Chapter 31
Sophia
The Guard
Grant had been gullible before, thinkin’ I was asleep when I wasn’t. Tonight was no different.
When he was showering before bed earlier, I did a little of my own sneakin’.
I snuck out to his truck and took my phone back, then scrolled through his.
Was it wrong? Sure. But I wasn’t doin’ it because I didn’t trust him.
I knew he would hide anythin’ bad from me, and was hoping to find that.
I figured he was too quiet and comfortable with what the Dodds had done, and I was right.
I skimmed through his group text, feeling warm in my gut as I read.
Carver: So 10 sound good for tonight?
Grant: Should be done making love to the most beautiful woman ever by then.
Carver: Didn’t need the details.
Hayes: Didn’t need to be in this group chat.
Grant: Not apologizin’ a lick for anything.
Carver: No one assumed you would.
Hayes: I’ll be there. Ignoring this until then.
Grant: You always ignore everything.
Grant: Whatever, at least I’ve got someone. Now it’s just you.
Hayes: How sad.
Grant: I’m trustin’ you to keep her safe while we’re gone. Act like you give a fuck ’bout someone for a night, you know.
Carver: I’ll text when I’m on my way. Gotta go.
Grant: Bet he’s goin’ to pound-town too.
Hayes: Double sad over here.
Grant: Fucker.
I giggled at their back-and-forth chat, the way they all sounded like Lyra and I when we texted. It made me feel like I’d really found my place—Alliston could be my home. Why not?
I put Grant’s phone back and squeezed my phone in my hand, then tucked it under my pillow. Grant came out from the shower and stayed nude as he cuddled me, kissed my neck, and told me he loved me as I faked falling asleep.
Grant waited maybe thirty or so minutes before leaving. His bootsteps were soft and barely audible as he crept to the front door and left, and he wasn’t exactly discreet when he spoke to Hayes outside. Well, then again, I had my ear pressed to the window, listenin’ in.
And now that it was only Hayes keeping guard of my movements from his spot on the couch in the living room, I pulled my phone back out and opened the contact I needed to talk to the most.
Three rings later, the line stopped ringing, and shuffling grated in my ears.
“Daddy?” I whispered, muffling my voice under the blanket. “Dad—”
“Sophia,” my stepmother drawled. “Where ever have you been? Your father has been worried sick.”
My throat closed up at the sound of her voice. My stepmother and I never saw eye-to-eye. I believed she hated me when I was younger, which I then felt turn into disinterest as I matured.
“Is my dad around? I really need to talk to him. It’s urgent.”
The sound of boots from the hallway beyond the bedroom door forced my eyes shut as I shuffled the phone under the pillow.
Whatever my stepmother’s reply was, I had to wait for Hayes to be done checking in on me.
Right before the door opened, I pushed the blanket dangerously low on my chest, hoping that would keep him from lingering.
It was obvious who Hayes was interested in, and it wasn’t me.
The door creaked open, and I heard a sigh before his phone made a snapping sound, like he’d just taken a picture. I didn’t have to think too hard to know Grant was checking in on me.
“Like I thought,” Hayes muttered, his thumbs making dull tapping sounds on his phone as he left the room, closing the door softly behind him.
I yanked the phone back to my ear, throwing the blanket back over my head.
“I’m sorry, the phone fell. Is my dad there?” There was a long pause on the line. “Hell—”
“No, he’s away,” Kora snapped back. “You’re making us look like fools, galavanting around with that trash, Sophia. Honestly, did you think your father would approve of such low-class fil—?”
“Don’t talk about Grant that way,” I said, cutting her off.
“Grant.” I could picture her smug, dark red painted lips twisting. “You’re supposed to marry Walton.”
“As I’m sure you saw in the news, that won’t be happening.”
Kora scoffed. “Men cheat all the time. It’s nothing a public apology, a few social media posts, and interviews won’t fix.”
My jaw tightened. “You can’t be serious.”
“We are already working on it, while you’ve been in Florida, enjoying a lovely retreat with your friend, who you will never be seeing again.”
I chuckled. “Excuse me?” Before she could respond, I added, “I need to speak with my father. Now.”
“Sophia.” There was a faint sipping sound, probably drinking her fourth glass of wine for the day. “I’ve already told you, he’s not here.”
“If he’s away, why do you have his phone?”
“He left it here, not that any of that is your concern.” He’s my father, of course it’s my concern. “Where are you?”
“That is none of your concern,” I threw back at her, then checked my phone.
I’d been waiting almost five minutes for an answer that clearly wasn’t coming.
Maybe I could reach out to Walton and get another number.
My father’s assistant, maybe? I should’ve kept more numbers in my phone, even though I’d never needed them until now.
Until the moment came where I’d grown bold enough to ask for my father’s blessing to end the arrangement between Walton and I. My father had fallen for my mother, maybe he would understand if he knew I’d fallen for someone, too.
But Kora wasn’t budging.
“Your father would be so disappointed. He would not put up with you treating me this way, either.” Why was she talking about him like that?
Like it was some secret I’d spoken ill of her before.
My father might not have heard how our relationship was from my lips but he wasn’t blind. He knew we didn’t get along.
“Get over yourself, Kora.” My boldness was coming through stronger, though it was going into closed ears. “Whenever you pull your head out of your ass, tell my dad I called. If you can’t do that by tomorrow morning, I’ll find a way to reach him myself.”
I hung up the phone and tossed it on the floor, aggravated that I thought calling him would be the best way. Perhaps I needed something more personal to really drive it home. The last time I thought about going home, it was agonizing. Now, I looked at the opportunity with hope.
I wouldn’t go back to marry Walton. I’d go back to tell my father that I loved Grant.
My legs grew restless under the covers. I tossed them off and started pacing the bedroom, my mind unable to settle.
A pit in my stomach was turning into a maelstrom that was reaching my throat as nerves built and built.
I pulled one of Grant’s flannels from his closet and headed for the kitchen, double checking my buttons were closed before hitting the living room.
“I’m just getting…um…” My brows pinched as I glanced around the living room, seeing no sign of Hayes. Assuming he went to the bathroom, I shrugged and walked into the kitchen, grabbing a glass for water. The cupboard had a creak to it, one that was loud enough to echo in the small space.
I laughed to myself, thinking back on all the things that used to make sounds when I lived with Lyra in our little apartment.
The glass cooled in my hand as I filled it with the pitcher from the fridge, and I no longer cared if Hayes was around.
I started humming to myself, moving my feet as I put the pitcher back inside and shut the fridge.
The sight of a tall, dark figure in the corner of the living room made me jump, sending a few splashes of water to the floor.
“You should really warn people when you stand there like that watchin’ ’em, you know.
” My fingertips settled over my chest as I calmed my racing heart. “You scared the shit out of me, Hayes.”
His head cocked to the side, and I shook my head.
“You know, you might be the quiet one of the group and all from what Lyra tells me, but sometimes you need to talk so you don’t make people pee themselves.
” I took a sip, the cold water soothing my throat.
“Well, not that I peed myself. But you get the idea.”
He let out a deep hmm sound. I sighed and leaned into the counter, taking another sip. “I know you’re here watchin’ me while Grant and Carver are out dealin’ with that family. You don’t need to try to hide it from me.”
His head tilted the other way, like he was analyzing me. It sent a weird shiver down my spine, but I ignored it. Instead, I stayed with the bold version of myself and tipped my glass to him. “If you don’t wanna answer me, that’s fine. But I’m dyin’ to know—why don’t you ask Tallie out?”
He crossed his arms over his chest right as another man entered the living room from the hallway.
I straightened, my eyes darting between the two of them.
Not three. Since neither was speaking, I asked, “Where’s Grant?
Is he okay?” He would’ve come right up to me, kissing me or wrapping his arms around me.
Standing across the room in the dark wasn’t something he’d be doin’.
Especially not with me wearing only his shirt.
I suddenly felt more naked with the growing silence, that prickly, cold feeling going down my spine, spreading through my skin. I hugged myself and rubbed my arms as I looked at them both. “Hello? Can one of y’all—”
“Surprise, Princess,” a voice straight from Hell whispered in my ear. I screamed as a cloth was placed over my mouth and nose and something pricked along my neck. A third figure in all black entered the room, their speech muffled as my body grew heavy and weak. “There, there. It’ll be over soon.”
My body sagged to the floor in the arms of a madman as the world faded to black.