All it took was that small gesture, and my cheeks burned with rage. Rafael had ignited a fire within me the day he ruined my mother’s wedding, a fire I had spent years trying to suppress. I feared living in the same house as him would rekindle my fury, and I didn’t know what I might be capable of if that happened.
I backed away from the window and sat at my desk to continue readingLies in the Stardustby Brennan Henderson, my favorite fantasy writer. I wanted just three more seconds of tranquility before hurricane Rafael blew into my life and ripped my sanity to shreds.
No such luck. Mom walked in moments later. “Come downstairs, and welcome Rafael.”
I looked at her and raised a brow. “I have towelcomehim?” Mom sighed and gave me a look. I aggressively slammed my book shut and rose to my feet. “Fine.”
She led the way downstairs, and we reached the first floor just as Hank and Rafael entered the house. Hank carried two suitcases. Rafael carried nothing. Naturally.
Mom shuffled over to kiss Hank on the cheek. “How was the drive?” she asked.
Hank smiled while he set the suitcases down and said, “Uneventful.”
Rafael’s jaw clenched, and his throat bobbed as he swallowed. I imagined it wasn’t uneventful for him. Rafael just moved from Greenwich, Connecticut, to New Rochelle, New York, leaving his whole life behind him, and he would spend his senior year at an entirely new school. Hank always meant well, but he had the sensitivity of a cactus sometimes.
Why the fuck do I care? Screw Rafael!
Awkwardness descended upon the group. Rafael, with his brooding…everything, looked completely out of place in our periwinkle living room with a paisley carpet underfoot. With his rough appearance, tattered jeans, and dark circles under his eyes, he looked more likely to rob us than live with us.
Mom continued her crusade to project cheerfulness. “Cody, why don’t you take Rafael’s bags to his room while I get everyone a drink?”
“No.” Rafael snatched the bags off the floor. “I’ll take my stuff up. I need to lie down for a minute.” He blew past Mom and Hank and made his way to the stairs. I moved to the side to give him space, and he shot me a look that saidDon’t put it past me to cut your throat in your sleep.With that, he went upstairs to his room.
I looked at Mom and Hank and deadpanned, “Well, he seemed jolly.”
Chapter 5
Cody
Rafael hadn’t left his room since he arrived that afternoon. After he disappeared, I sat with Mom and Hank on the patio for a while. Hank looked rough. Mom fixed him a cocktail, and he downed it; then, he promptly took every bottle of liquor we had and locked it in the shed. I could tell he was questioning whether this was a good idea.It wasn’t.I wanted to say that, but I kept my mouth shut.
Our house was small despite Hank’s wealth. They both wanted to live modestly. It was a fascinating house that hadn’t been gutted, stripped of personality, and painted a clinical grey like most homes on the block. It still had the crown molding and grand woodwork standard in Beaux-Arts homes of its day. Yeah, I developed a thing for architecture as a kid. I guess that’s the byproduct of growing up in a basement. Mom loved the character, but the bedrooms were tiny, so Hank remodeled the attic into a master bedroom with an en suite bathroom. I had free rein over the second floor.Until now.
Everything had happened so quickly that Mom didn’t have enough time to prepare a “welcome dinner” for Rafael.Like he deserved one.
She asked me to run out and get Chinese from this swanky place that didn’t do delivery. I asked her why we couldn’t get pizza or whatever, and she just gave me that glare that told me she’d lose it if I didn’t get the damn food.
Whatever.As I was making my way to my bedroom, I could hear Rafael talking to someone on the phone.Good.I didn’t want to have to deal with him. I went to my room, grabbed a pair of shoes, slipped on a grey hoodie, and was about to go downstairs when Rafael’s door flung open.
He looked shocked to see me. The impulse to tell him thatI’velived here for years and he was the unusual variable in this scenario was palpable.He sneered at me and let out this condescending little snort.
“What?” I asked him.
“I didn’t say anything.”
Don’t let him get to you.I tried to walk past him, but his arm shot out and stopped me from descending the stairs.
“Where ya going, Golden Boy?”
Golden Boy? Who does this asshole think he is?“I’m getting food.”
He raised a brow. “Whatcha gettin’?”
“Chinese.”
“Oh, yummy.” His tongue swiped along the seam of his lips. A move that made my heart rate speed up. Was he trying to taunt me? It was like he was playing the role of a cartoon wolf seeking its prey. “You taking the car?” he asked.
I was very obviously holding a set of car keys in my hand, so I dangled them and said, “Yup,” making sure to pop the ‘p’ sound.
