“I’m ready to go,” I said, slinging a backpack over my shoulder.
Carmella tilted her head. “Follow me.”
We strolled down one of the many long hallways that seemed endless. Thankfully, I didn’t have to follow the lights illuminating the floor because Carmella knew where she was going. She led me through a side entrance and into a covered parking garage. The space housed at least two dozen exotic cars, armored trucks, and SUVs, as well as a handful of luxury cars.
Carmella flipped open a wall panel and grabbed a key fob. She clicked the button, and the brake lights of a Maserati flashed. “We’ll take this one. It’s my favorite.”
“Does Drake let you drive all of his cars?”
She nodded. “What’s his is mine.”
My blood boiled in my veins at her response. He’d said something similar to me last week. A part of me felt entitled to Drake, like he belonged to me. But in reality, I was his ward for the year.
I slid into the passenger seat and pulled on a seatbelt, tucking my bag between my legs. Carmella got behind the wheel and started the engine, her flowery perfume filling the space. Her hair was so long that she gathered it in her hand and tossed it over her shoulder. Otherwise, she would have been sitting on it. Flawless and perfect, she was everything I wanted to be.
“I went to Astor Prep,” Carmella said, flooring the gas pedal out of the garage, racing down a strip of asphalt toward the front gate. “You’ll love it.”
“Did Drake go here, too?”
She laughed. “No, Drake is way too smart for this school. I mean, don’t get me wrong, Astor Prep is one of the finest high schools in the state. Only the children of the elite can afford to attend. But Drake is…” A dreamy smile spread across her face. “He’s not like the rest of us. Drake is brilliant. A genius. Did you know he has a 182 IQ?”
I shook my head. “No, but I can tell he’s intelligent. That was one of the first things I noticed about him.”
“Drake is not like other people. By the time he was your age, he was already working on his doctoral degree in bioengineering.”
“Wow,” I muttered. “That’s wild.”
“He’s already changing the world with that big, beautiful brain of his. Just wait and see. In a few years from now, Battle Industries will take over the world.”
Carmella was the ultimate fangirl. I could see how much she admired him written all over her face, and hear it in her voice.She loved him. Jealousy stirred in my chest, causing my insides to ache.
“How long have you worked for Drake?”
“Oh, let’s see.” She flew off the property as the tall wrought-iron gates opened for us. “About four years now. Drake was your age.”
“He doesn’t seem that young.”
“No,” she agreed. “He looked in his mid-twenties when I interviewed for the job. Acted like it, too.”
I leaned my elbow on the armrest, glancing at my companion. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-three. Only two years older than Drake.”
She took a sharp right turn off Founders Way and darted down a steep hill toward another guarded gate that walled off this part of Devil’s Creek from the other homes.Carmella pointed out the window. “That small coastal community to the right of Devil’s Creek is Beacon Bay. Half of the town has million-dollar homes. Kingston University is also on the north side. But on the south side, it’s mostly run-down houses, apartment buildings, and factories. A few gangs and mafia families lived over there.”
“Oh, I’m familiar. I used to live there with my mom and brother when I was younger.”
“On what side?”
“North,” I said proudly. “But my mom lost everything when I was five.”
“That’s a shame you had to grow up that way. You’re so lucky Drake found you when he did. He mentioned that you and Tate almost starved.”
What else did he tell her?
This woman seemed to know way too much about me. Yet, this was the first time I had ever heard about her. My mind raced with dozens of petty thoughts. Why didn’t Drake tell me about her? Why did he spring her on me at the last second?
“You should be grateful,” Carmella said in a sharp tone. “Men like Drake Battle have a lot to offer. Many people have taken advantage of his generosity. You would be wise to appreciate every gift he’s given you.”
