Zach
I looked down at the skinny boy at the door. Nerd coat zipped to his chin, holding a plastic bag with a Christmas present poking out.
“What do you want?” I asked, almost bored, leaning on the doorway.
“Uh. Mrs. Rayne and Amber invited me,” he said, trying to look behind me.
“I’m afraid there’s been a change of plans,” I said, about to tell him to get to fuck.
“Good of you to join us,” the old prick said, placing a hand on my shoulder and removing me from the nerd’s path. “Come in.”
The flash of light made me turn.
Amber stood on the last step.
Luke had his arm around the nerd and began to lead him to the family room.
“Your mum was asking for you, Amber,” he added.
She flew down the last step and rushed ahead of them. Her jeans were too tight for her. The blur of blue vanished quicker than I wanted it to.
There was a sudden scream.
Amber.
I ran into the room, but she was hugging Isabella. I frowned as they pulled back to hold hands. They both started jumping up and down like a pair of clowns.
“Argh. I want to help. Can I be a bridesmaid? Oh, oh, oh. Will Rhea be the matron of honour? Will the wedding be in a church? Oh, Mum. It has to be a church wedding. That’s so romantic.”
I stared at their hands.
The diamond would be visible from the space station.
“Aren’t you going to congratulate me, son?” Luke murmured, moving beside me.
My jaw clenched and my muscles tightened until my fists balled.
“Amber will become a Newbury now,” he whispered, covering his mouth like he was unveiling a conspiracy. “My new daughter.”
Amber was always Amber Rayne.
From the moment the small wedding registry took place to the signatures on the adoption papers.
“Excuse me,” he said, and walked away.
I watched him hug Amber. He turned them until all I could see was Amber’s back and his face. He planted a kiss on the top of her head.
Her mother didn’t care—she was too busy admiring her new man and the ring he’d put on her finger.
Then Luke raised an arm and she joined them.
A group hug.
Oh, I was staying for all the holidays.
This man was a fucking parasite.
I didn’t even look at the nerd sitting on the edge of the couch.
? ? ?
I ripped the meat off the leg bone. My eyes bored into Luke’s. I swallowed the succulent meat before glancing at Amber.
“You won’t change your name, will you?” I asked her.
“Why would I change my name?”
“You went from Sinclair to Rayne.” I shrugged.
“That was different,” Isabella said. “Amber is an adult now. It’s up to her.”
My eyes dropped to the reindeer. She certainly was an adult.
“Dinner is lovely, Mrs. Rayne,” Nolan the nerd said, suitably sucking up.
“So tell us, Zach, when do you finish your course?” Luke asked.
“June.”
“Ah, the same time as Amber’s exams,” Isabella said.
“What do you plan to do afterwards?”
I stared at Luke. Held his gaze. Raised the turkey leg and ripped another mouthful of meat. I chewed, chomping with an open mouth, feeling bits fall from my lips.
“I think I will come home.”
His eyes narrowed.
“You’re always welcome home, Zach,” Isabella said, and I smirked at Luke.
Yeah, fuck you, old man. I’m here to stay.
? ? ?
I lay on my old bed, thinking about what Amber said about my dad earlier. For a moment, I remembered what Alisha did to Amber and pushed the thought away. Amber had been a silly little girl at the time. It was a tough lesson. Alisha probably did her a favour.
I sat up, running a hand through my hair.
The way she’d looked at me with those big blue eyes, expecting me to take her side over the girl who gave the best head in sixth form.
Stupid girl.
I shoved the covers back and tiptoed across my room. From memory of sneaking in and out of the house, I knew which floorboards to avoid. The hinges squeaked, but I persevered.
I paused at the sound of voices.
Then a dull, repetitive thud against a wall made me frown.
“That’s my good girl, Bella. You take my cock,” Luke growled.
I gagged.
Then gagged again.
What the fuck was wrong with that old man?
I rushed to Amber’s door and snuck into her room, grateful to close it against the abomination taking place under this roof.
Did Amber know her mother was getting railed?
I gagged again.
“Zach?”
I wiped the tears of disgust from my eyes, trying not to heave all that turkey onto Amber’s floor.
“Is that you?”
I held onto her door.
“Yeah,” I rasped.