Silence fell. Again.
I picked at my food, pushing it around on my plate, my appetite non-existent.
“Why are you here?” Caiden’s low hiss came as Arlo was engaged in a discussion with my mother, and Weston was ignoring everyone, typing on his phone with one hand while he shovelled food into his mouth with the other.
“I’m here to get to know my mother. Why, do you have a problem with that?” I glared at him.
“Yes, I do.” He lowered his voice even further. “I fucking hate your whore of a mother, and I know you’re just like that evil bitch.”
I gasped, my mouth falling open. “You don’t even know anything about me. How dare you make assumptions?”
“I know enough,” he said darkly. “And I promise you, right here, right now, that I’m going to do everything I can to make your life miserable. I don’t trust you. I don’t want you here. We don’t want you here. Leave, or you will regret it.”
The threat hung heavy in the air between us as I tried to wrap my head around his words.
“Leave? You think you can scare me off?”
“I know I can.” His words were stated as fact, and I felt rage building. I welcomed it, using it to bolster me.
“Do your worst. Because I. Am. Not. Going. Anywhere.” I clenched my fists, shaking with anger and staring into his eyes, which had darkened to the colour of the ocean at night, black and fathomless.
“Watch your back, Winter. You’re out of your depth, and you don’t know how to swim in these waters.”
“Big words coming from someone who relies on Daddy’s money to get by.”
“You know nothing,” he spat.
He slammed his fork down on the table and rose to his feet. “Dad, I’ve lost my appetite. I’ll call you in the week.”
His father rolled his eyes. “At least you managed to last through fifteen minutes of the meal this time. That’s an improvement.”
“Whatever. Weston, you coming.” It wasn’t a question.
Weston sighed and rose to his feet. “See you soon, Dad.” Both of them ignored my mother, but Weston sent me a half-smile as he turned to leave. I attempted to smile back.
This family clearly had problems, and I’d somehow ended up in the middle of them. Investigating my dad’s death was going to involve some very careful planning.
We finished the meal in silence, and then Arlo announced he was going to his study to work. My mother turned to me. “You’d better be getting back now, hadn’t you? Don’t your classes begin tomorrow?”
Guess it was time for me to leave. I nodded, keeping my endgame in mind. I needed to stay on my mother’s good side. “Yes, I probably should. Shall we arrange to get together next weekend?”
My mother pursed her lips. “No, next weekend won’t do. I’ll get Arlo to talk to the boys and coordinate our schedules.” She stood, crossing to the doorway, and stared at me expectantly.
“Allan will see you out. It was…nice to catch up.” She swept out of the room, and Allan peered around the door frame. “Miss Huntington? I have your coat.”
“Thank you.” I smiled at him, and he gave me a genuine, beaming smile, the first proper one I’d received all evening.
The smile was wiped from my face when I walked around to the driver’s side of my car. Under the soft outside lights, I could clearly see the words that had been scratched into my door in deep, angry gouges.
Whore.
THREE
Kinslee led me over to the large grey stone building that housed several lecture halls and classrooms. “There. Do you want to meet at the Student Union building for lunch?” She pointed across the campus, where beyond a grassy square, a long building with huge glass walls, stood.
“Sure. Twelve? If you get there first, save me a seat. I’ll do the same if I’m there first.”
“Sounds good to me.”
I smiled. “Brilliant. See you at lunch.” She turned in the opposite direction, and I headed into the building in front of me to find my lecture hall. I peered at my schedule, trying to work out where I was going.
“Lost?” The low drawl came from my right, and I spun around to see Cassius, one of the Four, leaning against the white painted wall, staring at me.
“Uh… I have to find the Brunswick lecture hall.”
“You’re in luck. I’m headed that way.” He grasped my arm firmly, tugging me along with him.
“Stop manhandling me,” I hissed.
“No can do. I’m under orders from King Caiden.” He laughed mockingly. Guess his boyish good looks hid a sadistic bastard. Great.
“You really call him King Caiden?”
“Nah. Just messing with you. But Caiden has decided you’re not to be trusted, and until he decides what to do, one of the Four will be keeping an eye on you as often as we’re able to.”
“You cannot be serious.” I stopped dead, yanking my arm away from him. My mind was racing. None of this made any sense. What possible reason could they have for watching me? I hadn’t done anything to warrant their attention—I’d only just moved to Alstone.
“What exactly is it you think I’m going to do? And why are you listening to him, anyway? Don’t you have your own mind?” The last thing I needed was someone shadowing my every move. I needed to stay as inconspicuous as possible—to find answers for my dad without attracting unwanted attention.
Meeting his gaze, I stepped closer, gritting my teeth in irritation. “Listen to me. You can tell King Caiden that I don’t want, or need, a stalker. In fact, I’m pretty sure stalking is illegal. Not to mention, creepy as fuck.”
His eyes narrowed at me. “You’re new here, so I’ll let your comments slide. This time. But you need to get one thing through your pretty little head. At Alstone, our word is law. Do not attempt to defy us, or you will regret the day you ever set foot on this campus.”
I stared at him, my mouth opening and closing. What a sanctimonious prick! These boys had a serious case of self-entitlement.
“I don’t think it matters. Caiden already threatened me last night.”
The contempt in his gaze lessened as he frowned at me. “What?”
“Oh, didn’t Caiden tell you? We had a lovely dinner with his brother and our parents.” I spat the words out. “And I had an even lovelier surprise when I left and found what he’d left on my car.”
“What?” Cassius’ frown deepened.
“He’d scratched the word ‘whore’ into my door. Nice and deep, too, so I can’t get it buffed out, or whatever the hell they do to remove scratches in the paintwork.”
“For fuck’s sake,” he murmured, almost to himself. “I wasn’t totally on board with his plan to begin—” He clamped his mouth shut, shaking his head.
Hmm. Interesting. Was he about to say something he shouldn’t have—something I could use to my advantage? Maybe the Four weren’t as close as my initial impressions had led me to believe.
“Come on. Let’s get to the lecture. We don’t want to be late.” He gripped my arm, more gently than before, and I sighed.