Chapter 8
MADISON
Curled up in the corner of my couch, I pull a blanket over my lap and clutch a package of cookies.
A Korean zombie flick plays on my laptop screen, but I’m not really watching it.
I’m more content to just sit here under the blanket and remain perfectly still.
I don’t want to leave this spot for the foreseeable future.
The police came out to investigate the camera in my tree.
They took it with them, but one of the detectives confessed to me that she didn’t think they’d find anything.
She said something about local storage, and sketchy brands that don’t require strict registry for users.
I will likely never know who set up that camera, or when.
Or even why. The front porch seems a weird spot to watch.
I guess I should just be grateful that it wasn’t pointing into my bedroom window.
The thought makes me shudder and tug my blanket closer.
On the bright side, the police checked my property for any other rogue cameras, and they found nothing.
I love my great-aunt’s house. I really do. But sometimes I wonder if I shouldn’t have stayed in that cramped apartment with Hugo and Felix. That was such a toxic situation, though—I had to get out, and sooner was better than later.
I sometimes wonder how my old roommates doing. It’s entirely possible that they’ve died of scurvy because I’m not there to buy fruits and vegetables.
A zombie eats a guy’s face in a very gruesome way. I barely notice. The gore is nothing more than background at this point.
The house creaks ominously.
“Shut up,” I mutter. “I’ve had enough of you.”
The creaking stops.
“Yeah, that’s right, punk,” I say to the wall. Resolutely, I turn back to my laptop. I’m going to pretend to watch this movie and I’m going to pretend to enjoy it.
Damiano texts that he and Seth are coming over. I text him the new gate code. I wonder if they found Seth’s parents, but I’m afraid the answer will be no. It’s better to ask in person. I hope they’re okay.
When the guys arrive, they have to wait a little longer on the porch while I unlock everything. I also peer through the peephole to make sure it’s them. Yeah, that damn camera got me paranoid.
“Hey.” Seth’s smile falls as soon as he sees my face. “What happened?”
Damiano takes me in his arms, looking me over at the same time like he’s searching for injuries. “Tell us everything.”
“I’m okay, I promise.” I squirm in his hold, even though I’m secretly enjoying the attention. “Just spooked.”
Seth carefully closes and locks the door behind him. “Okay. Talk to us. Tell us why.”
“It’s dumb. There was an old camera hanging in one of my trees. I had the police come out and take it down, but they don’t think they’ll find any info on it.”
Damiano’s eyes narrow. He runs his hands over my shoulders and arms. “You’ll come stay with us, until we figure out who’s behind the camera.”
“It could’ve been there for months before I moved in,” I say. “I don’t think we’ll ever know.”
“Bella.” Damiano kisses my cheek. “Come live with us.”
“What?” I shake my head. The idea is tempting, but… “Damiano, that’s—that’s too fast.”
“Nove is the most secure building in San Esteban. And Alessia moved out a couple of days ago. She’s going back to Italy. You won’t have to see her.”
I frown. I honestly wouldn’t have minded if Alessia stayed. It’s not like we would’ve ever been best friends, but now that I know she was more afraid of Francesco than she was in love with Damiano, I have more sympathy for her. She was in a bad situation and seeking an escape—it’s understandable.
“It isn’t Alessia holding me back.” I take his hand and bring it to my lips so I can kiss his knuckles.
He looks touched, and a little amused, at my gesture.
“It’s more that I like living here, as weird as it is.
And I like my independence. This is the first time I’ve lived alone in years.
I want things to stay this way for a little while longer. ”
Neither of the guys looks thrilled, but I’m not going to budge. We’ve only been seeing each other for a little over a month. It’s far too early to move in together.
“More importantly,” I say in the world’s least graceful segue, “Seth, did you find your parents?”
He nods. “They’re safe. The police are looking for the guy behind this whole thing.”
I sag against Damiano, relieved. “And they’re okay?”
“No major injuries that the EMTs could find. They’re a little dehydrated. But they went to the hospital for thorough check-ups.”
“Up you go, bella.” Damiano lifts me in his arms.
“Up to where? Where are you taking me?” I gaze at his handsome, stern expression, those beautiful brown eyes.
“To bed.” He hesitates at the base of the stairs. “I’m being heavy-handed again, aren’t I?”
“You are.” I wrap my arms around his shoulders to make carrying me easier. “But go ahead. I’d love to go to bed with you both.”
My bed is barely big enough for three people to sleep comfortably, but it’s okay because we don’t sleep much, anyway.
SETH
I’m shocked when my phone lights up, showing a call from my mother.
I’m tempted to let it go to voicemail, but then I’ll just be wondering what she wants, and putting off a call back.
Better to get it over with now. I answer the phone and spin my chair around so I can stare out my office window.
This first week of November is so far nothing but cloudy gray.
It’s stifling, but a part of me is enjoys the break from our usually relentless sunshine.
“Seth.” My mother pauses. “You answered.”
“Of course. Is everything okay?”
“I wanted to invite you to brunch. With your father and me. I, well, I want us to be a family.”
So she is making an effort. And she sounds nervous, uncertain. She doesn’t know how I’ll react to this olive branch, because she doesn’t really know me. She never cared to try to get to know me.
I push aside the bitterness. “Sure, I’d love to. When?”
“How about Saturday?”
“Sounds good. How are you and Dad holding up?”
The hospital kept them overnight, mostly to make sure they rehydrated and didn’t have any hidden injuries. But I oversaw their discharge yesterday and drove them back to their house.
“We’re both fine, thank you.” She’s almost stiflingly polite.
“No, truly, I’m asking because I want to know,” I say.
She clears her throat, uncomfortable. “We’re tired. Your father is sleeping a lot. I’m not sleeping at all.”
I wish Erich Pointer had been at that office building. I wish I’d been able to take him down and personally ensure he never has a chance to hurt people again.
To cover my rage, I ask, “Did the police find your car?”
“No, they think it’s gone forever. It’s all right. I’ve been wanting a new one. Something with better gas mileage, or electric.” She clears her throat again. “It’s, um, it’s been a while since we talked. Really talked.”
“Yeah.” I haven’t called them, but the phone works both ways, so I won’t accept all the responsibility.
“What have you been up to? This business you started, Nove International Operations—it’s doing well?” She laughs a little. “It’s doing well enough to make enemies, I guess.”
“Yes, it’s doing great. I really enjoy the work.”
“Good. That’s great, actually. And how about your—your personal life? Are you happy? Are you seeing someone?”
She sounds so goddamn uncomfortable asking me this, I almost feel sorry for her. But that’s her own fault. We’ve had years—my entire lifetime—to be a family. I’m glad she’s trying, but part of me is angry that she has to try at all. That she wasn’t ever a mother figure.
I’m angry that we’re all but strangers to each other.
“Seth?” she asks. “If it’s too personal right now, I understand.”
Fine. I’ll test just how fucking much my parents want a relationship with me.
“There’s someone in my life, actually.”
My mom gasps in excitement. I can’t tell whether it’s fake or real, and I don’t care. What I’m after is her reaction to what comes next.
“Who is it?” she asks. “When can I meet her? You should bring her to brunch on Saturday.”
“You’ve already met her, actually.”
She pauses. “I have? Who is she?”
“You remember Madison.”
“Right,” my mom says slowly. “But I don’t remember any of her friends…who is it?”
“It isn’t one of her friends. I’m seeing Madison.”
And my mother, who said she wanted us to be a family, hangs the fuck up.
I stare across my empty office. “I guess Saturday brunch is off.”