Page 91 of Speak No Claim

I grabbed her olive branch. “I can do that.”

“Great.” She beamed, her bright white teeth on display.

She was dressed to the nines, wearing a pencil skirt and collared blouse that probably cost more than my first car. It was her jewelry that shined like the high heavens. She had so much of it on I was surprised she didn’t walk around with a bodyguard.

“Be ready to go by three, alright? We don’t like to be late.”

“No problem.”

To say I was nervous about this celebration would be an understatement. I couldn’t visualize what a room full of Devereauxs would look like. I imagined they would leave quite an impression on me, and maybe vice versa.

If they were anything like their nephew and father, it would be a long day.

“The attire is formal. Did you bring something with you, or should I have the stylist bring something for you to try on? How about the hair and makeup artist?”

I lied, “I’m sure I can put something together.”

“Great,” she repeated. On her way out of the kitchen, she added, “My mother is allergic to walnuts.”

Damn, I’m meeting Grandma too…

“No walnuts, got it.”

After she left, I finished cooking and ran upstairs trying to find a dress that I didn’t have. By the time I ripped apart my closet, I threw on a pair of sweats, tank, and hoodie to meet Onyx at the greenhouse. We were watching a movie tonight, and I had a surprise for him.

Over the past few weeks, I started secretly investigating whatever I could find about the Devereauxs and the Brotherhood, only to come up empty. I even went back to the museum, wanting to retake photos of that room, but the building had been torn down.

I searched old newspaper articles at the library, property records, archives, the internet, nothing…

The information I did find about the Devereauxs was normal wealthy people shit, nothing that had to do with my father or family. It was as if history was scrubbed down to this town. The old maps, property deeds, cemetery records… I thought of everything, only to find out the good stuff.

No negatives, no bad press, no scandals, no hint that anything had gone wrong, just constant whispers. It was a huge red flag. Everyone at school still treated me like a leper. Except for a few stolen glances here and there between Onyx and me, I hadn’t made any friends.

Deja kept her distance, though sometimes we did eat lunch together with her friends, talking about superficial things. None of which interested me in the process. I sat there pretending to pay attention and following along.

One night, I tried to go into the building where I was led to on campus, the one I wasn’t supposed to go in, but it was locked. You couldn’t see through the black-out windows.

Sighing, I gazed at myself in the mirror one more time before adding a bit of perfume. It was cold outside, making my wavy hair soft and shiny. My feelings for the Devereaux estate hadn’t changed. I still felt so many demons clawing at my feet any time I stepped foot in there, and tomorrow would be no different, especially with all the extended family.

However, my emotions for the prodigal son were all over the place. I was opening up to him in ways I never had. He was genuinely interested in everything I shared.

I was grateful to have the greenhouse. It was our escape away from everyone. It was the most precious gesture anyone had ever given me, and the fact that it came from the person I least expected wasn’t lost on me.

I rode the bike I found in my uncle’s garage to the greenhouse, already finding him in there, staring at my surprise.

Getting right to the point, I greeted, “I hear we’re having Thanksgiving together?”

Onyx

I got to spend some alone time with Hennessy, arriving at the greenhouse first. She surprised me with a blow-up mattress she set up in the corner of the room, topped with soft blankets and pillows. It was surrounded by candles, looking really fucking cozy.

Ignoring her remark, I asked, “You trying to seduce me, Hennessy?”

She grinned, wiggling her fingers. “I already put a spell on you.”

“That you did.”

“Are you going to acknowledge my statement?”