***
Six o’clock comes entirely too fast. I expect to be cornered but end up making it to the kitchen without incident. An older woman is floating around the room as she prepares dinner.
“Oh, you must be Emma. I’m Mary.” She abandons steaming pots on the stove to wrap me in a hug.
I normally don’t like hugs, but this one isn’t so bad. It reminds me of hugging my grandma. Her body is soft and comforting.
Smiling, she pulls away, taking my hands in hers. “It's so good to meet you.” I fight the urge to push her away as she pinches my cheek and says, “Aren’t you adorable.” She looks at me approvingly. “I’ve made a special dinner tonight. Head into the dining room with the boys. I’ll have food out in a second.”
“Okay… um... thanks,” I mumble, unsure of what to say. I’ve only seen chefs and maids in movies. I wonder if there’s a maid here? The house is always clean.
The first thing I notice when I walk into the formal dining room is the gigantic window. It gives a magnificent view of rolling hills covered in deep-green trees. There’s a snow-tipped mountain in the distance. It’s so beautiful that I can almost block out the way Ryan’s presence sucks the air from the room.
He and Brent are facing the window, their backs to me, but I see the way Ryan stiffens when Arden says, “Hey, Emma. Have a seat.” Arden gestures to the chair next to his at the head of the table.
Begrudgingly, I do, giving me a clear view of the monsters sitting on the opposite side. I expect them to be sneering at me, but they aren’t. They almost look cheerful.
“Hey, Emma,” Ryan greets me with a smile.
“Hey,” I say, thinking this has to be an act. Why don’t Ryan and Brent just tell Arden they hate me? And where is his other son? Is he going to hate me too?
“Emma, I have a long lunch break tomorrow. Would you like to meet me around noon? There’s this sandwich shop near the mall that has amazing subs.”
I set my water glass down. “Oh... I would, but I have plans tomorrow,” I say.
He chuckles. “You have plans already?” He picks up his glass.
I fidget in my seat. “I met a friend at the mall. He wants to show me around.”
Arden frowns, setting the glass of water down without taking a drink. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? How old is he?”
Ryan scoffs. “Really, Dad? I think Emma’s old enough to make her own decisions.”
Arden gives him a tight smile. “Of course she is.” He turns to me. “Are you sure you can trust him? You just met him. What do you know about him?”
I frown because Arden’s right. I don’t know anything about Sully. Maybe I’m making a mistake. I wring my hands together. “He seems nice. I don’t know. We’re meeting at a public place.”
“An even better idea would be to have him pick you up here so that I can meet him.”
My eyes widen, and Brent and Ryan look surprised too. “I’ll think about it,” I mumble.
“Relax, Dad. Why are you getting worked up over this?” Ryan says.
“Brent, did you meet the new baseball coach?” Arden asks, changing the subject and taking me out of the spotlight.
Ryan rolls his eyes, and I keep mine on the table.
Mary brings out the dinner plates on a rolling metal cart. I eat the most flavorful meal I’ve ever had in my whole existence. This is going to spoil my taste buds for when it’s back to noodles and hotdogs.
I decline dessert to head upstairs. My head is pounding, and I feel exhausted. I grab my phone and lie back on the bed to read a text from Sully.
Sully: How’d the rest of your day go? Thinking we could meet on Main Street. It’s a pretty cool spot. We can walk around for a bit.
Me: Today has been rough. My new roommates suck. Main Street sounds good. I can meet you there.
Sully: I’ve got a couple jobs to do in the morning. Does one work? And sorry to hear about your roommates. Do I need to kick someone’s ass?
Me: LOL. I think I can handle them. One works. Headed to bed soon. See you tomorrow.
Sully: Night, Emma.
***
I wake up to Arden gently shaking me. My chest feels tight, and I’m having trouble breathing.
“Shh, it’s okay, kiddo.”
I wipe away the moisture from my face. I’m crying, and not just crying, I’m hyperventilating. “I didn’t”—I suck in a breath—“mean to”—deep breath—“wake you.”
“I don’t care about being woken up, Emma. Shh. It’s okay. You’re safe.”
“I didn’t run,” I sob. “I didn’t get away. I dreamt that I stayed, and I never found you.” I clutch the pillow to my chest.
“You’re safe. You found me. I’m here.”
Calming down takes longer than I’d like to admit. When I finally do, Arden heads back to his room, and I go back to sleep.
Chapter 7
I mess with the radio while trying to pay attention to the GPS. When I’m a couple minutes away from the address Sully gave me, my stomach begins to roll. I’ve never been on a date, not that this is one. This is a friend showing me around.
It takes me several minutes to find a parking spot that ends up being four blocks away. Using my phone to help me navigate on foot, I make my way toward the address while admiring the diverse array of shops and restaurants.
I spot Sully leaning against the brick wall of an antique shop. His jeans are dark wash, his shirt fitted and black, showing off the thick muscles in his arms. His full lips lift slightly as he looks at something on his phone.
My rolling stomach goes into overdrive. He’s probably had a hundred girlfriends. He’s way out of my league. I wonder if coming here was a bad idea? We can’t have much in common; our lives are completely opposite. I pause, wondering if I should leave before he notices me.
The sound of a car door closing across the street grabs Sully’s attention. He looks up, locking eyes with me, and smiles.
I wave. “Hey. I hope you weren’t waiting long.”
He slips his phone into his back pocket. “Just got here a few minutes ago.” He looks me over. “You look great.”
I force myself to smile and thank him. I look bland, with maroon leggings, a plain gray long-sleeved top, and white chucks. My stick-straight hair is up in a simple ponytail.
Sully gestures to the antique shop. “The couple who owns this is great. They’ve been together for, like, forty years.” He laughs. “They’re always arguing and usually end up breaking things. Entertainment while you shop.” He pulls the door open.
I walk in and hear, “George, you were supposed to put the chairs in the back! Why would you put them in the china room!” There’s a loud bang. “And in the walkway, George! I just tripped.”
And then a male’s voice yells, “I set them down to get the register! Do you not want me to help customers?”
“They’re in a mood today,” an older man says as he rushes past us and out the door.
Sully barely holds in his laughter as a woman with frizzy gray hair approaches. An abundance of wrinkles frames her eyes and mouth.
She smiles. “Welcome to Bella’s Antiques. Are you looking for anything specific?”
“We’re just looking. Thank you,” Sully says.
“Let me know if—” Her gaze darts to the right, and her hands shoot out in front of her. “Wait, let me help you!” She rushes past us toward a woman struggling with lifting a wooden clock from the top of a shelf.
The shop smells like I’d imagine an old trunk would. The area is small, but there are open doorways that look like they lead to other rooms.
“This way,” Sully says, gesturing to the right.
I follow him into a room filled with mirrors. Most of the mirrors are so worn that you can’t see your reflection. We walk further into the store, each room packed with dusty furniture and shelves full of knick-knacks. Every time Sully and I brush against each other, the butterflies in my belly flutter.
“Where are the jars?”
>
“Wherever you put them, George! You unpacked them!”
“I didn’t unpack them! I didn’t even want them! This is getting ridiculous! I can’t fit into the music room!”
“Just squeeze in, George! Maybe you need to lay off the donuts!”
The fighting couple’s voices carry through the store. This room is completely packed, leaving a small area to allow people to walk into the next room. There are several tables and shelves to display colorful and shiny objects. Lanterns, and chandeliers take up every inch of space on the ceiling. I bump into a shelf, knocking over a ceramic vase that cracks into three pieces as it hits the floor. The loud noise has both Sully and I freezing in place.
“George, what was that?”
“Oh, shit,” I whisper laugh. “What do we do?”
“Run.” Grinning, Sully grabs my hand, pulling me through several rooms before we come to the back of the store where the shouting from the owners is barely audible.
“What do you think she would have done if she’d caught me?”
Sully laughs. “Probably blame it on George.”
I laugh. “Probably.”
Sully stretches, and I notice his tattoo. It’s a tribal wolf. The animal looks like it’s crawling up his bicep.
“I got it on my sixteenth birthday,” he says, pulling his sleeve up to his shoulder.
I run my fingertips over the design, tracing my way up from the wolf’s tail to its snout. “It’s beautiful.”
“So are you,” he whispers, the back of his hand grazing my cheek.
I look up into warm hazel eyes. Sully’s gaze drops to my lips, and I wish I had more experience.
He smells like fresh rain and boy. My whole body responds to his proximity, or maybe his scent. Staring into my eyes, he leans down, and I meet him the rest of the way, pushing myself not to back down. His lips are soft and gentle. Our tongues touch, lazily circling each other.
I expected the kiss to be nerve-wracking and sloppy, but this isn’t that. I melt against him, his hands coming to rest on my hips. I can’t believe I’m kissing him.
We slowly pull away from each other. Our eyes meet, and it’s like we’re both saying I’ve found the one. Of course, that’s my lust-filled brain going haywire, or maybe it’s wishful thinking. Either way, I’m delusional.
Embarrassed by my thoughts, I turn away.
Sully gently touches my chin, turning me to face him. “You’re blushing. Don’t be embarrassed.” He bends down, touching his lips to mine for another soft kiss. “You taste like vanilla,” he whispers against my mouth before pulling away.
I’m so out of my league right now, and strangely, I like it.
Trying to suppress a grin that’s on the verge of being manic, I say, “So, what should we do now?”
“How about we walk Main Street for a bit?” Sully threads his fingers through mine. “Let’s see if we can find our way outta here.”
The fact that enough sweat to douse a fire has collected on my palm consumes my mind. As we maneuver through the store, I keep expecting him to pull his hand away. My whole body is a heated inferno of fire. I feel ready to burst.
We step onto the sidewalk, and the breeze helps to cool my skin. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this over a guy before. That kiss was amazing. I want to do it again.
We follow the sidewalk for several minutes. The conversation is easy, and I’m barely paying attention to the stores and restaurants we’re passing.
“Sully!”
My stomach drops, almost taking me to the ground with it. I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping that when I open them, this won’t be happening. I peek through my lashes.
Shit.
Ryan’s jogging toward us from across the street.
“Hey, Ry. What’s up?” Sully says.
Ryan steps onto the sidewalk. “Grabbing burgers and saw you.” He frowns. “What are you doing with Emma?”
Brent’s across the street with a group of people, and they’re all looking our way.
“You guys know each other?” Sully asks, looking back and forth between us as he waits for our answer.
“I’m… I’m kinda—”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Ryan says, stepping up to me. “Are you for real trying to fuck my brother too?”
My mouth drops open in stunned silence.
“What the fuck, Ryan?” Sully steps forward.
“This is our new sister. I’m guessing she didn’t tell you?”
“What?” Sully looks down at me in shock and confusion.
“She’s the prostitute who’s trying to bag Dad,” Ryan says, looking disgusted. “And apparently you too. Fucking sick bitch.”
Sully’s face pales. He releases my hand, taking a step away from me. “Ryan, I... You sure?”
“Positive,” Ryan says.
Sully frowns. “Emma?”
I shake my head, my eyes filling with tears. Ryan looks like he’s ready to bash my face in. I squeeze my eyes shut. I wish I were anywhere but here.
“You don’t have anything to say?” Sully growls.
“What’s going on?” Brent asks, joining them. “What’s the whore doing here?”
“I was just leaving,” Sully says. “Come on.”
“Wait, Sully,” I croak, but he doesn’t. The three of them turn their backs, leaving me and joining their friends across the street.
Sully approached me at the mall. He insisted he buy me lunch. I didn’t ask him to show me around. He initiated everything. I had no idea who he was.
Now that Sully’s gone, the words I should have said come to me. That’s how it always happens. I’m on the verge of shouting the truth to him but can’t get the words out across the crowded street.
“Go away, whore! You won’t find any clients here!” Ryan shouts, not caring that everyone stops to look at him.
I turn on my heels and walk away. I thought going home would be dangerous, but staying at Arden’s might be worse; I don’t think I can handle it emotionally. I clutch my phone, ready to call Jessa, but I can’t do it. I can’t answer the questions I know she’ll ask. By now, Jeff had to have told her that I ran away. I’m utterly screwed no matter what I do.
Chapter 8
The first thing I do when I wake up the next morning is check my phone to see if I have a text from Sully. No messages, but the date on my phone is glowing brightly. I’m officially eighteen today and supposed to be starting a new school where Arden’s monsters attend.
I still feel sick over what happened yesterday. The thought of seeing Sully here at Arden’s makes me want to crawl under the covers and never come out.
I drag myself out of bed and go through the motions of getting ready. Once my teeth and hair are brushed, I pull on gray skinny jeans and a black V-neck. There’s a knock at the bedroom door, and then Arden opens it slowly.
“Hey, kiddo, you’re going to be late.” He looks me over. “Ready?”
I sling my purple backpack over my shoulder. “I think so.” I’m expecting Ryan and Brent to show Arden the picture today. I bet that will be my birthday present.
When Ryan first threatened to show Arden the picture, I worried about getting kicked out. Now, I don’t care. It would save me the guilt of leaving on my own. I follow a well-dressed Arden into the garage.
“The boys left a few minutes ago. You still good with driving the Mustang?”
I grab the keys from the hook. “Yep. Thank you for letting me use it.”
“No problem. I, ah… have a flight for a last-minute business trip. I’m leaving tomorrow, and I’ll be gone for a few days.” He rubs the back of his neck. “I’ve been traveling more often. I know it’s bad timing. You just got here.”
“Oh,” I whisper, my body stiffening. I don’t want to be here alone with Brent and Ryan.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t get out of it. I’ll go over the details with you guys this evening.” He frowns, studying my face. “You okay?”
Not wanting to worry him,
I plaster on a smile. “I’m great.” I take a couple steps toward the car. “I better go.”
“Emma, hold on a sec; I can’t believe I almost forgot.” He pulls a small box from his suit pocket. “Happy Birthday.”
I wrap my fingers around the velvety box. I pull in a deep breath before gently opening the lid. Inside, an oval iridescent stone rests on silky black fabric. “Thank you, Arden. It’s beautiful,” I say, lightly running my fingertip over the small stone. I love it, but it’s hard to appreciate his kind gesture when I know Ryan will freak out about an innocent gift.
“It’s an opal. Turn around. Let me put it on you.”
“I don’t want to lose it. Maybe I should leave it in my room?”
Arden chuckles, plucking the box from my hand. “Turn around. You won’t lose it if it’s on.” Reluctantly, I turn so he can clasp the thin silver chain around my neck. “There you go. Now, have a great first day of school. Ryan and Brent said they’d keep an eye on you.”
I give Arden a tight smile. I’m going to have to have a conversation with him once I figure out how to approach the subject that his sons are lunatics.
***
My heartbeat is in overdrive as I pull into the parking lot at the side of the school. It looks like any other school: big lot, bigger building, lots of concrete. The front doors are large and metal. I tilt my head to the side, seeing the building in a new light. It reminds me of the jail I visited when my dad was locked up.
I unclasp the necklace and shove it into my bag. I can’t risk Ryan seeing it. My chest feels tight as my gaze bounces between the clusters of students and the school. Ryan and Brent are here somewhere and going in seems like I’m begging for trouble. This place is their domain. I glance at the clock, and my breathing quickens; seven minutes until school starts.
I don’t want to go in there, but I usually have some anxiety when doing something new. Deep breaths. I’ll give staying at Arden’s and going to school one more week. If things still suck after that, I’m out.
Laughter pulls my gaze to the right. I swallow. Ryan’s standing with a handful of people who are laughing and chatting. He’s not, though. His unblinking eyes are on me, and then his lips pull up into a devilish smirk. A shiver rocks my body as fear claws at my throat.
Bullies Love and Lies Page 5
