“She said in about two weeks.”
“All right. If you want me to do this, I need a full report: where she’s enrolled, her schedule—everything.”
“Fuck, you’re worse than I am.”
“You knew that and still asked me for help. If I’m going to be her guardian for a month, it’s going to be on my terms. Don’t expect me to be some goddamn babysitter. I’ll be a guardian. And maybe by the end of the month, your sister will be begging to go back to Paris.”
He laughs—even though he knows I’m not joking.
I don’t do anything halfway. I’m a control freak to the core.
“You don’t need to worry. My Pumpkin is sweet and obedient. Besides, she doesn’t know anyone here.”
Pumpkin.That nickname almost makes me laugh.
I’d bet every dollar I have that she hates being called that in public.
What does angry little Lilly look like?
My gut tells me those restless eyes come with a fiery streak.
Maybe she’s shy, judging by how she acted at that party. But I have a feeling that deep down, she’s just waiting for the chance to live.
Yeah . . . I wasn’t the only one watching her. I watched her, too. Judge me if you want.
I was bored out of my mind—and the only reason I stayed was to support Ethan, who hates dealing with his mother. The only people who can get him to show up to those events, besides his sister, is his grandmother.
That’s it. I stayed because I promised I would,I lie to myself.
“I need to know her flight info,” I say.
“Lilly said I could just send one of our staff to pick her up from the airport.”
“No way, Ethan. If she’s staying under my rules, I’m the one picking her up when she lands.”
Chapter 5
Close your eyes and they’ll disappear, Amos.
Just focus on an object. The wall, anything. Pretend you’re back at the orphanage, I tell myself. It’s a trick I learned—but it doesn’t last long. Still, it’s a relief to escape, even for a moment.
“Please, Amos, just do it. Otherwise, they’ll be even crueler.”
“I don’t want to. Don’t ask me to hurt you, Mom.”
My face is streaked with dirt and tears, while in my head, I beg God to help me escape this house.
I was so happy when they came for me two months ago. I thought finally I’d have a family.
I was ten, and no one wanted to adopt me. The lady at the orphanage said I wasn’t the “standard.” I didn’t understand what that meant until she explained to anotherstaff member that, since I didn’t have blue eyes, had golden skin, and looked too tall for my age, I stood out too much.
“No one wants to adopt a kid who doesn’t look like the rest of the family,” she said.
So I was beyond grateful when they said they wanted me. But the joy didn’t last.
The house they brought me to was beautiful. I’d only ever seen places that big in movies. I hadn’t even known they existed in real life.
But the moment we got there, I sensed something was off. Even though the second floor had at least six bedrooms, Jonathan made me sleep in the basement.
