“Well, I’m not surprised,” my mother says dismissively. “Look at you. But the perception is all that matters. And the age of consent in Sorelle is eighteen. So if you want them to be arrested for statutory rape, by all means,stay behind. God knows it would make my life easier.”
I can’t speak. I just open and close my mouth. Wondering how the hell I ended up with thispersonfor a mother. “That is such a load offucking bullshit—,”
My head snaps to the side, and I stumble. The left side of my face burns.
“Don’t curse at me,” she hisses. “After all that I have given you, you ungrateful little bitch. Youwillget in the car when it arrives, and youwilldo exactly what I tell you to do. Or I will make sure those boys that you care about so much go to prison. For a very long time.”
The fear floods my stomach, rising up my throat. Threatening to choke me.
“You don’t have that sort of power,” I rasp. My face stings, my skin hot and tight where her hand connected with it. William has money. He’d be able to fight any allegations easily.
But would he want to?
The small, vicious voice whispers in my ear.
Why would he fight for you?
Angelica draws herself up. “Martin is a judge. A powerful one. He has friends in high places. Do you want to test me and find out?”
I search desperately for something. Anything that I can use, anything that I can say that will let her allow me to stay here. But she watches me, cold and unyielding.
She’s not going to change her mind. She never does.
But it never really mattered before.
“Please,” I whisper. The first tear trickles out, and then another. “I’m begging you, mother. Don’t do this.”
Don’t make me leave them.
“Oh, Anastasia,” she says quietly. I flinch when she reaches out to pat my shoulder. “I know it feels as if they’re everything to you right now. But when it comes down to it, they would never fight this hard foryou. You’ll feel better once we’re away from here.”
And then she moves on. Just like that. Slipping into her plans, the way she always does. I close my eyes, only half-listening to her hissed instructions.
“Take it all,” she instructs me. “They won’t miss it. Not for a while, anyway. We’ll be well away by then.”
“I know how this works.” My voice is dull. “It’s not like it’s the first time.”
“Fine.” My mother dismisses me. “Remember. Not a word, or they’re the ones that will pay for it.”
I’m not looking where I’m going as I stumble out of the room, and I bump straight into someone. Rafe steadies me, his eyes lowering to my face.
“Hey.” His hand nudges up my chin, but I duck away. “I was looking for you. What is it? Stasi?”
I can’t do this.
Not when he’s looking at me like that.
“I – I’m not feeling well,” I choke out. “I think it’s the same thing my mother has. I’m going to bed.”
He tries to feel my forehead, but I back away. “I’ll bring you some dinner.”
Nausea twists my stomach, adding credence to my words when I press my hand against my mouth, genuinely concerned that I might throw up. “No, thank you. I’ll – I’ll be fine tomorrow.”
Rafe nods, but he doesn’t look convinced as he watches me. His eyes dip from mine, moving to the door I’ve just left. “Is Angelica alright?”
Does he sound suspicious?
Panic smothers me, making my voice jump in irritation. “She’s fine.”
