Gabriel makes off with my second pancake. “So… you want to do something today? We could drive down the coast? I know this great private beach where we could skinny dip.”
“Tempting, but I think I need to go home.” Now my mind’s on Eli, I can’t stop thinking about him. I didn’t want him to find out like this, but that ship has sailed so now I need damage control because Eli Hart is smart enough to unravel my stolen life. Too much is at stake, and even though Antony’s assured me about Brutus, I can’t risk Eli doing something stupid that will destroy our whole plan. I need to talk to him.
It’s weird, because even though I know it’s pointless and I owe him nothing, I want to try to explain.
Gabe pays for a cab to take me back to Malloy Manor. Even though I’m desperate to crawl into bed, I hold Queen Boudica in my arms to steady my nerves and call Eli.
He doesn’t answer.
He ignores twenty-two other calls from me over the weekend, and an entire stream of nonsensical texts I frantically type out at 3AM Saturday night go unanswered. By Sunday lunchtime he’s either turned his phone off or it’s gone on strike, because it sends me straight to voicemail. I even call Noah, but he won’t answer, either.
I left my uniform at Gabriel’s from Friday night, so I take a cab there before school on Monday so I can change, and we can walk in together. The first thing I notice as we enter the central courtyard is that Alec’s car is gone from the fountain, and so is he. For the first time, I walk down the corridor and I don’t feel his snake eyes slithering over my body. I overhear two students talking about his father sending him to military school, and I burst into genuine laughter. Alec’s asshole will be ragged after a week as the army slut.
The second thing I notice is that Eli and Noah aren’t here, either. I ask Chad, and he says neither of them was at track practice in the morning. My stomach twists. I know why Eli isn’t at school, but Noah?
What’s up with that?
44
Mackenzie
Gabriel wants to hang out after cheerleading practice, but I tell him I have too much studying to do. It’s not a lie. What Iwantto do is find Eli and see if he’s okay, but I have an essay due for Ms. Drysdale’s class that I’ve put off to the absolute last minute and I need to pass this time.
So I walk home alone as the sun streaks pink flames across the sky, relishing the chance to be with my own thoughts for a while. I nod to Tiberius in his car on the corner, and check behind me for anyone watching before I duck into the woods to approach the maintenance shed. Queen Boudica meets me at the top of the stairs, her tiny body rumbling with pleasure at my return. It’s nice to be wanted.
I take Queen Boudica through to my bedroom and drop a handful of cat treats on the rug while I flick through my playlist. The latest Octavia’s Ruin album blasts through the speakers, filling my head and my heart with Gabriel’s bewitching voice.
I’m pulling off my Stonehurst uniform when I get this itching feeling crawling along my skin, like I’m being watched.
Eli’s here.
I guess we’re having that talk now.
I retreat into the bathroom, pull on a pair of designer jeans and a pink racer-back tank. I peer out my window, which is on the same side of the house as the ballroom, overlooking the pool. I can’t see him anywhere. Then I notice a light at the front gate.
Hmmmm.
I walk through the house to a dusty sitting room at the front I never use and peer out the window. Sure enough, someone’s out there with a flashlight.
Fuck. Why isn’t Tiberius all over this?
Fear twists in my gut as the figure shimmies up the gate like he’s a fucking chimpanzee after the best bananas in the jungle. Joke’s on him because I don’t have bananas, but I do have a brand new knife from Antony. I withdraw it from my pocket and slink into the shadows at the edge of the window, watching the intruder as he vaults over the wall and lands on top of an impressive cactus. He curses as he shakes his leg, which is now stuck with hundreds of spines.
I start as I recognize him.
Not Eli.
Noah.
He limps up to the window and knocks on the glass, then jabs his thumb in the direction of the front door. My mind flicks back to the police officer who came to the door all those weeks ago and started this whole nightmare. I glare at Noah through the glass.Why’s he come here like this?
I take my time getting to the front door. I don’t want him to think I’m desperate to know why he didn’t answer my call or wasn’t at school today or why he’s shown up,here, on enemy territory.
As I crack the door, Noah’s already halfway back down the driveway, a trail of cactus spines scattered in his wake. He turns and runs back, pressing his face in the narrow gap.
“Hello.”
“Just open the damn door so we can talk like normal people,” he growls.
