“You seem like a wise young man to me. You decide what to do with that knowledge. It could change your life.” He turns and walks off, his guys following behind him.
I stand stunned for a moment. The day I walked in this place I didn’t have any idea who the bleeding fuck on the shower floor was. All I knew was, I wasn’t dying in this place.
However, I know who the fuck the old man is now. Blake Knight is known by everyone in here and out there in the real world his name rings a whole lot of bells. I earned respect for saving his life alone. No one has fucked with me since.
“What the fuck?” I mumble to myself.
Do I know my father is a greedy, crooked bastard? Yes, I’m aware. However, it’s news to me that he’s made enemies so high up. I bank the information and turn to leave.
“You do seem like a smart kid,” the CO escorting me says. “That’s a heavy invitation. Just know once you accept it, there’s no turning back. You belong to him.”
“I don’t belong to no motherfucking body, but thanks.”
***
“You want me to wait?” Roman asks as he pulls up to the gilded prison that’s no better than the place I just left.
My jaw ticks. I loathe that I’m here, but I have no choice now that my apartment is gone. This place represents all the wrong in my life.
I grunt and push the door open. “Nah, I’m good. See you later. Thanks for coming through for me,” I say.
“Anytime.”
I nod and climb out of the car. Rome and I have been best friends since we were little. He’s not much for a lot of words so I know I don’t have to say much in parting.
I take my time walking up the long driveway. I’m in no rush to face what’s in this house of horrors. My parents divorced when I was fourteen, but my father—control freak that he is—still runs my mother’s life.
He uses his wealth like a foot on all of our necks. My mother accepts it because she couldn’t possibly live without her gold face caviar. I frown as I think about the setback I caused myself.
I still don’t know why I stuck around that night. I could’ve taken off when Luke, Deacon, and the chick did. I should have.
Yet staying to make sure the kid got care and knowing Kelex was severely burned and needed real help rooted me there in that spot. I couldn’t chance the kid taking the wrap or exposing the rest of us. The shit was all so fucked.
Honestly, I figured my father would be pissed, but he’d bail me out to bury the embarrassment as fast as his office could and that would have been that. Never fucking happened. I had truly started to accept I was going to rot in that place.
“Will,” my little sister squeals.
The first real smile in two months comes to my face as I open my arms and she rushes toward me. My thirteen-year-old little brother and sister are my only reasons for coming here anymore. I lift Scarlett up and spin her around.
Her laugh is like music to me. I didn’t know how much I missed it until this moment. I kiss the top of her golden-brown hair as I place her back on her feet.
The twins look just like me with the exception of their light brown hair. They have the same jade green eyes and our mother’s dimples and smile. Although, these days you wouldn’t know I have dimples at all. I’d have to smile for that to be revealed.
“Where’ve you been? I missed you.”
“You’re never here,” I tease, not wanting to get into my whereabouts for the last two months.
“I’m home every other weekend. Did you forget? Is that why you don’t come see me anymore?”
My heart squeezes. Boarding school is a saving grace around here. It gets my siblings away from my parents and their shit. However, when they do come home, I’m here no matter what.
“I got caught up. Won’t happen again. Has everything been all right?” I ask.
“Mom’s been sad. I think she missed you too,” she says.
I clench my fists at my sides. My mother came to visit once out of the two months I was in that place. The entire time she tried to convince me my father was a very busy man.
With some patience and gratitude, he’d pull through for me. I listen to that shit, wanting to vomit on the table between us. In her eyes, the man can do no wrong. Fuck that.
“Where’s Leo?”
She shrugs her thin shoulders. “He took off with his friends. I think he and dad got into it again,” she replies.
I tighten my balled fist to the point of pain. Leo and Scarlett are the reasons I’ve been busting my ass in college. If I can show my mom she doesn’t have to rely on my dad for money, she can finally sever all ties.
I’ll make a way better attorney than he has ever been. It’s why he hates me and Leo so much. We’re smarter than he is.
Fuck him.
“Wait.” I look up the driveway. Sure enough, my father’s red Ferrari is parked in the courtyard. “Dad’s here.”
She frowns a little. “Yeah, I came out here to hide,” she says in a whisper. “He’s ranting about my grades again. Like, I get straight As. What more does he want?” She rolls her pretty eyes.
I tug her under my arm and kiss the top of her head. “You’re perfect. Don’t listen to him and don’t ever change.”
She beams up at me. “See, that’s why I miss you. Hey, where’s your car?”
“Don’t know.” It’s the truth. I have no clue where the fuck my car is. I was expecting to find it in impound or some shit. It wasn’t there
