Chapter 19
I called my mom first.
It was later, after the insanity of the afternoon in my room, and I was up in the east wing library, where Oliver had told me I’d get the best reception.
At first, she was furious that I’d just “gone off” without telling anyone. But that soon turned to just being her usual gushy mom-self about how proud of me she was with the new job. I filled her in, assured her the training was going great, and promised to call soon.
Part of me worried about when I’d see her again — or anyone for that matter. So far, all Ash, Oliver, Erik, and I had agreed on was that I’d be staying here until they could end the Cunningham’s grip on things.
…When that would be, we hadn’t really gotten to. I guess we’d been busy.
“I love you, Mia.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
“Oh, and call Andrea, won’t you? She’s worried sick about you too, you know. She actually just called right before you to see if I’d heard from you yet.”
I smiled, thinking of my friend. “I will. Bye mom.”
“Have fun at the training, sweetie.”
I swallowed the redness from my face as I hung up before I dialed Andrea’s number. My mom had been worried about my radio silence because she was my mom, and that’s what moms did. But poor Andrea must have been terrified when I’d never even come home after that bizarre text about Ryan taking me to the club.
“Mia?”
“Hey!” I grinned just hearing my friend’s voice. “I’m sorry, I know I should have called you sooner, I just—”
“Hi.”
I frowned, her voice sounding distant and reserved.
“Hey, so, I’m okay! I’m sorry I never called you after the other night, I just— well, the job training was so sudden.”
“Oh, yeah.”
My brow furrowed. The Andrea I knew would have freaked out at me by now, even if it was just out of love. But she was so quiet, and so…well, weird.
“So, how’ve you been?”
“Good,” she said absently.
“Are you okay?”
There was silence for a second. “Yep.”
“Okay, well, the job training is going really—”
“Hey Mia?”
“Yeah?”
“I can’t really hear you, I think your phone is breaking up.”
I frowned. “Shit, really?”
“Are you inside?”
“Yeah, sorry. It’s supposed to be decent reception where I am now. My mom heard me just fi—”
“I can’t.”
I worried my brow again at her bizarrely reserved tone.
“Can you go outside, maybe?”
I frowned, glancing around. My eyes spotted the circular iron staircase that curved up to the balcony level of the library that wrapped around the outside wall. And off of that, the double glass doors that led out to the big over-hanging porch that looked out over the estate.
“Yeah, actually, I can. Hang on.”
Andrea was silent as I climbed the stairs, unlatched the doors, and stepped outside.
“Can you hear me now?”
She sobbed, and my heart jumped into my chest. “Andrea?!”
“Mia—”
The phone went dead, and my gut sank. I swallowed, whirling to go back inside and—
…And that’s when the bag went over my head, and I screamed.
That’s when the hands grabbed me, and hauled me away.