Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Danica was toweling her hair dry when her brother called on FaceTime. She accepted the call, and Soren appeared on the screen.
“Hey, how’s everything going?” His angular features were drawn with concern.
He had wavy dark hair, like her, and in the last few years he’d grown it to his shoulders.
Behind him, she saw the expanse of his loft apartment in the Meatpacking district.
Soaring ceiling, exposed brick, minimalist furniture.
She’d never been okay with Soren’s involvement in the college bribery scandal. But now that she knew the whole truth? It was even worse.
It was hard to even look at her brother right now. But he was still her brother.
She sat on her bed, crossing her legs. “Not much to report. My new bodyguard team is in place. Any time I leave the house, I have a shadow.”
“I’ve got security breathing down my neck here, too. It’s worse than usual.”
Danica nodded, though her brother had never seemed to mind having bodyguards around him. He’d always used them far more than she had. “We’ve all got tighter security, including Dad.”
“You really think this could be a plot against our whole family? They’ve only gone after you.”
“Lucky me.”
Was this going to be her new normal? She hated to think she’d have to make permanent changes to the way she lived her life, even when she returned to New York.
Soren wiped a hand over his face. “I’m worried about you. I’ve been looking at my schedule, trying to see if I can get to West Oaks. It’ll be tough. I’ve got all these meetings…”
“No, it’s better that you stay there.”
“You sure?”
“You’re busy, and so am I.”
Since their childhood, Danica and her brother had been fiercely competitive with one another for their dad’s attention. Their father had egged on their rivalry, lavishing one with praise only to leave the other in the cold.
But she and her brother had managed to find a balance. They got along well enough, took part in one another’s lives. Celebrated each other’s accomplishments. Even if they weren’t exactly friends.
She hated that her brother had done such despicable things in college. But it had happened a long time ago, and he’d grown up in many ways since then. He’d changed.
“And Dad? How’s he?” Soren asked carefully. “I haven’t spoken to him since we all had lunch when he was in New York last.”
Which had been months ago. She stretched out on her bed, holding the phone aloft. “Dad does what he wants, as always. I think he might be dating someone. She’s your age. Maybe even younger.”
Soren didn’t bite on that tidbit of gossip. “Has he mentioned me? Did he see me ringing the bell at the Stock Exchange last month on the day of our IPO?”
She tried not to roll her eyes. “I’m sure he did.”
“You’re a bad liar. No matter what I do, he thinks I’m still a fuck-up.”
“Then keep proving him wrong.”
“I intend to.” He gripped the skin between his eyes. “I need to go. Talk soon?”
She’d meant to say goodbye, but instead, she blurted out, “Wait.”
“Yeah?”
She didn’t want to do this. But she needed to.
“I saw Noah Vandermeer.”
Soren’s face turned to stone. For several long moments, he just stared at her on her phone screen. His eyes glittered like sharpened flint. “Where did you see Noah?”
“I was out for a run this morning. So was he.” She didn’t feel like explaining the bodyguard story.
Soren scowled. “And he didn’t have the courtesy to go the other way?”
“I wouldn’t have wanted him to. Noah was my friend once, too.”
“Your friend? Noah was your friend? Are you kidding?”
She just shook her head. This wasn’t going well.
“He ruined my life, Dani. You realize that, don’t you? I got kicked out of college. I have a criminal record.”
“You’re responsible for your own choices,” she snapped. “You did something wrong, not Noah. And you’ve worked your way back from it, haven’t you?”
His lips were trembling with anger. She doubted it was tears. Her brother didn’t cry any easier than she did.
“Why are you bringing this shit up?” he asked.
“I’m just letting you know that I might see Noah sometimes while I’m in West Oaks. And I don’t intend to hide it from anyone. Including you.”
“Thanks for the consideration. But you’d better not trust him, Dani, because he’s a fucking traitor.”
Soren’s face disappeared from the screen.
She tossed her phone onto the mattress. She couldn’t believe Soren had the nerve to talk about trust.