Chapter 14
I get ready for tonight’s gala, putting on my dress and makeup. I choose an elegant blue satin dress. The A-line maxi gown is floor-length with a sexy thigh split and cowl neckline tied at the shoulder with thin straps. A flowing skirt reveals the perfect amount of skin, giving me the boost of confidence I need. Wearing my favorite color infuses the strength I need to play my role. I style my hair in loose curls and slip into my silver sandals.
I look in the mirror once more. “You got this.”
Parking in front of Grandmother’s driveway, a tap on my window has me lifting my chin. I climb out of the car, and Hunter takes me in.
“Looking good, all things considered.”
“Thanks. You look polished too.” In his black tux, he looks more than handsome.
Mia hugs me. “You look stunning.”
“Thank you, bestie. Likewise.” She looks spectacular in the lavender satin ruched midi dress, her hair elegantly slicked back. The sharp cat-eye liner makes her silver eyes pop.
“Something happened. What?” Mia asks, a line digging between her brows.
“Not now.”
We wrap our elbows around Hunter’s, and Thomas opens the door for us.
“Welcome.”
More guests enter behind us.
I whisper. “Where are our fathers?”
“Being fashionably late,” Mia says.
Inside, the dining room has been transformed into a ballroom. Servers in black and white carry trays with appetizers and champagne. A quartet plays classical music in the corner. Kaden, Abigail, Blake, and Bailey huddle together in the opposite corner, but I approach Grandmother first.
Hunter kisses her hand and says, “It’s a pleasure meeting you.”
She studies him, but she won’t find anything other than politeness, even if it’s fake.
“You have a spectacular home. I have never seen anything like it.”
Her wrinkled lips curl up.
Felix is next in line, and he nods to us in greeting. We move to the other members of the Family. No one would think I was sent away with all the excited greetings thrown my way.
“You’re looking fabulous.” Kaden’s mother, Christine, says, sipping from her champagne. Blake’s father peruses me clinically, and Bailey’s parents take me in to the point of making my skin crawl.
They are all terrible parents, neglectful at best.
Kaden and Abigail approach us. He looks mouthwatering in that navy suit that hugs his toned body.
“They make quite the couple,” Felix says, eyes set on me.
They are both beautiful people. Abigail appears angelic, dressed in a pale pink dress that compliments her porcelain skin. And Kaden looks devastatingly handsome in his bespoke suit. That should have been my place, my role.
Snapping out of my pity party, I remember to tread carefully around Felix.
“Indeed. Uncle Felix, I’d like you to meet my boyfriend, Hunter.”
Felix’s eyes widen, looking at Hunter with more visible interest. Crisis averted. Blake takes a flute of champagne, and his father beckons to him.
Bailey’s parents look at her, disappointment etched on their faces. They all live for power. Soon it will be all gone. I’ll make sure of that.
More guests arrive. The ballroom fills, buzzing with clinking glasses, loud conversations, and laughter. The fake smiles and small talk grate on my nerves, dimming the only appealing sound in the room–the soft music.
Mia smiles at whatever Felix says. She stumbles right into his arms, snaking her hand into his pocket.
Nerves flare to life, and when she excuses herself, he leers at her, lust clear in his eyes. Damn pervert. I look at Blake, and he shoots daggers at Felix.
Mia approaches us and says, “Here is the key card. Hurry now.”
Cillian walks inside, followed by my father, and I hold my breath.
Hunter leans into me. “I can feel your nerves. Calm down. They know what they’re doing.”
My father dips his chin in a small greeting in my direction, and I offer a small smile, pretending we don’t know each other while he and Cillian approach my grandmother and Felix. I can’t peel my eyes away. His posture is relaxed, even though I know both are like silent volcanoes ready to erupt.
My father says something, and everyone exchanges smiles.
Cillian’s telling them about the school when we approach.
“And look, two of my best students,” Cillian says.
“You did a fantastic job with Celine.”
Hunter digs a finger into my back, and I remember to smile.
Everyone’s attention snaps to Kaden tapping a glass of champagne with a knife.
Unease creeps under my skin.
“My son surely knows how to steal the show,” Felix says.
We all turn to Kaden. He opens his mouth and lifts Abigail’s hand. I blink while life seeps from my body. The ring sparkles on her finger like hundreds of sun rays reflecting on a clear lake. Heart, keep beating. You can’t give up. See and never forget.
“My lovely girlfriend and best friend,” he says.
My hands curl into fists, and my vision blurs with the anger coursing through me. Do not fucking dare.
“Decided to make me the happiest man alive by agreeing to marry me.”
She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, looking taken aback, while he only has eyes for her. Either they’re skilled actors, or they’re not pretending. The latter stabs me repeatedly in my chest, painting my insides into a gruesome red Jackson Pollock painting.
I watch my personal nightmare become a reality.
Cheers and congratulations erupt. I urge Kaden to look at me, but he doesn’t. What the fuck is happening? He was in my bed a few hours ago. He was inside of me yesterday.
I pinch myself while Hunter dips his head and says, “Your mask is slipping.”
Throwing back a glass of champagne, I down the bubbly contents in one go.
Hunter grabs my hand, excusing us. “My girlfriend can’t hold her alcohol.”
But all I can hear is my grandmother and Felix talking.
“They will bring this family to new heights,” she says.
“Like it was always meant to be.”
In the hallway, away from prying eyes, I bend over, struggling for air.
Hunter caresses my back while I try to compose myself.
“If I didn’t know you’re beating yourself up already, I would.”
“I can’t breathe. Can’t breathe.”
He pulls me into his arms, making the pain eating away at me bearable.
“Tell me, what do you want me to do?”
I scratch my arms, wanting to erase Kaden from my body, from my head, from my heart.
“Celine…” Mia’s voice softens.
Hunter snaps his head to her and says, “Give us a few.”
“I’m sorry, but no. We don’t have time. Felix could notice the key card is gone at any moment.”
I take a couple of steadying breaths. “I feel better just knowing you’re here for me,” I say to Hunter.
He pulls his earpiece from his suit jacket and I from my clutch. We put them in as Mia returns to the party to be our eyes inside and make sure Felix stays where he should.
Hunter and I pretend to be a little bit drunk as we slip outside. We walk toward the backyard.
“It’s clear,” he says.
I take off my shoes and pull my dress up. I hate these stupid heels, and with them dangling from my fingers, we take off, running.
When we reach the tunnel, Hunter unlocks the door. Yanking it open, we take the narrow stairs down.
“We’re fucked if someone is inside. I doubt there are no guards.”
Hunter points to his back, indicating for me to hop on to avoid dirtying my feet further. Plus, we don’t know if someone is patrolling the tunnels, and they could hear my heels clacking.
We follow the path to the right. Finding the door, he lets me down before he slips a small camera cable below the door. He surveys the room on his phone, but there are no signs of cameras.
Feet-thumping echo in the distance.
I look around me. There’s nowhere to hide.
Hurrying, I insert the card, and the door lights up with a keypad.
We have sixty seconds until the alarm blares.
This double security measure means Felix is hiding something. I believe my father when he says my mother is being held captive.
Steps approach while I stare at the keypad, trying to come up with the damn numbers. Hunter’s body turns stiff with tension, ready for a fight.
“I thought you might be here,” Kaden says.
I let out the breath I was holding. Relief to see my tormentor––so stupid yet an undeniable fact.
“If you don’t know the password, we’re fucked,” Hunter says, his stance more relaxed now.
Twenty seconds left. Kaden reaches us and starts typing. It takes him two attempts, which skyrockets my nerves.
When the countdown stops at four seconds, ease travels through me, and I feel lightheaded.
I should have known that it’s the date Felix became the head of the finance company. It must be the narcissist’s favorite day.
Hunter and Kaden stare at each other, jaws set in hard lines.
“Now, leave.”
Kaden ignores my request and slips inside.
“Why didn’t you inform us?” Hunter yells at Mia through the com. We enter the room only to come face to face with multiple computer screens.
That’s it.
Kaden smirks. “Is it Mia? Say hi.”
He looks at me, and Hunter curses.
“We have little time. Either his phone or his laptop will open the program for the screens.”
I say in my earpiece, “Steal his phone.”
We wait with bated breath until Mia says, “There is an app. It’s called Office. Done.”
The screens unlock, and I blink at what I’m seeing.
It’s a live feed of our kitchen and the hallways to my grandmother’s office. He has eyes everywhere.
“Why would he spy on Grandmother?” I ask.
“When did he last check them?” Kaden asks, looking for the date.
“A few days ago,” replies Hunter.
“He can’t see these.” I point at us going in and out of each other’s rooms.
“You should have been more careful. If we do this, he’ll know something is wrong,” Hunter says.
“He can’t find out about us. Fuck.” Kaden grumbles under his breath, raking a hand through his hair. He plucks out his phone from his suit pocket. “Dane, my friend, I thought you should know that I put a ring on it. You see, Abi would always pick me.”
He hangs up, and I curl my fingers into his shirt, staring a hole in Kaden’s chest.
“What, Sky?”
I yank myself free, and he cocks his head while I barely control myself.
“Let’s do this another time. Now look and see,” Kaden says.
Not even ten minutes later, our house catches fire. We watch flames engulf the rooms before the cameras shut off.
“That was a smart move,” Hunter says, nodding. He looks at me, impressed.
A muscle in Kaden’s jaw ticks when I climb onto Hunter’s back again.
“Get down.”
“But it wouldn’t be appropriate to be carried by an engaged man.”
“Fuck, Celine… you know damn well it’s illegal to be married twice.”
An anger of a thousand fires lights inside me. His audacity is astounding.
When we exit the tunnel, I dust off my dress and slip my feet back into my heels.
“What did he mean?” Hunter asks.
“Nothing,” I say.
“He was good in there.”
There’s no point in acknowledging the obvious. Kaden’s good at everything. We go back to the party. I slip the key card into Mia’s hand, and she expertly puts it back inside Felix’s suit pocket.
One second later, his phone rings, and he excuses himself. That was a close call. When he returns, it’s with a strained smile. “A word with you all.”
While the rest of the guests exchange pleasantries with my father, Felix says, “Your house is on fire. Initial investigations suspect it may have been arson.”
Abigail gasps. “Oh my god.”
I wonder how she would react to hearing who was responsible. I look right at Kaden, and he shrugs. “I have the bigger picture in mind,” he whispers.
“Do you have any idea who could have done this?” Felix asks while we remain perfectly still. “Don’t worry, I already sent a crew.”
“Where will we stay now?” Abigail replies.
“You can come live with us,” Mia suggests.
“We could all stay with them,” I offer.
“I don’t like the idea,” Felix pipes up.
Of course not, you damn snake. You won’t be able to follow our every move.
“Father, with all due respect, we need a place to stay until our house is renovated. Their house is a suitable alternative,” Kaden says.
A vein might burst on Felix’s neck. Hate when things don’t go your way, huh?
“Fine, but you’ll move right back in after the renovations.”
Kaden nods, shoving his hands into his pockets.
When Felix leaves, Abigail opens her mouth to speak, but Kaden pulls her to his side. From the outside, it looks like a lover’s embrace, but when he tells her what I assume is we’re being watched, she freezes and nods a second later.
Hunter and Bailey do that thing again, glaring intensely at each other. I don’t know what to think of those two.
When the night ends and the adrenaline spike crashes, tiredness weighs me down.
“See you tomorrow,” I say, waving at Mia and Hunter.
I get in my car and watch as everyone drives away, one after the other: family, friends, and enemies. We’re quite a curious mix.
I leave the Family’s compound and find myself at the cliffs where a figure is hunched over. I step out of the car, and the guy snaps his head to me. Recognition flares in both of our eyes.
We’ve crossed paths a few times. He’s a racing star, and something is going on between him and Abigail.
“Dane.”
“Celine.”
“You have a short fuse.”
He looks over the cliffs, balling his hands at his sides. “An engagement present for those two. Yet, I’m still not fucking feeling better. Why did you come here?”
“It looks peacefully dangerous, and I’m in desperate need of…”
“Of forgetting? I have the perfect idea.”
We get in his Mustang GTD sports car, and he says, “Buckle up.”
He starts the engine, speeding away, and I am sucked into the chair. Laughing, I see the speedometer hit the maximum limit as the ocean passes me by. I feel alive. Exactly what I need right now.
“Wow. Can we do that again?”
He chuckles, and minutes turn to hours as he serves as my personal race car driver. Round and round we go until all that is flowing through my veins is adrenaline.
“This night turned from shitty to bearable,” I say through a yawn.
“Same.”
“Give me your phone number.”
He punches his number into my phone and says, “Wanna do this again?”
“Yes.”
With his rough exterior, he is the poster child of a bad boy. But tonight, for a few hours, he made me forget.
I guess I did the same for him.
No one can empathize better than people with common pain.
I hug him goodbye, go to my car, and then drive back home.
What hurts the most is that I know Abigail and Kaden make perfect sense. A sigh heaves my chest, and I step out of the car. We needed closure. Now we can let each other go.
A message from Hunter pops up on my phone as I enter my childhood home.
Where were you?
Needed some space.
Inside, it’s all dark as I go upstairs. Undressing, I shower, and when I drop on the bed, sleep carries me away.
The next morning, I am the first to arrive at Mia and Hunter’s house.
“Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer, right?”
I kiss Hunter’s cheek, and Mia is at the stove preparing muffins when we enter the kitchen.
A clear telltale sign of her stress.
I turn to Hunter and he shrugs. “Don’t ask.”
“Sit.”
We do just that, and she goes on. “While you, Celine, were being an emotional wreck, and Hunter unfocused—”
We open our mouths, but she points the wooden spoon at us. “I will run the show from now on.”
“But––” I try to refute her accurate statement, but no words form.
“I’m sorry, but things are not what they seem. We have to find a common denominator with them.”
“They’re our enemies,” Hunter snarls.
“Well then, stop making puppy eyes at one of them.”
Mia points at me. “And you stop messing around.”
Hunter and I look at each other, blinking in shock when she adds, “They’re not our enemies. We’ll find out what they know and work together.”
“No,” we say in unison, and she shrugs.
“Not your call. Now smile. We have guests.”