Chapter 19
The Game Strategy
Luke
My room is the way I left it. I didn’t replace my second cell phone and neither has my father. He may still have it, but he’s not getting anything new or interesting on it. Not after Jack wiped it.
I turn on my computer and wait for it to pop up. Jack updated it with a code that I enter to acknowledge it’s me in the room. The only camera that comes on is Harper’s. The others are blacked out.
She’s not in her room, but just taking in her room settles me. It’s ridiculous how quickly someone can feel like home when I never really understood the concept before.
I turn off the monitor and Jack disabled the light that indicates the webcam is on and set my feed to record.
My father sometimes snoops around my room when he’s home.
And I need to know if he’s been in here.
But I don’t want him to know it’s being recorded.
I quickly take a shower, so I don’t smell like vanilla.
My father doesn’t need to smell her on me.
When I finish dressing, I sit on the edge of my bed and stare at the door. He expects me to check in. To tell him about my progress in getting on better terms with Harper and into her house. He doesn’t need to know that I’m practically living with her. Or that her mom is okay with it.
Being in their home just makes me more aware of what I’m lacking in this house. It’s huge and everything I could ever materially want is at my fingertips. For a cost. Not love, but devotion.
He wants my loyalty, but doesn’t crave my love. My father is a hard man. Always has been. I don’t know how things might have been different if my mother had survived. Maybe I wouldn’t have been so driven by the need to escape these four walls. This prison cell.
Fuck it.
I head downstairs and into the dining room. There are a few servants tonight. Not the woman from before. She served her purpose and he no longer needs her to demonstrate his depravity.
“Good evening.” I take my seat and put the cloth napkin on my lap.
My father leans back in his chair and takes me in. This is part of it. His slow examination of me, letting the silence lengthen until it’s deafening, until I can’t take it anymore. At least, that’s what he used to do. But he knows I’m accustomed to it.
Not much he does fazes me anymore.
“Bring our meals.” Dad waves his hand at the servers. Someone fills my glass while another person puts plates in front of my father and me. I lift my glass and find it’s just water this time.
Somehow that makes me feel calmer. He wants something from me. It’s always easier when he wants something from me. I set my glass down and lean back in my chair.
It’s still not my move yet.
Dad cuts his steak and lifts the meat to his mouth, chewing on it. Almost savoring it. I just watch him the way he always watched me.
What does a man like him love? Wealth? Power? Definitely not his only child. Did he love his wife, my mother? Or was she just another token to move in the game?
“I need to be in town for the next few days,” he announces to the room like it isn’t just me and him.
“Okay.” I cut a piece off the asparagus and eat it. At least the meal is worth the current price, his company.
“I expect you to bring your girlfriend to dinner on Tuesday night.” His gaze falls on me expectantly. Does he want me to throw a fit? Maybe he expects me to rage at how I won’t let her anywhere near him?
“We’ll plan on it.” I eat more of my vegetables.
He makes an acknowledging noise before taking another bite and contemplating me.
No matter what he says, I can’t react. I can’t tip my hand and let him know how much Harper means to me. He’ll use her against me and if he knows how much she cares, he’ll use me against her.
“The cleaners say your room is immaculate.” He eats a piece of steak, chewing slowly. “Have you managed to sneak into her home?”
I narrow my eyes. I could tell him that I don’t have to sneak. But if he knows I have access, how will he use it?
“Yes.”
“Good. You’ll need to access whatever computers are in the home as well as any flash drives.” He tips his glass toward the servers.
I wait for them to fill it. “He stole a file? And you think it’s going to be on a computer after thirteen years?”
I don’t hide my smirk. That’s stupid.
“There are hard copies too. But we need to make sure to cover all of our tracks.” He means his tracks.
“What exactly did he take?” I cut my steak and eat the bite.
Dad’s hazel eyes turn shrewd. “If the internship was still on the table, I could tell you. But until you are part of our business, you need to have plausible deniability.”
That’s not reassuring. But it does make me hope that whatever this is, it could be my ticket out from under his thumb.
Harper
I watch a show with my mom before heading up to do my homework. Mostly I stayed downstairs hoping Luke would come back. I pause. Should I lock my bedroom door? It gives me a second to throw on a robe if they strip me naked.
But it also would be locking Luke out. Not that he wouldn’t find a way in.
I lock it before I sit in front of my computer. My room is in view and so is Luke’s. My insides twist. Does that mean he’ll be spending the night there? Or does he want to see if his father goes into his room?
I pull out my books and set them on my desk. Eli said eight but it’s only seven-thirty. My gaze lingers on Luke’s empty room again. Luke being by himself in that house makes me feel sick. What if he’s already hurt? What if his father does something worse to him?
If there was some way to know, I’d feel better. The guys have cameras all over my house now. They have access to it, but I have to sit here and wait for them to show up. I can’t see if Eli is having dinner with his family. Or if Nico is consoling his mother. Or if Jack is playing with Lucy.
Do Caden and Ava do things together or do they stay in their separate corners of the giant house? Are their parents home now? Will Caden even be able to come on tonight?
“You get a crinkle in your brow when you can’t figure something out.” Nico’s voice makes me jerk my gaze to the screen. “See, now it’s gone.”
“What are you talking about?” I tilt my head. What did he say?
He rubs at a spot between his dark eyebrows. “A wrinkle right here. You worried about something, sunshine?”
“Everything is worrisome these days.” Releasing my breath, I wish that were hyperbole. “I can’t see you guys when you aren’t in your rooms, but I know Jack set it up so you guys can see me.”
“It’s a little harder to give you access to five guys. Especially when most of our dads are super secretive.” Nico winks. “But if you want, I can send you my location on my phone.”
I get a message on my phone if I want to connect with Nico’s phone. I accept.
“Now, you’ll know where my phone is.” Nico smiles. “It may not be video, but you’ll know where to find me.”
“Thank you.” I set my phone down. “What did you think of last night? The punishment of Ethan Parker.”
“Honestly?” Nico leans forward.
“Yeah.”
“It probably wasn’t harsh enough for the guy.” Nico shrugs. “I should have let Luke tackle him at the game. If it wouldn’t have gotten them both kicked off the field, I wouldn’t have stopped him.”
“Ethan fell.”
“Caden pushed him down when he asked about sharing you.” Nico shakes his head. “The guy is a creep. Hopefully he fades into the background and doesn’t become a bigger problem.”
I blow out a breath. He definitely was a creep, wanting to know when they were done with me and then that offer outside the locker room. I shudder.
“Cold, kitten?”
My eyes focus on Eli. “No. Not cold.”
His gaze goes to what I suspect is Luke’s room. “He’s not in yet?”
“I haven’t seen him.” I tuck my feet up on the chair and wrap my arms around my knees, resting my chin on my knees.
“He knows how to handle his father.” Eli leans back in his desk chair. “It’s rare for him to beat Luke while he’s still healing.”
Rare. So it could happen. Luke’s bruises are fading and he doesn’t favor that side anymore, but I can’t imagine him taking more abuse. My heart skips. Now I’m the one who can’t wait until college when we can all live together and not have to worry about each other when we’re separated.
“She’s got that wrinkle.” Jack rubs between his eyebrows as he logs in.
Nico smiles. “She’s worried about us. Right now, it’s Luke. I gave her my phone location.”
He sounds a little smug about it since he was the first one to think of it. Two pings hit my phone. I glance down and accept Jack’s and Eli’s requests to share locations. I smile.
“Three out of five.” Nico winks. “I’m sure the others won’t have any issues sharing.”
Caden’s video comes on. “What are we sharing? I like sharing.”
“Locations,” Jack says.
My phone pings and I accept his request. “You guys don’t care that I can see wherever you are?”
“I’ve got nothing to hide, little nympho.” Caden smirks. “Though we do have shit to discuss once Luke rolls in.”
It’s almost eight o’clock. My insides buzz. What if he can’t come? What if he’s hurt?
“What did you think of Ava?” Caden’s words capture my attention.
I smile. “I liked her. She seems nice. I don’t know if the school can handle another Ross.”
He smirks.
“Have your parents weighed in?” Jack’s brow furrows.
“They’re on their way home. They should be here around nine-thirty.” Caden glances at his phone. “They may not be open to talking tonight, but we should have a resolution by tomorrow night. Ava will stay home tomorrow unless they enroll her right away.”
“What about Tanner?” Nico asks.
Caden blows out a breath. “She knows how to deal with assholes and she’s not afraid to grab his junk and squeeze until he wishes she’d just tear it off.”
My mouth drops open. “But she seems sweet.”
Caden meets my eyes. “You seemed so innocent, little nympho.”
“I was innocent, War.”
“Innocent of body, but not of mind.” He rubs his fingers over his lips and a pulse of awareness shoots through me. “I love your dirty mind.”
“So, we’re back to webcams at night?” It’s better than nothing, but I like being held while I sleep.
“We’ll find time to play, don’t worry, kitten.” Eli’s dark eyes capture mine. We haven’t even begun to play.
My door opens and I lower my screen a little as I twist my head around. I swore I locked it.
Luke steps in and closes the door lightly behind him, locking it. My pulse quickens. He’s fine. And he’s here.
He slides out my desk chair and lifts me. I squeeze my knees tighter to my chest before he lowers me down onto his lap. His breath makes my hair tickle my neck. I release my legs and lower them to either side of his. His arm wraps around my waist to hold me close.
“What did I miss?” Luke rests his chin against my shoulder.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“I’m good,” he whispers against my ear.
Shivers course through me. “Did my mom see you?”
“Probably on the video if she’s watching.” Luke brushes his stubbly cheek against my neck.
I reach behind me to rub my hand against his jaw. They’re all here. Not like on Friday or Saturday night, but they’re all with me.
“We have a few things we need to discuss.” Eli clears his throat.
I relax against Luke and give the guys my attention.
“Ava is likely moving back.” Caden rubs the back of his neck. “Which means I have to be here. I can’t leave her alone in this house. We don’t know why they’re targeting you, but she’s been a target before. I’m not letting her get hurt again.”
“I understand.” My gaze holds his green eyes. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
“Do we know what prompted this?” Eli asks.
“Hazing at the school got bad.” Caden shrugs. “She decked a girl who probably deserved it. It’s not going away. So...”
“Your father is happy with your progress.” Eli moves on to Luke.
“Jack, put the nanny cam in my room while Dad is home and then cut the feed to this room.” Luke’s words rumble through me.
“On it.” Jack’s eyes go to the side where his other monitor is.
“He’s happy for now. He wants me to go through all the computers in Harper’s house and any flash drives.”
I can see Luke’s smirk in the camera.
“There’s nothing to find.” Jack doesn’t even turn to face us as his keys click. “I’ve been through it all. Unless what he wants is a recipe for apple pie—”
“It’s really good apple pie,” I feel it necessary to interject.
Jack shakes his head and grins. “It’s not there.”
Luke blows out a breath. “That means we need to find the evidence your father hid.”
“What evidence?”
Luke turns the office chair and my mom stands in my doorway. Oh, fuck.