by Mia Carson
He frowned and stuck the key in the ignition. “No, sorry, what’s up?”
“Your mom wanted to know when you’d be back,” he repeated. “And she also wanted to know if you were secretly on a date and lying to them.”
Reider’s hand slipped off the wheel so hard he caught his head on it and cursed.
“What did you do? You alright?” Micah asked.
“Yeah, freaking fantastic,” he griped. “No, no date. I’ll be home soon.”
“You sure there’s not something going on?”
“If you want to ask something, just ask it,” he snapped, rubbing his forehead.
Micah sighed and muttered, “You’ve been off all week, that’s all. Different. Like you’re hiding something or someone. I just want to make sure my cousin’s not getting into something he shouldn’t.”
Reider stiffened. “Now who’s acting like the babysitter? I’m fine, really. I’ll be home soon, and stop grilling me about my personal life. That is none of your business.”
“It is if it affects the family,” he said quietly and hung up.
He stared at his cell and cursed his cousin for being so damn nosy. Had he followed him after all? Reider glanced quickly up and down the street, but he didn’t recognize anyone or any of the cars, and Micah hadn’t driven since the accident. He played it off as his cousin being lonely and needing to distract himself by digging into Reider’s life.
But the whole drive home, Reider couldn’t shake the feeling that Micah was hiding something from his cousin, something Reider felt was going to bite him in the ass if he weren’t careful.
***
Johanna was barely through the door before Frank and Frederick stalked out of the living room and blocked her from running upstairs. “Mind if I put my stuff down?” she muttered as Frank reached for her tote. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Where were you?” he asked, digging through her school papers.
“I texted Mom and told her exactly where I was,” she snapped. “Give me my bag.”
Frank stepped away from her and shook his head as Frederick crossed his arms over his chest. “You were studying with Melody the whole time? Where? We didn’t see you anywhere around town.”
On the outside, she glared at her brothers and crossed her arms, but in her mind, she freaked out, trying to remember if she’d written anything down in the packet of papers that might give Reider away. She wanted to snatch the bag back, but they’d know she’d hidden something and that would start an argument she was in no mood to have.
“We went to a different coffeehouse outside of town,” she said calmly. “Heard they have killer danishes.”
“Really? You expect us to believe you drove all that way for a danish?”
She glared harder at Frederick and straightened, nearly as tall as he was, and she smirked when he glowered at her. “Yes, I do, because it’s the truth.”
Frank pulled out her notebook and flipped through it roughly before he shoved it back and took out the packet of papers. Thankfully, he didn’t even look at those and shoved them back in, bending them all out of whack. “Nothing,” he muttered and handed her tote back.
She yanked it out of his hand and slung it over her shoulder. “Is my inspection over? Can I return to my cell, warden?” she quipped and waited for them to move.
Fredrick and Frank exchanged a glance before they stepped to the side. Johanna walked to the stairs. “If we find out you’re trying to date someone on the side,” Frank warned, “the guy will be sorry he ever touched you.”
She paused before whipping around. “How dare you? You are not Dad, so stop trying to sell me off like a damn cow! I have a life, and it’s mine, not yours. I’ll date whoever the hell I want.”
“No, you can’t, not when you’re a Chadwick,” Frank sniffed. “You’ll date who we approve of, and you’ll marry someone we approve of. Anyone else is not allowed near you.” He moved closer and raised a brow. “Did you see a guy today? Is that why you drove so far away?”
“No, I did not,” she snapped. “I studied with Melody, like I said, so drop it and leave me the hell alone.”
“We will, until Saturday night at the charity event. Your dress is upstairs. Mom said to try it on and make sure it fits,” he added with a smirk.
“And when are you two going to marry your sorry asses off?”
Frank’s face fell. He moved closer until he was barely an inch from her face. “Whenever we damn well please. Maybe after I finish sowing some wild oats—which reminds me, you better not be sleeping around, either.”
“And what if I am? You worried it’ll drive your precious friends away?” she sneered. “Too bad you’ll never know.”
She tried to turn, but he reached out and grabbed her arm. “Do what you want, but if you have a bastard, you’ll ruin this family name and Dad will kick you out. I suggest you keep your damn legs closed,” he whispered and let her go.
Johanna’s hand closed into a fist, ready to deck him, but Lucy, their mom, called out from the kitchen before she entered the hall. Frank and Frederick immediately put smiles on their faces and asked her when dinner would be ready, leaving Johanna to pull herself together quickly.
“There’s my precious girl,” Lucy said and took Johanna’s hand. “Do your mom a favor and try that dress on before dinner. I want to make sure we don’t need to alter it at all.”
“I’m sure it fits fine, Mom,” she said, forcing the smile to stay on her face as Frank and Frederick shot her a warning look behind Lucy’s back.
“Let me see it. The boys tell me there are some suitors interested in you,” she said proudly and cupped Johanna’s cheek. “Go on. Your dad wants to see it, too.”
Johanna gave in and said she’d be back down in a few minutes. Izzy’s door was open, but she wasn’t in her room and Johanna wondered if she were in the kitchen, listening to another lecture from their dad about school. Johanna closed her door and threw her tote across the room with a frustrated cry. Her books and pens scattered everywhere, but she didn’t care. With her back to the door, she slid down it to the floor, holding her face in her hands as a few hot tears pricked her eyes.
This was her life, and it was never going to change. She didn’t have a plan for her life, but she knew she wanted nothing to do with the family business. She wanted freedom, pure freedom. Without meaning to, her thoughts drifted to Reider and how easily they’d spent the afternoon together despite who they were. In those few hours, it was like their last names didn’t exist. Even when he made the joke about Chadwicks, she hadn’t really been mad, but it gave her an excuse to stop the strange friendliness they had together. To get out of there before anything else happened.
She would never have the chance to know what he was really like because of her name and her brothers. She was trapped, and despite what Izzy wished for—a white knight riding in to save her—there were no knights. This wasn’t a damn fairy tale, and no one was coming to save Johanna before the sun set.
Chapter 5
Saturday morning hit Johanna like a sucker punch to the gut, and she rolled out of bed a mess. The day before had been terrible, sitting next to Reider during class and dealing with his looks ranging from worry to confusion to annoyance until she wanted to leave so he’d stop staring at her. She knew she looked awful—no makeup and wearing jeans and an old hoodie. Most of the previous day was spent locked in her room as tears fell unbidden from her eyes, and she faked being sick so her mom would leave her be.
Her life flashed before her, and she stared at her reflection now, grumbling about the circles around her eyes and the paleness of her skin.
“Johanna? Are you awake?” her mom called as she knocked on the door. “Really, it is time to get up. We have a lot to do today to get you ready.”
Johanna groaned and shoved her hair out of her face as she opened her bedroom door. “I don’t think we need to do the whole ritual like normal, right? It’s a charity event. I’m not speaking at it or anything. I’ll fix my hair, an
d we’ll be good to go.”
Lucy laughed as she bustled into the room, already primped and ready for the day. “Nonsense. Get dressed. We have an appointment at the salon, and I don’t want to be late.”
“The salon? Really? Mom, I have a ton of homework to work on this weekend,” she lied, hoping her mom would reconsider if it meant not doing well in her classes, but when Lucy replied, Johanna’s jaw clenched and she reached for something to throw against the wall, barely stopping herself in time.
“School is just school. You might find your future husband tonight, and that’s what you really need… what this family needs.”
“When are you going to lean on the other two to find wives?” she argued.
“They each have a date tonight, and from what Frank says, they’re hopeful that these two women will fit right in.”
Johanna frowned. “They said that about the last few, too. I don’t see them sticking around.”
Lucy shrugged, not meeting her eyes. “Things didn’t work out. Now, hurry up and get dressed.”
“Mom, really, if I’m being pushed to find a freaking mate then they should be, too. They’re inheriting the business,” she said loudly when her mom whirled around and glared at her.
“I hoped, by now, you would understand your duty to this family.”
“We’re not royalty! Jesus, Mom, this is ridiculous. Why do we have to do this? Why?” she snapped, falling down on her bed. She didn’t move when her mom told her to get ready. “No, not until you tell me.”
Lucy stared at her daughter, the perfect picture of a woman of the elite social class, and pursed her lips. “You are going tonight because it is your job as a Chadwick to maintain our relations with other wealthy families in this state,” she said firmly. “Not to mention that we have to show we are still giving back to our community so they will continue to support us.”
“They already respect us. You’re not blind, I know you see it,” she said, but Lucy shook her head.
“You never stop trying to gain people’s favor,” she explained haughtily. “You can’t or you lose ground, and before you know it, everyone is siding with the Marquettes.”
Johanna swallowed hard at the mention of the name and pictured Reider, wondering briefly what he’d be wearing at the event. “But still, I don’t understand why I have to be there, all dolled up.”
“Two of our friends are running for Congress in the coming election. We need to impress them so we stay on their good sides and they on ours, should they win,” she told me and walked briskly to the closet. As she pulled open the door, she continued her lecture on Johanna playing her part and doing what was expected of her without any more questions.
Johanna watched her throw a sweater and slacks onto the bed before she strode to the door. “You have fifteen minutes to be downstairs, ready to go,” Lucy said. “I suggest you dress quickly and put on some make-up.”
“Why, if it’s going to be done at the salon?” she mumbled.
“Do not mumble, and you look like a damn raccoon. Izzy said you went out of the house like that yesterday. You will not do so again. I will not have you be an embarrassment to this family.”
Lucy slammed the door behind her, and Johanna groaned and glared at the ceiling. Once upon a time, she had enjoyed being pampered and spending time with her mom, who was always so busy running the social side of their family’s business. Now, it was pointless tedium, and Johanna wanted nothing to do with it. She wanted to look like a raccoon so the twins’ friends would steer clear of her and she’d be able to date who she wanted.
You can’t date him, the voice nagged quietly. Your brothers would kill him, and you know it.
She dressed quickly, threw on minimal make-up—knowing she’d earn another lecture from her mom—and hurried downstairs to see Lucy and Izzy waiting for her by the front door. Lucy didn’t say a word but turned and walked out. Izzy laughed quietly, and Johanna winked at her. At least she’d spend some time with her baby sister, too. And later, she’d spend the night checking out Reider. Just because she couldn’t touch the man didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy the view.
Nine hours later, after being tortured at the salon and taken to the clubhouse for lunch to indulge her mom and her friends, they finally returned home to dress, just to turn right around and leave for the charity event.
The boning in the corset of the dress made it hard for Johanna to breathe, and she fidgeted with it until Lucy smacked her hands away from her sides.
“You look like you’re having a fit,” she hissed as they walked into the hall at the conference center.
“It’s too damn tight,” she snapped. “What are you trying to do? Suffocate me?”
“You look perfect, and that’s what matters. You can suffer for a few hours for the good of this family,” her mom argued through her smile, waving at several women gathered close by. “Now, do mingle and be certain to speak to whoever Frank and Frederick ask you to.”
Johanna glared openly after her mother for a moment before Izzy tugged on her hand. “Stop. You know it’ll make it worse.”
“Sorry, can’t help it. Rough week,” she whispered and sighed, giving up on breathing easily the rest of the night.
Her dad was on the opposite end of the room in a tux, as were the twins. The three of them had arrived earlier to help set up. The band on the stage played gentle music, and several couples danced on the floor, moving gracefully between and around each other. Johanna watched them, focused on their faces, and frowned. None of them wore real smiles, and the glimmer in their eyes was all the same: haughty and happy to flash their wealth, even at a charity event. Johanna hated it and slouched until her sister nudged her again.
“Frank’s watching you,” she warned. “Might want to smile. Looks like he’s coming this way and he has a friend.”
Johanna plastered a smile on her face. “Could really use one of those white knights about now,” she whispered out of the side of her mouth, and Izzy giggled.
“Johanna, there you are,” Frank announced loudly, taking away any chance she might’ve had at running. “I’d like you to meet a friend of mine from Cornell. This is Brandon.” He motioned to the tall man with a smug smile and eyes that took in every inch of Johanna’s body, resting on her cleavage for nearly a solid minute before they returned to her eye level. “He’s considering moving here, and I thought you could tell him about our home. Maybe while dancing?”
The smile remained on her face as the sudden urge to shower and scrub herself for days hit her hard. “Brandon, pleasure to meet you,” she said and held out her hand.
He took it and kissed the back. “Same to you. Shall we?”
Johanna followed him to the dance floor, hoping she’d faint halfway through and save herself the trouble of turning this man down. He pulled her too close to his body and started the dance. She gritted her teeth and counted down the minutes until the night ended.
***
Reider watched his parents disappear into the crowd the second they were through the front doors, leaving him to deal with Micah trailing dourly behind him. “Oh, come on.” He tried again to cheer his cousin up. “It won’t be that bad.”
“They’re staring at me,” he muttered and ducked his head as several people nearby quieted as they passed.
“So? You don’t have to talk to them, and you sure as hell don’t have to worry about what anyone thinks. You’re old enough. Go grab a drink at the bar, find a quiet corner, and people watch,” Reider suggested. “Usually what I do.”
“Yeah, but normally you have a girl or two with you,” Micah said, frowning. “Hitting a cold streak?”
Reider hefted one shoulder in a shrug as he scanned the crowd. “No, didn’t know who to ask to suffer with me.”
Micah shifted closer to him, but Reider ignored him. He thought his cousin was going to stay home, but his classes dragged him out of his funk, for the most part, and he seemed excited to go that morning. But now, he was nearly touching Reider�
��s side. If he did it all night, it would drive him crazy. When Reider didn’t spot Johanna, he frowned with a curse and slapped his cousin merrily on the back to keep up appearances.
“Go find that corner, and I’ll find us some drinks.”
Micah nodded, and, with his head down, meandered into the crowd to find a place to sit for the rest of the evening. Reider considered swiping a whole bottle from the bar with shot glasses and getting his cousin drunk, but he was pretty sure his parents would disapprove of his method for overcoming grief. When he reached the bar, he asked for two Jack Daniels on the rocks and tapped his fingers on the bar as he waited.
A few women he had spent some time with passed. He smiled at them in greeting, but his heart wasn’t in it, his urge to flirt completely absent. There was only one woman he wanted to see and, if he had a chance, apologize to her again for what he’d said at their last meeting. He tried to do it in class yesterday, but she’d cut him off and muttered it was fine.
She might’ve said that, but something bothered her. All through class, her pen barely left her mouth, and the bags under her eyes were worse. She had fidgeted in her seat the entire time, and it was the first time he had seen her without makeup looking like she rolled out of bed and dragged herself to class. That was not the Johanna he was used to. The fire had dimmed in her eyes as if someone had snuffed the fight right out of her.
The voice in his head said he wasn’t supposed to worry about her. She was the enemy, but he no longer gave a damn about that. They spent one afternoon together, and for the first time, he saw how alike they were and the friends they could be—maybe even more—if it wasn’t for their families.
“Your drinks, Mr. Marquette,” the bartender said.
Reider smiled grimly. “Thanks,” he said and picked up the two glasses.
On his way across the room, he caught a flash of amber eyes amidst the dancers and paused to find them again. The second she spun out and her gaze found his, Reider nearly dropped the glasses. She was beautiful on a regular day, but he thought he had to be dreaming. The dark green dress brought out her eyes more than anything he had seen her in, and the top clung to her shape, pushing up her breasts and highlighting her waist before the skirt filled out and swung around her. There was a small bustle in the back, but he knew that underneath it, the fabric pressed against an ass he wanted to hold in his hands as he kissed her hotly like he did in his dreams.
