Corrupt - Douglas Penelope - Страница 26

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I looked up, seeing Mrs. Haynes through the doorway to the kitchen holding the house phone and mouthing something to Mrs. Crist.

“Excuse me for a moment.” Mrs. Crist stood, pushed out her chair, and walked past the table, disappearing through the doorway.

As soon as she was gone, Trevor shot out of his chair, and I jerked my eyes up, seeing him scowling at his brother.

“Stay away from her,” he ordered.

I let my eyes fall closed as I tipped my chin down. Embarrassment heated my cheeks, and I could feel everyone’s eyes on me.

Jesus, Trevor.

No one said anything for a few moments, but judging from the silence and lack of movement as I stared at my plate, everyone was waiting for Michael.

“Who?” I finally heard him ask.

And I swallowed, hearing a couple of quiet laughs go off around the table.

“Rika,” Trevor growled. “She’s mine.”

I heard Michael breathe out a laugh, and out of the corner of my eye I saw him push back his chair and stand up. He tossed down his napkin on his plate and grabbed the milk.

“Who?” he asked again.

Will bowed his head, laughing louder this time as his body shook. I looked up, seeing Damon, smiling wide and looking smug.

I wanted to fold into myself and disappear. That stung.

I must’ve been amusing today. A momentary distraction for Michael, and now it was back to being nothing but something to sidestep as we passed each other in the house.

Trevor’s anger radiated, and I stared ahead while they all got up from their chairs, laughing and gloating as they followed Michael out of the dining room.

I wasn’t sure who I was most angry with: Trevor or them. At least I knew what Trevor wanted. He didn’t mind-fuck me.

Trevor sat back down, hard breaths making his chest rise and fall fast.

I pushed my plate away, no longer hungry. “Trevor…” I started, feeling guilty, but I didn’t know what else to do with him. “I’m not yours. I’m not anyone’s.”

“You’d fuck him in a heartbeat if he looked at you twice.”

I scowled, hardening my jaw. I was sick of being pushed around. Shoving back my chair, I bolted up and stormed out of the dining room.

My eyes burned with anger, and I charged across foyer, noticing the door leading to the garage open. I glanced up, seeing Michael toss a black duffel to Kai who stowed it in the G-class.

He turned his hooded eyes on me but then immediately dropped them, carrying on with loading his car as if I weren’t there.

I jogged up the stairs and powered down the hallway to my room. Slamming the door closed behind me, I breathed hard, shaking and running my fingers over the top of my hair, trying not to cry.

I needed to get out of here.

The Crist house was becoming a cage. I constantly had to fend off one brother while putting up a front of indifference with the other, and I needed some fun.

Noah. He was no doubt hitting the warehouse tonight. I’d call him and see when he was leaving.

Slipping off my flats and tearing off my uniform, I opened a dresser drawer and dug out some clothes I kept here. I unhooked my bra, discarding it on the floor.

My skin crawled, and I yanked on a tank top and pair of jeans, wanting nothing more than to scream my fucking lungs off.

Assholes. All of them.

Slipping on some sneakers, I grabbed my black hoodie off the hook in the closet and hurried back down the stairs, hearing the shower running in the bathroom as I passed. The guys were probably getting ready to leave.

I grabbed my phone and keys from the entryway table and left through the front door, pulling on my hood and stuffing my hands into the front pocket of my sweatshirt.

Only October 30th, and the chill in the air already had a bite. Nearly all the trees were bare, and all the brown, orange, yellow, and red leaves that had fallen now graced the lawn. Mrs. Crist never made the gardeners remove them, knowing it would be the last bit of color we’d enjoy before the snow started in a few weeks.

The cold washed over me, and I slowly started to calm as I walked down the driveway.

The towering branches above, like veins across the sky, melted together, creating a bare, dead canopy over the driveway that would be right at home in any Tim Burton film. I half-expected to see some creepy fog floating across the ground at me.

Jack-‘o-lanterns lined the driveway, glowing with their firelight, and I inhaled the smell of burning wood coming from somewhere. There were several bonfires going tonight, everyone either enjoying the mischief or taking part in it.

There were also some parties, and I hoped Noah was up for some fun tonight. I needed a distraction.

Reaching the big gate, I stuck my key into the adjoining door which allowed anyone on foot to enter or exit without needing to disturb Edward, the butler, to open the larger gate. I used it often, since my home was close enough to walk back and forth, and Michael used it, since he took jogs off the property.

Closing the smaller gate—it automatically locked behind me—I turned left and kept to the side of the road as I made my way home.

My hair spilled out of the hoodie, hanging down my chest on both sides as I hurried down the black pavement. It was already dark out, but the roads weren’t completely without light. Lanterns from the Crist estate on the other side of the rock wall and—soon—lights from my family’s property offered some comfort from the fear of being out here alone. Especially with the desolation of having nothing but a forest to my right on the other side of the road.

When you were scared, your senses grew sharper. Fireflies in the night might look like a pair of eyes or the wind in the trees might sound like whispers. I walked faster, feeling the chill seep through my jeans.

But looking ahead, I spotted lights falling across the dark road. I spun around, seeing a car slowing to a stop right behind me.

I pinched my eyebrows together, my heart thumping harder in my chest as I kept walking backward.

What were they doing? They were on the wrong side of the road.

I chewed my bottom lip, holding my hand over my eyes to shield them from the bright headlights. I continued to back away, ready to bolt if I needed, but I stopped, seeing the driver’s side door open and black boots hit the pavement.

Michael stepped in front of the headlights, wearing jeans and the same black hoodie from today.

What was he doing?

“Get in the car,” he ordered.

My stomach flipped at his command. Get in his car?

I turned my eyes on the windows, seeing the three dark forms of Kai, Will and Damon inside.

But I steeled myself, having had enough whiplash from Michael today. He finally says more than two words to me and then turns around and acts like he doesn’t even know my name at the dinner table?

“Don’t bother,” I told him, not even trying to hide my sneer. “I can make my own way home.”

And I turned around, heading for my house.

“We’re not taking you home,” he said, his voice dark.

I stopped and turned my head, my heart thumping in my chest. His light brown hair, still wet from his shower, shined in the light, and I saw a dare in his eyes.

He turned around and walked for the passenger door, right behind the driver’s seat, and opened it.

I pivoted my whole body back around, facing him.

His voice was soft and sultry. “Get in.”

I DUG MY FINGERS INTO MY THIGHS, trying to keep myself from fidgeting as the presence of four men, all more than six feet tall and well over one-eighty each, filled the pitch black interior of Michael’s SUV.

He sat in front of me, driving, while Kai sat next to him in the passenger’s seat. Will sat to my right, and I could feel his eyes on me.

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