I’m hit with a wave of nausea.
I knew it.
I take a deep breath, shaking my head. “How did you know about any of this?”
“I’m young, hungry, and ambitious. I knew I needed to find a way to catapult myself and it just so happened the queen of my world had spawned not one, but two princesses.”
“You stalked my family.”
“Again, all I did was pay attention. Very close attention, until what I needed fell into my lap.” He sits on the edge of the dresser, watching me closely.
“See, your mom began taking more and more cases when she made her name by doing the opposite. She never kept a full schedule, because she refused to lose. She made sure she had the time she needed to put in the work, cover every avenue to ensure she was victorious every time she stepped out of that courtroom. As we both know, she was. But then suddenly, she was all over the docket, case after case, and what do you know… still on an unbelievable winning streak.
“I flew down to Florida to find out how, and before I came back, I had a Filano of my own.” He grins, proud. “With a file that held the proof that your mom had added to her resume. She suddenly had an entirely new bankroll coming in and a good chunk went right back out, to a dirty PI. A man with known mafia ties whose job was to find and bury evidence, to make sure she won by—”
“Any means necessary,” I whisper.
Anthony smiles. “Exactly. I watched as her client list flipped from high profile, secretly dirty politicians to suddenly every notorious criminal of the last decade. It’s genius, really, the big money always comes from the ones with the most to lose, and if you can win, you get paid.” He nods. “And we both know your mother always wins.”
That she does.
“So now you see, her entire career will go up in flames if I were to share what I have. Every case she has ever worked on could be reopened and she, as well as your stepfather, would likely spend the rest of their lives in prison, maybe even have their assets frozen should someone decide the money she’s been paid was blood money.”
Anthony chuckles, and I feel sick.
“So, if you’re willing to be the reason for all that, as well as the one thing that keeps Ransom from getting some parts of his life back, then, by all means, continue as you are, but something tells me you’re smarter than that.” He walks over to me and when I try to turn away, he grips my arm, his other hand pinching my chin between his thumb and pointer finger. “A little sacrifice can go a long, long way. We can go back to the way we were before. I’ll be all you wish me to be, and you’ll be in my bed,” he whispers, lowering his head.
I jerk, and he squeezes tighter, pressing his lips to mine.
“My brother can’t do half of what I can, sweetheart,” he rasps. “All you have to do is allow me to prove it.”
This can turn bad fast, so I force my muscles to ease, my pulse to calm, my eyes to soften, and it takes everything in me to lift a palm and place it on his chest.
I pretend to surrender to him.
His gaze holds mine a moment, and then he nods, his grip now gentle and sliding to my cheek.
He smiles softly, and it’s almost terrifying how quickly his behavior shifts. “Your new driver is outside, ready to take you to class.”
I nod and squeeze my eyes closed when he kisses my cheek, walking out.
The second he’s gone, a loud cry slips from me, and my hand slams over my lips, but nothing else follows.
It’s just a sound.
I’m fine.
I suck in a shaky breath, spin, and walk out the door.
As I climb into the back seat of the town car, the driver pokes his head inside with a smile, and I recognize him by the mustache on his face. He’s the man who got in Arsen’s face at the club that night.
“Long time, no see.” He chuckles, holding out my phone.
I glare, subconsciously touching the side of my purse where I last knew it to be.
“He took it last night, just in case. I’m Mr. Banks to most people, but you can call me Charles.” He closes the door.
I power my phone on, and immediately, it begins to ding over and over again. I quickly turn off the sound and wait until all the missed messages finish coming through.
I hesitate over Ransom’s name, over Beretta’s and Arsen’s, and my heart weeps wildly, threatening to burst through my chest it pounds so vigorously.
I can see the first few words of the most recent messages and all have one word in common...
Please.
My grip tightens on my phone and I squeeze my eyes closed, but not a second passes before it begins to ring.
I jerk, a queasiness taking over my stomach as I fight looking at the screen. Instead, I go to power it off, but as I swipe the screen, I accidentally catch a glimpse of the name, finding it’s Cali’s.
With a low sigh, I answer, and the moment she speaks, I wish I wouldn’t have.
I wish I would have stayed in my prison a day longer.
No phone.
No outside world.
No one but me.
Because, as Cali cries into my ear, her words nearly incoherent, she’s so distraught, I’m reminded I’m not the only one whose reality can sometimes feel as if it’s too much to bear.
Devastatingly, Jules could no longer take hers.
After getting approval from Anthony, Mr. Banks drove me to Jules’ house, where Cali and others have already begun to gather.
There are at least a dozen cars parked out front and the side gate is open, several students coming in and out.
I text Cali that I’m here, and within seconds, she’s charging out the front door, so I quickly climb out, just in time to catch her when she falls against me, her cries nearly doubling.
I hug her back, but I don’t speak because I have no idea what to say or how to say it.
I didn’t know Jules was hurting the way she must have been, I didn’t know she felt so alone or overwhelmed. I was judgmental and assumed she began drinking heavier because she simply felt like partying.
She always seemed happy, but maybe I should have seen through her facade since I’m so good at hiding myself.
My limbs begin to tingle, an uncomfortable sense of desperation overtaking me, only I don’t know what to do about it, so I stand there and let Cali cry until she’s ready to pause.
When she pulls back, she shakes her head, grabs my hand and offers a small wave to my driver.
He steps onto the curb with us, and I freeze, gently pulling my hand free from Cali’s, stepping closer to him.
“I don’t need a fucking babysitter. You are not following me inside,” I hiss.
Charles frowns, hitting the alarm button on the remote. “I’ve been driving for the twins’ father for five years, beautiful. How do you think their daughter knew about you and Anthony?” He lifts a brow angrily. “I’ll go inside if I damn well please.”
I suck in a quick breath and he scoffs, shaking his head.
He steps around us and I follow behind him with a frown, but I quickly forget about him and focus on my friend.
As we walk through the front door, someone begins to shout, and as we come around the corner, we witness Amy being thrown around by her mom, the photo on the wall behind her swaying, but it’s caught by another student before it falls on top of her.
Mrs. Marino picks up a pile of roses from the floor and heaves them at her daughter, blood dripping down her arms as she cries hysterically.