Watching them together, I finally see what Jansen’s seen from the beginning—Clara needs him. He draws out the part of her that fights for what she wants. And right now, that’s the piece of Clara we need more than anything.
I’m still not sure I trust him, but by the way she was looking at him, she’s starting to. He knows he has a long way to go before he’s earned back that trust from me, but gaininghertrust is a major component of winning back mine. As much as I hate it, I can’t keep her safe in that gilded cage, which leaves it all to Trips.And so far, it doesn’t look like he’s fucked up enough for her to give up on him.
Walker takes my silence in stride as we drive home. And he doesn’t object when I head straight for my computer. I know I should check in with him to make sure he’s okay after seeing her, but my brain has a thread, and I’ve got to pull it. I can’t fix anything that’s going on with Clara, not right now. But what Icando is figure out why I’m so stuck on GoldenRod69.
And like a gift from the gods rewarding my continued investigation, an alert gives me the best news I’ve had in a while: GoldenRod69 finally stepped into my net. Not even thirty minutes ago, he logged into a share group via cell service rather than his highly encrypted Wi-Fi. And that tripped my trap, pulling me in with him.
My excitement almost has me skipping important steps, but I force myself to slow down, going through everything I have access to methodically.
An hour later, I’m sweaty and shaking.
GoldenRod69 isn’t just the next name I’m handing off to Officer Reed. He’s a target for my anger, my fear, my helplessness, trapped behind a screen forty-five minutes from here.
Because GoldenRod69 isn’t just some creep.
He’s got money. He’s got power. He’s got a position in the state government and is a rising star on the national stage.
GoldenRod69 is Trips’ fucking half-brother.
Chapter 77
Clara
The weekend passes in a blur of solitude and two nights of painfully vanilla sex to appease Trips’ dad. I should probably feel weirder about it than I do, but when it comes down to it, there’s sex for the controlling man we’re forced to deal with, and sex for us. And while we’re bound to stumble our way through this, Trips and I agreed that the night after the orchestra concert wasn’t about us, nor was the night after that. They were about proving to his father that we could follow directions. Hopefully, trust will gain us a little more freedom. Because it’s hard to stage a coup while locked inside the four blue walls of my bedroom.
I’m starting to hate blue.
The next week at school is more of the same, with my only conversations one with Jonah in marketing and one on the docks with Mattie. She told me more about her secret boyfriend while I used ‘her’ phone to reach out to my own boyfriends.
I thought I could do this. But when we planned this, I assumed I’d have Trips with me. Not that I’d be literally alone almost all the time.
I miss the other guys so much that I’m doing everything I can to not think about them. I miss bringing my problems to Emma and waiting while she braids her hair and gathers her thoughts. I even miss Summer’s smirk and offer of friendship. She’s not even a friend. But if I’d made different choices, she could have been.
Staring out an open window in silence isn’t good for my mental state.
So, instead of going insane, I decide to dance.
I can’t sing. I’ve been told often enough that a cat in heat has better pitch than I do. But I can still hear music in my head, so that’s what I do. I play my favorite songs in my mind, rocking out in the silence of my cage, every muscle in my body giddy with the opportunity to move.
I’ve just finished up a full get down when the scratch of the key knocks me from my solo, silent dance party. Spinning, the worst possible distraction waits for me.
“Sister, Father’s worried you’re losing it.”
Sucking in a breath, sweat gathering at my hairline from who knows how long I’ve been keeping myself company, I glare. “Trevor. I thought you’d be flying off to be with your wife soon.”
“Tomorrow. But I’m honored that you’re keeping such close track of my schedule.”
“Just to avoid you,” I say, completely done pretending with this man. His hands have been on me too many times for me to continue to let it slide. If I don’t set him straight, he’s going to think he has a right to me. He’s the kind of man who believes he has a right to whatever he wants, the kind of man that makes me glad I’ve learned to fight.
He laughs like I’ve made a joke, then motions to the open door. “Come on. We’ll go swimming. It’s beautiful out.”
“I’m not going swimming with you.”
His grin falls off his face so fast I’d have whiplash if I trusted the man. “I’m not asking. My father has requested I get you out of this room, and you will oblige both him and me. Unless you think your ribs are healed enough to handle another bout of my father’s rage?”
I debate the risks.
“Fine. I need to change.”
