I observe him for a moment, the way he sits so comfortably inside his certainty, like nothing in the world has ever surprised him. “So I take the girl, the father panics, and everything snaps right back into place.”
“Yes.”
I exhale a breath, “And Everleigh?”
“I am asking her to do what she was raised to do.”
I stand, pushing the chair back just enough for it to scrape softly against the floor. “You ever wonder what happens when one of us decides not to play the part anymore?”
His eyes lift slowly, locking onto mine. “That question,” he hissed, “is why you will never lead this family.”
I smile, but there’s no joy in it. “I guess it’s a good thing I’ve never wanted that title then.”
My father’s disappointment in me always ran strong.
I consider myself the joker amongst the family.
Everleigh’s his precious diamond.
Marco is definitely his wild card.
Three siblings who all act so differently, even with us being raised by the same man.
He shoos me away with his hand. “Go.”
I pivot toward the door. “If something goes wrong?”
“It won’t.” He states firmly.
I shake my head and open the door, leaving the room.
As the door shuts behind me, I walk away knowing one thing for certain.
Something is definitely going to go wrong.
Chapter Five
Everleigh
Finnic and Danteleft the room a bit earlier. Though, Dante didn’t shut the door all the way. It isn’t very wide, but I can easily peek through it to see if anyone is in the small hallway.
Dante seems to be trying to prove his point already. He first wants to see if Finnic will try to stop me from escaping the room itself.
A small smile pulls at my lips. Dante’s always so anxious to get started. But I know that man well enough to know it’s only because he’s ready to return to his cigarettes and bottomless bourbon.
Poor Finnic. He’s completely unaware of why he’s really here.
He’s annoyingly gullible and hasn’t seemed to question anything as of yet.
He doesn’t know who I really am.
Or about who mytruefather is.
And he definitely isn’t smart enough to look down at his neck to see the cord I’m slowly going to wind around it, one that will eventually come to cut his oxygen off entirely, if he chooses wrong.
I shift slightly, just enough to make the zip-ties around my wrists cut into the skin more. It hurts, but I need to sell the pain to sell the lie. I wince for the empty room, knowing even if they aren’t watching, they could be listening.
This whole charade has to be believable.
