Page 69 of Lured By Shadows

I scoffed and flipped my hair over my shoulder, as though I could physically shake Culver off.

“I don’t care what he thinks,” I said, even though the lie tasted sour the second it left my mouth. The twist in my stomach reminded me how much I still did. “Besides, he’s outta town with his family for at least two more days.”

“Yeah,” Sienna added, standing as she slung her bag over her shoulder. “They’re on their monthly vacay or whatever they want to call it.”

My brows knit together. “What do you mean by monthly?”

“They always go somewhere,” she explained, already heading back toward the car. “At least once a month. Always some extravagant place their money takes them.”

“Must be nice,” Oliver muttered, following after her with an exaggerated sigh. “Meanwhile, I’m buried in essays and failing my driving test for the third go.”

“Sure, but who knows what they’re really up to?” Sienna said quietly, the edge in her voice instantly setting off alarms in my head.

Oliver glanced at her, giving a pointed look that said more than anything either of them could’ve voiced aloud.

I wanted to press further, but every time I tried, Sienna turned into a wall, especially when it came to anything even remotely criminal. What could they possibly be doing on those trips? What did rich people even do? I wasn’t sure I actually wanted the answer. My brain filled in the blanks anyway, drifting into cryptid territory: drugs, sex, and occult-level hobbies. The ideas were intriguing, sure, but they still sent a skeptical shiver crawling down my spine.

“So,” I said after a moment, keeping my tone casual, “which one do you like better? Rupert or Culver?”

Sienna stiffened instantly, and Oliver rubbed the back of his neck as though I’d just asked something wildly inappropriate.

“Rupert,” Sienna answered first, recovering quickly. “At least he speaks to people.”

“Yeah,” Oliver added as he climbed into the passenger seat. “Soroush is brilliant. Rupert’s proper strange, but I can put up with him when he’s with Soroush.”

“And Culver?” I pressed, sliding into the back seat and watching them closely.

Oliver snorted and twisted around to face me.

“Culver’s more likely to glare holes through people than say much. But with you? You’re the only person he actually talks to. That’s what makes you different.”

I swallowed, trying not to react to the word “different” even as it lingered heavily in the car.

“He doesn’t do sports, doesn’t join clubs, doesn’t show up to parties unless his family’s hosting,” Oliver continued, leaning back into his seat. “And don’t forget what happened last year—”

“Oliver,” Sienna snapped.

“What happened?” I asked instantly.

Sienna’s hand tightened slightly in her lap before she forced it to relax.

“It was nothing,” she said too quickly.

“That didn’t sound like nothing.”

Oliver huffed under his breath, glancing toward Sienna before looking back at me.

“It’s just—when you grow up around here, with families like ours, you end up around them. Events, dinners, all of it. Everyone’s tied to the Scarbroughs in some way.”

Sienna nodded faintly, her voice quieter now.

“You don’t really get to not know them. Not if your family has any sort of money or standing.”

“And people who get too involved with their family tend to—”

“Drop it,” Sienna said sharply.

He did.