’t be from lack of effort.
“Thanks for the offer, but I’m not all that hungry.” I’ve never been a big breakfast eater. Mom knows this but asks every morning just the same. It’s a little dance we do.
“Where’s Dad?” I glance around the sunlit kitchen and realize he’s conspicuously absent. Lately, we’ve been trying to make more of an effort to eat breakfast together as a family. Since Austin stays after school for football and Dad has been pulling late nights at the office, it’s the only time the four of us are in one place at the same time.
“He had an early morning meeting,” Mom says, busying herself with the pancakes on the griddle.
Unease scampers down my spine as I add sugar to my oversized cup of coffee. “Oh?” I give her a bit of side-eye, trying to get a read on her thoughts, but her face remains impassive. I can’t decipher if Dad’s meeting has anything to do with the Hawthorne-Rothchild agreement. A burst of nausea explodes in my gut, and I grimace. These secrets will eat me alive if I let them. If Kingsley discovers what my parents are up to, he’ll be furious, and I can’t blame him for that.
Austin’s dark eyes narrow as if he can sense the sudden tension that has gathered in the atmosphere. “What the hell is going on now?”
Not wanting to tackle that particular question, I lift the mug to my lips for a sip of java.
Mom hoists a smile and shakes her head as if to say—whatever do you mean? Her mannerisms become overly animated, which is a dead giveaway that she’s attempting to cover something up.
When it becomes apparent that Austin isn’t buying what she’s attempting to sell, Mom switches tactics and waves a hand dismissively. “It’s nothing, really. Your father hired a lawyer from New York. He’s hoping a fresh pair of eyes might help iron out a few details with the company.”
What she’s really saying is—All right, move it along now. There’s nothing to see here.
Unfortunately for Mom, her response has the opposite effect on Austin. His suspicions have only been roused further. He’s like a bird dog who has caught a scent.
“Uh-huh.” That’s all my twin grunts as his speculative gaze returns to me. It’s as if he’s attempting to work out a complicated math problem in his brain. I can almost see the wheels turning.
I’ve spent the last two days trying very hard not to think about the shit storm my parents have unwittingly unleashed. They don’t understand the tenuous position they’ve put me in. I either betray them or Kingsley. There is no middle ground. What I now realize is that I’m partly responsible for the road we’re careening down. When Mom dropped the bomb regarding their plans to fight the contract, I should have admitted my feelings for the next-door neighbor boy.
; Instead, I’d remained silent.
I won’t deny there’s a part of me that detests being forced into marriage. Who I spend my life with should be my decision. If I end my relationship with Kingsley down the road, I should be allowed to walk away. The family company should not be the reason I’m stuck in a marriage. And that, in a nutshell, is the crux of the issue. If my parents could have figured it out before the contract had been signed, I would have been all for it.
A frustrated puff of air escapes from my lips because there’s nothing that can be done about it now. As those thoughts swirl through my head, my gaze drops to my phone. The twinge of concern in my belly blooms into something more.
It’s been nothing but radio silence from Kingsley. If he would shoot back a simple text, I’d know we were good and could relax. Instead, my nerves continue to stretch and lengthen. I’m on edge, and the caffeine jolting through my system only makes it worse.
“I’m going to catch a ride to school with you,” I say with a casualness I no longer feel. For the last two weeks, Austin has had the G-wagon all to himself.
My twin’s dark brows rise at that bit of information. He’s not thrown off by my blasé attitude. “Trouble in paradise already?”
I should have known he would seize on the implication.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I scoff.
Mom snags my gaze and raises her brows.
I’m surprised when she says, “For the time being, pulling back is for the best.”
“Pulling back from what?” Austin questions, voice sharpening as he homes in on the cryptic statement. His narrowed gaze bounces between the two of us as his fork clatters to the empty plate. “Someone better tell me what the hell is going on around here before I lose my shit.”
“Language,” Mom snaps, straightening to her full height. If there’s one thing she can’t abide, it’s Austin’s potty mouth. Although, my twin has been swearing for years and our mother is constantly chastising him for it. Not that it’s done any good. The proverbial horse is out of the barn as far as his colorful vernacular is concerned, and it isn’t coming back anytime soon.
Austin rolls his eyes, not in the least bit cowed by her rebuke. “Then answer the question.”
When Mom presses her lips into a flat line, he pounds his fist against the table. “I’m so freaking tired of all the secrets around here!” He jerks to his feet, towering over both of us. “I thought we were done with all that BS, and now there’s more!” His angry gaze drills into Mom before shifting to me. “Is this how it’ll be from now on? Only certain people in this family will be privy to insider information?” There’s a pause. When neither of us attempt to fill the suffocating silence, he snaps, “You know what? Maybe I should have moved back to Chicago when I had the chance.”
My teeth sink into my lower lip as remorse surges through me. If it bothers me to hold back from Kingsley, it’s even worse with my brother. Before moving to Hawthorne, we never kept anything from each other. But the last six weeks have changed our relationship. Secrets have mushroomed up all around us and everyone is guilty of keeping them.
“I’m sorry, Austin.” Mom flattens both palms against the granite as if to prop herself up. As if the weight of what’s going on is slowly crushing her to the floor. “Your father and I aren’t trying to keep anything from you, it’s just...” her voice trails off as if she’s not sure how to finish the thought.
When it comes down to it, that’s exactly what they’re doing, and my brother realizes it.
Austin pins me in place with a hard-edged glare. I can’t blame him for being pissed off and hyper-sensitive about the situation. The last secret nearly splintered the four of us apart. “I don’t want to hear anymore crap. You either tell me what’s going on or I’m out of here.”
A frustrated puff of air escapes from my lungs. Ever since Dad inherited the family company and moved us to Hawthorne, there have been too many surprises simmering beneath the surface.
It shouldn’t be like this.
If Mom won’t tell Austin what’s going on, then I will.
Before I can do exactly that, Mom beats me to the punch. “Your father is trying to figure out a way to break the contract with the Rothchilds.”
Austin’s dark brows skyrocket into his hairline. “Don’t you think you should have figured that out before you bargained away my sister’s life?”
Mom’s eyes widen as her mouth gapes open. She’s not used to Austin speaking to her in such a disrespectful manner. Our relationships have changed, and not necessarily for the better. Ever since we were forced to uproot our lives, Austin has become surlier. I can’t blame him for it. The move has been especially rough on him. In Chicago, he was treated with god-like reverence as a star on the football field. Here in Hawthorne, his new teammates haven’t exactly welcomed him with open arms.
More like the opposite.
Ignoring the statement, she says in a clipped tone, “New information has come to our attention and we’re doing our due diligence by exploring it.”
My brother’s unrelenting gaze shifts to me, pinning me in place. “And you’re good with this?”
I jerk my shoulders, unwilling to say differently. It’s a complicated question. I’m doing my best to sift through my feelings and figure it out.
With a quick shake of his head, he grunts out his disgust before picking up his plate and dumping it in the sink. As he strides from the room, he barks over his shoulder, “Be ready in ten.”
Mom watches him leave before glancing at me. It’s only then that I notice the exhaustion that fills her eyes and the tiny lines bracketing her mouth. “What’s gotten into him?”
Even though our situation at school has improved and we’re no longer treated like lepers fresh from the colony, Austin isn’t happy living in Hawthorne. He’d rather be in Chicago, playing football with his former teammates.
Jasper Morgan, AKA the douchebag, still has the starting quarterback position with Austin playing backup. My brother is a talented player who spent the last three years as QB for the varsity team. He’s been on the radar of college scouts since freshman year of high school. So, to move to nowheresville, Wisconsin and get stuck playing backup for a less talented guy doesn’t sit well with him. Now add that Jasper is the one who filled his locker with cow shit and provoked him into a fight which led to a three day out-of-school suspension and you have the perfect recipe for a volatile situation.
Austin is no stranger to brawling. Over the years, he’s grown accustomed to defending himself because of his dyslexia. He’s unwilling to let a slight pass by, and he doesn’t know how to turn the other cheek.
Well...maybe he knows, he just refuses to do it.
“Moving to Hawthorne has been difficult,” I say by way of explanation. “A lot has happened in a brief period of time.”
Too much.
Her brows slide together as she stares at the now empty doorway with contemplation. “Maybe we should have allowed him to move back to Chicago.”
My heart lurches at the idea of being separated from my twin. As relieved as I am that it never came to fruition, she’s probably right. But it’s too late to do anything about it now. It’s October and the football season is well underway.
“When we were offered this opportunity, it had seemed like a fresh start for all of us. And now...”
And now it’s turned to complete shit.
When Grandma Rose passed away, leaving both the estate and multimillion-dollar company to Dad, it had seemed like an opportunity of a lifetime. A chance to escape the rat race in Chicago and enjoy life in the country.
Unfortunately, it hasn’t turned out that way.
Little did we know that everyone in town would hate us or that the Rothchilds would threaten to take the company away, bankrupting my family.
“If we find a way out of the contract, the Rothchilds will crucify us. You think the way everyone treats us is bad now, it’ll be a thousand times worse
. All we’ll be doing is confirming their thoughts about this family.”
A heavy pall settles over the room as Mom lifts the mug to her lips before taking a sip. Her attention strays to the golf course beyond the window. “We would have to leave, Summer. Your father is trying to figure out how we could do it and still run the company.”
Wait a minute...what?
Leave?
The thought of walking away from Kingsley has my throat closing up until it feels like I’m being strangled from the inside out. Barely am I able to push out the question. “When will Dad know?”
“I’m not sure. In a day or two.” She shrugs. “And then the four of us will sit down and discuss the situation openly. No more secrets, I promise.”
I draw my bottom lip into my mouth before chewing on it. I don’t want to break the contract if it means destroying my relationship with Kingsley. When he finds out about this, it’ll annihilate the little bit of trust we’ve managed to build.
“Summer?” Mom says, cutting into my thoughts.
“Hmmm?”
She searches my face, sifting through all the emotions flickering across it. “I’m sorry about all of this. Your father and I shouldn’t have agreed to the terms of the contract. It wasn’t fair to you. There has to be another way for us to work everything out between our families. It’s not like we’re trying to rescind their share of the company. We just don’t think you or Kingsley should be part of the deal. Once we can prove there’s nothing for Keaton to blackmail us with, we can sit down with the lawyers and negotiate a compromise that is fair to both parties. That’s all we’re trying to do.”
When she puts it like that, it makes perfect sense. The deal struck regarding Hawthorne Industries shouldn’t have anything to do with us. It should be about the company.
“It’s still possible the lawyers might not find a way out of the contract, right?”
“It could go either way,” she agrees. “For the time being, we have to sit tight and wait.” There’s a pause. Her voice dips, becoming more hushed. “You haven’t mentioned any of this to Kingsley, have you?”
Queen of Hawthorne Prep Page 6
