Chapter 4
Chapter
Four
Sage
Predictably, Nicholas is avoiding me.
Ever since our... interaction, he's hidden himself away. From me, at least. That's usual, to be expected and, in my opinion, fucking childish. When he's finally brave enough to be in the same room as me again, he'll avoid looking me in the eye for a while.
He'll be back, though. He always is.
Another kind of tension fills the house. Whatever Anton and Nic were fighting about hasn't resolved. Whenever Nic's not running from me, he's curling his lip at Anton or trying to corner him for another argument.
Anton, while he's not been the same since Dad, seems exhausted to a new level. Especially every time he gets cornered by Nicholas.
And Freddie. Well, he keeps shooting me meaningful looks like he's trying to get me to figure out something that I'm missing. Whatever it is, it's clear now that these pussy motherfuckers aren't just going to come out and say it. No, I'm being kept very much in the dark on this one.
Which I know is not where I should be.
Sweaty and tense after my workout in the home gym, I head for the kitchen. My headphones slide down to rest at my neck when I pat my forehead with my gym towel.
The closer I get to the kitchen, the louder the muffled whisper of voices gets.
Dropping the towel and allowing the sweat to drip down my temple instead, I roll my eyes and shove the door open with an annoyed bang.
Anton and Nic's wide eyes swing over to me, mouths half-open like I've petrified them.
"Oh, for fuck's sake!" I throw my hands in the air. "Not this shit again, the both of you." I jab a finger at them as I come further into the kitchen.
They both pause to watch me.
I pull open the fridge and grab a bottle of water, uncapping it while I glare at them where they stand, still tense and silent.
They're waiting for me to leave. Fuckers.
When I take a big sip, a droplet slips over the edge of the bottle and slides down my bottom lip. Nic's eyes laser to the motion. I hide my smirk and do my best to refocus on the issue at hand. "Seriously? What's with the two of you? It's like you need marriage counseling."
Anton's jaw hardens when he turns back on Nic. He rests his tired hands on the countertop, leaning over like it's the only thing holding up his entire weight.
Nic tears his gaze from my lips. He takes a quick look at Anton and then rolls his eyes before turning his back on me like that will be enough to hide his shame. "It's nothing to do with you, Sage. Just leave it."
Anton stands up straight and folds his arms, clearing his throat. Nic shoots him a look so vile I have to remind myself which one of them is actually in charge. "Sage, why don't you jus-"
"No!" I stomp my foot. "I never get to know anything! Whatever you're hiding, just out with it!"
Anton sighs. "Sage, just let us sort it out."
"No, Uncle Anton, that's not good enough this time." I cross my arms. "You're clogging up the whole house with your tension. I demand to know what's going on."
"Sage-"
My monitor howls. Conveniently saving them by the diabetes. I check the levels and, in a huff, hoist myself onto the cupboards to reach the top shelf where the sugar candies are.
I really don't want to let them see me needing another candy hit so soon after the last one, but I'm not budging. My hands fumble for the handles. "I'm twenty-two, you know. It's not like I'm a little girl. There's a lot that I can handle."
"It's not that we think you can't hand-"
"I'm sick of being treated like a baby!" I climb down and shove a handful of candies in my mouth to chew violently. With my mouth full, I continue on a mumble. "Seh ooh of you, awways babying ee." I chew fast and barely swallow. "I'm so sick of you-"
Nic slams his fist on the counter. "You aren't a baby, but you are insolent!"
"You're not fucking in charge of me!" I rush at him until we're chest to chest, nostrils flaring. My chest rises and falls with my temper, and Nic's eyes glaze over with hatred. Or need. I can't be sure. They do actually look quite similar.
I take a deep breath in through my nostrils, straightening as I clench my fists. In my periphery, I see Anton throw his head back. Everyone can see what's coming. I've got a tantrum brewing.
I'm just about to open my mouth to let out my telltale tantrum scream when Nic one-ups me. "Go to your room, Sage. If you need to know, we'll tell you."
I widen my eyes. This motherfucker did not just tell me to go to my room. I throw my head back, let out a banshee scream and start stomping up the stairs, making as much noise as possible.
When I get to my room - it's where I was going anyway! - I slam the doors twice for good measure.
The tantrum serves as ample distraction.
It fell under the radar, like most truths about me that my family cannot see. One day I grew up, and they didn't notice. Instead of throwing tantrums like a child in need of an emotional outlet, I threw them as a distraction. I became manipulative.
Unfortunately, it was the only way to get things done.
When I'm finished stomping up the stairs and slamming the door, I turn on my angry boy band music and secure the lock. I meant every word I said to them. I've not been a child for a long time, but they can't seem to see beyond that.
I'm old enough to have sex. To vote. To drink.
To make critical life-changing errors in judgment that get people killed...
I stop myself there before my heart cramps so badly that I won't be able to follow through with my plan.
If they're not gonna tell me what's got their important-mob-boss knickers in a twist, then I'm going to find out.
I'm still in my workout gear, a crop top, sneakers and leggings, which turns out useful. I secure my hair again, brushing any flyaways back into my high ponytail. My CGM monitor looks good too. No nosy beeping.
Heading to the window, I click the buttons that I know reset the sensor. Which gives me a good two and a half seconds to open the window and block the sensor with sticky-tack.
Yeah, I'm that monitored around here. Makes my sneaking off successfully much more impressive.
In a heartbeat, I'm out onto the ledge that runs along the side of the house.
It's a tiptoe with my back flat against the wall until I can finally make it to the open roof.
As long as I don't look down, I'll be able to make it.
After all, it's the middle of the day and this is much harder in the dark.
After what seems like an eternity of tiny steps I reach the low gable roof and can breathe a sigh of relief.
There's not that much further to go now. I'm not sneaking out today. I'm sneaking in.
To Anton's office.
Watching my step and walking carefully along the terracotta, I'm almost there when I see Anton and Freddie exit the house right below me.
Shiiiit.
I drop to my stomach and stay low. I'm just preparing to move again when they stop.
Oh, for fuck's sake.
They stop right in front of me.
Sure, while I'm laying down with this fucking roof digging into my gut, they won't be able to see me. But if I stand up, I'm a goner.
Come on. Come on.
I curse and chant in my head, begging them to move along quicker. But their conversation lingers.
Freddie clearly doesn't like something that Anton says because he lifts his head skyward in a god help me way and... yep. He looks right fucking at me!
Freddie's brows rise and then a smile forms on his lips.
He schools his features when Anton looks back at him.
They continue to nod seriously for a moment, and then Freddie places his hand on Anton's shoulder and guides him away from the house.
He gives me one last look over his shoulder, a challenging rise of his left brow before he continues walking Anton away.
I sit up and practically bolt the rest of the way, nearly slipping as I loosen some of the roofing.
I finally make my way to the office, but this is the tricky part. The office window is usually locked, and it's big. Big enough that there's no ledge to crouch on below, which means I need to hang down from the sill above it.
I haven't spent my time in the gym training for anything specific, but my grip strength doesn't fail me now. I grip the edge of the sill and hang.
There's a lock in the middle of the floor-length windows that works much like the one in my room. When I reach it, I switch from one hand to the other as I reach into my leggings and grab a credit card. I slide the card through the gap, struggling to latch it.
"Fuck," I curse when I nearly slip, needing to grab back on with two hands.
Finally, I slip the card into the latch, and slide the window open. I've got two and half seconds, but I make it, slipping inside and slamming the window shut before the sensor goes off.
I exhale and then stand to look at my surroundings.
I'm inside.
I'm not sure if my time is forever or fleeting, but I don't dawdle. Starting at the filing cabinets, I rip them open in search of papers. I thumb through them one after the other, failing to find anything damning. A litany of paper surrounds, but I leave it.
Next, I'm at the bookcases. Running my hands over the spines and pulling them out recklessly like it'll open a secret tunnel. Even though I know it won't. Be cool if it did, though.
"Sage!!"
Oh fuck.
Fleeting it is.
The roar of anger from my uncle has me bolting across the room to the desk.
"Sage! For the love of God!" It's Anton's voice still, only this time I can hear the heavy thump of footfalls climbing the stairs.
I trip over myself as I rush behind Dad's desk and hit the panic button just as there's a slam on the other side of the door. There's always been a panic button here to seal the office in case of emergency.
I just wish Dad had had the time or sense to use it.
I push that gut-wrenching thought away.
There's another two fists banging on the wood of the door, and I know I'm running out of time. Anton's got backup, apparently.
"For fuck's sake, Sage! You know I have an override code! Open the God damn door."
I panic then, running from one end of the room to the other, tearing at my hair, knowing I need to find something but not knowing where it is I should start.
I hear the pin pad outside the office buzz and freeze, my eyes widening.
"Christ, why didn't that work?" Anton belts from the other side of the door.
"They changed the codes after the incident with Dimitri," Freddie calmly says.
I run towards the desk and pull at the drawer-stack but it's locked too. With a code, though. That's okay, I can guess it.
"Then you unlock it!" Anton says.
"Alright..." Freddie says. I don't hear him hurrying to the door. In fact, I've tried two combos in my pin pad before I hear the first beep of his.
"Fuck yes," I whisper as the desk drawer pops open. It's my birthday. Of course, it is. Dad's a boomer.
I pull out the files and start skimming over them just as I hear the ping from outside the door that tells me Freddie has finished entering the override code.
Nothing, discard the paper.
Nothing, discard the paper.
In the event of the death of Dimitri DeMarco...
Yep, that sounds like something ...security of the empire...
blah, blah, blah... peace deals between the two dominant families in the territory...
YES COME ON! Sage DeMarco is promised in marriage to Victor Rushkoff in a gesture of goodwill for the keeping of peace.
Bingo.
The door buzzes and Anton and Nic burst into the room, comically fighting each other for first position while Freddie strides in behind them, not a care in the world.
My eyes are wide and frozen, my heart going a hundred miles an hour as I hold the document up in my hands like I'm presenting my heir to my kingdom. Anton and Nic both stop jostling each other long enough to look from me to the document in my hands. Nic visibly pales while Anton hangs his head.
I suck in a deep breath and then I belt, "What the fuck is this?!"