Chapter 46
Damon
Fucking Chase Chadwick. We walk out of the house, and he flashes me a grin before putting his hand on Evan’s back and leading her to his father.
If we hadn’t made him cry like a little bitch in the woods, I’d be even more angry.
But I have the video ready to upload the second he tries something I don’t like.
I’m tempted to go to the bar and get something hard to drink, but Dad wouldn’t be cool with that.
Instead, I get a Diet Coke and sit beside the pool. Dad and Heather walk around talking with people. She keeps her hand on his arm and they seem happy. It doesn’t cut me quite as much as it used to, but it still doesn’t feel good.
Tom takes Evan and Chase over to a woman in her late forties. Evan seems excited to meet her. She practically glows as she talks.
“Did your parents drag you to this too?” A brunette steps between me and my view of Evan across the pool.
I lift my gaze to her face, but the sun is behind her.
She drops into the chair next to me and holds out her hand. “I don’t think we’ve met.”
Around my age, she’s definitely plastic from her designer dress and heels to her manicure.
Like she belongs at this party. Across the pool, Evan wears a dress that she must have bought before moving in.
It’s nice, but not as nice as the dresses surrounding her. She looks beautiful in it nonetheless.
I shake the girl’s hand, noting the expensive rings and perfume. The perfect makeup. This is a wealthy girl. “Damon Storm.”
She nods and leans back in her chair. “Elizabeth. My parents forced me to come. Said I should mingle like my brother.”
She does air quotes around mingle and scoffs. “What I really need is a drink, but since that can’t happen, I figured I’d come and talk to the hot guy staring off into the distance.”
I could tell her I was looking at my girlfriend.
There’s nothing about this girl I want, but maybe she can keep me occupied so I don’t kick Chase’s ass for commandeering my girl with logic.
I want Evan to get the future she wants.
She talked about the director a little last night and seemed so excited about the prospect of meeting her.
I can’t take that from her. Not if this is her opportunity.
Even if it means letting Chase touch what’s mine. I’ll just fantasize about breaking every bone in his fingers.
“I honestly hope we won’t be here long.” Elizabeth glances over with a smile. “But you know how it is when your parents are in the biz.”
“The biz?” I don’t know why I ask. There’s nothing about this girl that interests me.
I glance over, and Evan is still chatting with that older woman.
This is what Chase said he could give Evan.
Connections to make her dreams come true, but at what cost?
Shackling herself to someone like Chase for the rest of her life?
He wouldn’t know how to give her what she needs.
“My parents are producers. I am definitely not in the family business.” Elizabeth laughs like that would be ridiculous. “It’s not for me. But my brother loves it. He even goes to a special high school to teach him to be an arrogant prick.”
I look at this girl again. “What school?”
“Anteros Conservatory.” She waves her hand. “I could have attended. They have another school, but your grades have to be practically perfect to get in. Besides, I love my boarding school. Not having to live under Mom and Dad’s thumbs. Priceless.”
My gaze flows over the crowd again, looking for whatever rich ant is her brother. I’m not familiar with all the students in either school. That wasn’t my focus.
“Hey, big brother.” Elizabeth says.
I turn and see Brandt Stanwell standing there. He smiles at me and offers me a hand like we’re old buds.
“Damon Storm, the myth, the legend. What are you doing at this tea party?” Brandt takes the chair on my other side.
“Probably dying of boredom like me.” Elizabeth smiles like we have an inside joke.
“My dad is business partners with Tom.” I lean back. I don’t know Brandt very well. I’ve heard the name, and occasionally Evan will say something about him. But he goes to our school, so he has to know Evan and I are together.
“I’m surprised to see EvanAnn with Chase.” Brandt nods toward them. “Especially after the breakup.”
“They’re still friends.” I act like it’s not a big deal.
Brandt smirks as he watches me. “It’s never easy when your girl is friends with her ex. Is it?”
I don’t comment.
Elizabeth laughs. “Can you ever really be friends with your ex?”
Brandt shrugs. “EvanAnn’s a nice girl. I’m sure you have nothing to worry about.
She’s usually too focused on school to worry about guys.
Frankly, I was shocked when she agreed to date Chase.
I figured he wouldn’t have a shot with her.
I told him if he could get EvanAnn, he needed to keep a girl like that. ”
“A girl like what?” I keep my tone neutral. And study the guy sitting beside me. Why is he telling me this? Why is he talking to me at all?
“Ambitious. Going places.” He smiles and nods toward her. “She’s not the hottest girl at school, but with the right leg up, she could definitely make it big in this business.”
“You and this business,” Elizabeth scoffs. “I swear that’s all you care about. Besides that one girl. Oh, what was her name?” She snaps her fingers toward Brandt, which has her hand in front of my face. “Olivia. That was it. She was fun.”
“How was she fun?” I ask. Is she talking about Olivia Carmichael? It’s possible there are other Olivias at our school. Or outside of school.
Elizabeth laughs and glances at Brandt with a smirk.
“She was a bit obsessive.” Elizabeth leans over to me like she’s telling me a secret while she looks at her brother.
“She came around a few times, but she kept going on about this hockey player. She’d pretty much given up on having him.
But Brandt said she deserved him, and the guy was just playing hard to get.
That she should focus all her attention on the guy.
Convinced this girl he would be the trophy she needed for the future.
What did you call it, B? Oh, arm candy. Every girl needs a nice piece of arm candy. ”
Elizabeth shakes her head and laughs like it’s their own personal joke. “You never did tell me, B, did she ever get her arm candy?”
“No,” Brandt says with a smirk. “But she got a new pair of bracelets. Not the quality she’s used to though.”
“Hmm.” Elizabeth settles back into her chair.
For a second, they’re both silent. What’s their game? Is he the reason Olivia came after me so hard this year? It doesn’t make sense though. Who is this asshole?
“I was surprised to hear about you and EvanAnn.” Brandt kicks his feet up and glances over at me almost casually. “She’s not your normal speed of girl. But you weren’t supposed to be here this year at all. What happened to that hockey program you were going into?”
“Dad wanted me to stay here.” I don’t mention the accident. How much does this guy know? I need to ask Cam about him when I get back. He always knows everyone’s deal, no matter which school they attend.
“Got into an accident this summer, right?” Brandt nods like he doesn’t need me to confirm it.
His gaze strays to Chase and Evan across the pool.
They’re still talking to that woman. “Odd how Chase had to repair his car. Big, ugly scrape and dent. They never caught the guy who ran you off the road, did they?”
I cock my head at him. “No. Probably never will. Dark road. Late at night. No witnesses.”
Brandt rubs his jaw. “You didn’t see anything? Don’t guys like you use cams on your motorcycles?”
I smile slightly. “We don’t wear them most nights. And I don’t remember much of that night.”
We definitely don’t wear them when we’re riding like our namesake.
“Odd.” Brandt turns to look at EvanAnn and nods his head toward them. “That’s Sandra Cox EvanAnn is talking to.”
I glance over like I wasn’t already aware of this. Evan seems in her fucking element, talking to a director who can mentor her. She practically shines.
“She’s very pro-woman in the industry. Loves giving internships to rising stars. The connections that could unlock for EvanAnn would be amazing.”
“Why aren’t you over there chatting her up then?” I ask, curious. I’m not stupid. He sought me out for a reason. Like his sister said, there are a lot of professionals here he could be rubbing elbows with, so why me? And did he use his sister to have an in to talk to me?
It feels like he’s trying to find what wound is raw so he can pick at it.
“Why aren’t you over with your girlfriend?” Brandt replies, instead of answering. His eyes narrow on me even as he smiles.
I don’t say anything. Brandt is Evan’s competition for the fall showcase. From everything I’ve heard, he’s not as talented as her, but he’s better connected.
Looking like the cat that caught the canary, he leans towards me with his elbows on his knees. “I’ve been watching this play out, and I think I’ve got it figured.”
“Have you?” I cock an eyebrow.
Elizabeth chuckles. “He’s the smart one in the family.”
“You get into an accident and can’t go to the hockey thing because of the injury or just because daddy doesn’t want his only son going off.
Maybe it’s a mortality thing. The problem is, someone ran you off the road.
That someone happened to have a girlfriend.
Granted, he was fucking anything that moved behind her back, so maybe he wasn’t the best boyfriend. ”
I set my drink down but keep my face blank.
“But then you and your friends pay attention to his girl. And shit starts to get interesting. They breakup, and you three are dating her, fucking her, whatever you want to call it. It’s epic. Like a play brought to life, upsetting the norms. But what I don’t get is what’s the endgame.”
“The endgame?” I ask.
He smirks. “You took his girl. You blew up his party. But what do you need a girl for? You could have any number of girls. Better girls even. Including my sister.”
When I glance at Elizabeth, she gives me a knowing smile and a little wave.
“So what are you doing with a girlfriend? And why is her ex parading your girl around? Confusing.” Brandt shakes his head like he doesn’t understand.
Then his gaze locks with mine. “It got me thinking maybe you don’t actually want the girl, but are stuck now.
But then I see your dad with a familiar blond.
See, EvanAnn’s mom shows up to productions.
She’s always sweet to everyone, but kind of off, like she doesn’t pay that close attention to what EvanAnn is doing.
So my guess is your parents don’t realize you two are fucking around.
Maybe it’s that forbidden aspect that keeps you with her.
Or maybe them finding out would end badly for both of you. ”