Chapter 1
Winter
“I need you to go pick up my dry-cleaning,” Carissa informs me while reapplying her makeup in the large living room mirror as if I’m just another member of the staff. Technically, I’m her step-sister, but I’ve been tasked to help Carissa as a sort of personal assistant, or I can find a new place to stay as they have so eloquently put it. At almost twenty-one, I’m living in their home, and since I’m not blood, I’m treated as an interloper by both her father and her. Granted, I should be on my own two feet and long gone, but life has its ways of holding you back.
My mother married John Grable about six years ago. It started off fantastic between them, but I was well aware that it wasn’t hearts and flowers, it was money and jewels—at least on her end.
I think his resentment comes from the fact that he and my mother are in the middle of a contentious divorce. Their marriage lasted about four years, and she played her cards right like always. It’s what she’s good at, playing the damsel in distress then she takes you for all you have. He’s husband number three, and he fell for I’m not interested in your money bit she perfected over the years.
“I’ll get it tonight,” I tell her, reading my textbook for my finals. I’m finishing up my degree while working for her highness. I have less than two weeks until I graduate. By January, I have to find a job and move out. My mother forced me into this terrible position and left me high and dry, but that’s just the kind of person she is.
Carissa clicks her heels on the marble floors and stands directly in front of the sofa where I’m studying. She snatches my book from me. “No, I need it in two hours, so you have to go right now.”
I get off my feet in a flash. I’m a foot smaller than her, but she takes a step back anyway. “Give me my book back,” I exclaim, lunging for it, but she lifts it over her head to be a total bitch.
“Not until you promise to go pick up my dry-cleaning,” she challenges me.
“Why? It’s not like you’re going anywhere.” Damn this woman. I hate her lazy ass. She doesn’t do anything to deserve the company, but it’s hers because she’s the heiress. My skills would be put to better use in the company. Not that I want to be tied to them for long, but a real job that pays more than fifty bucks a week would be good.
“I don’t want you around when my boyfriend gets here.” This new boyfriend probably knows that she’s the heiress to her father’s business and wants to get a piece of that action. He can’t be attracted to her personality.
“Are you serious? I live here, too,” I remind her.
“You keep that up, and you won’t be living here for long. If my dad didn’t feel sorry for you, he’d dump your ass on the street. You’re lucky that I find you useful,” she scoffs, tilting her chin up at me.
I cave because I’m likely to say something that will get me in hot water. “Give me my damn book, and I’ll get your stupid dry-cleaning.” One more month and I’m out of here. I need to chant that to myself repeatedly.
“Good. Here you go.” I grab the book from her with more force than necessary, but she knows how to work my nerves. “Now, go before he comes. I don’t want you to meet Mason.” I’ve never heard of this new love interest, but he must be important enough that she wants to hide me from him. The last boyfriend said I was pretty and that was enough for them to break up.
I stomp out of the room, tossing my book on my bed. I look over myself, seeing my hair is in a messy bun. I pull it out and let it hang down and put on my winter hat. I look disheveled but screw it, I don’t care. I’m not looking for a man. With my mother’s history, I could stand to stay away from all men.
The trip to the dry cleaning took longer than expected with the morning traffic. How I hated this life. It’s moments like these that I despise my mother. This is all her fault. I tried to get a job at sixteen, but she and John refused because it would look terrible on them. Now I have nothing to fall back on. I’m at the mercy of the Grables since my mother filed for divorce and moved away. My mother declined to take me with her. My step-father used it to his advantage and didn’t let me go because I served a better purpose as an indentured servant.