“I really fucking hate that prick,” my brother grumbles.
“I know.” I should echo the sentiment, instead I can’t bring myself to voice the words.
Austin glares until Kingsley disappears from sight. Only then does his gaze soften as it returns to me, scanning my body from head-to-toe as if I might not be in one piece. “Are you okay?”
My guess is that he’ll go after Kingsley if he finds one damn hair on my head out of place. Normally, I’m the one trying to smooth the way for him, but Austin is just as protective of me. To hear our mother tell it, we’ve had each other’s backs since inside the womb.
“I’m fine,” I say, brushing off his concern and hoisting my smile. It might not be possible to forget about Kingsley or this mess, but that doesn’t mean I can’t try.
One meaty hand reaches out and yanks me to him. A moment later, I’m enveloped in a tight embrace. “Missed you,” he says gruffly. “The house is lonely as hell.”
Everything in me wilts as I wrap my arms around him and tighten my hold. Yeah, my situation sucks, but Austin is the one I feel sorry for. He’s been left behind, forced to take care of everything until Mom can pull herself together.
The longer I stay in his comforting embrace, the more emotion hurtles to the surface. And I can’t have that. Everything needs to stay buried where it belongs. It takes effort to untangle myself from him. “How’s Mom?”
His expression becomes inscrutable as he shrugs. “The same.”
“Did you tell her that I’m now staying with the Rothchilds?”
“No.” Guilt flickers across his face. “There wasn’t time. She only roused long enough to eat a couple bites of toast.” He glances away as one hand goes to the back of his neck. “I have no idea if she even recognized me. She’s so out of it.”
I gnaw my lower lip and formulate a plan. “I’ll stop home after school and tell her what’s going on.”
Concern flickers across his face. “Do you think it’ll send her spiraling?”
I really hope not. My belly pinches at the thought of Mom deteriorating any further. Austin and I can only hold things together for so long. Not only does Mom need to snap out of it and take control, she needs to get me out of this mess before it’s too late.
“Summer, you’re here!” Everly’s voice cuts through the chatter of the hallway.
I turn as she throws her arms around my shoulders and pulls me in for a hug.
“I’m so sorry about your dad,” she whispers against my ear. “Are you all right?” She separates herself enough to search my gaze. Before I can respond, she winces and shakes her head. “Sorry, stupid question. Of course, you’re not. How could you be?”
For the second time in a matter of minutes, emotion rockets to the surface. Uncomfortable with the possibility of it breaking loose and wrecking havoc, I disentangle myself from her. Instead of an actual answer, I give my new friend a tight smile. As much as I appreciate her kindness, I can’t talk about my father.
Not here.
Not now.
Austin glances at the clock hanging in the hallway. “Come on, we better get moving or we’ll be late for first hour.”
I nod, unaware that the two-minute warning bell has already rung and the congestion in the corridor has thinned considerably.
“See you at lunch?” he asks, searching my gaze for chinks in my armor.
Ugh.
Lunch.
“Yup, I’ll be there.” Even the thought of having to endure the thirty-minute period with Kingsley is enough to fill me with dread. After forcing me to walk in with him this morning, there’s no way in hell he’ll allow me to sit by myself.
I quickly twist the combination of my locker and grab my books as my brother takes off down the hall in the opposite direction. My legs feel wooden as I force myself to first hour.
As soon as we cross over the threshold into Ms. Pettijohn’s room, my gaze gets snagged by the dark-haired boy. It’s a surprise to find him here, already lounging at his desk with his long legs stretched out in front of him and a slight smile curving his lips.
For a heartbeat, my mind tumbles back to the first time we met at the beach. How effortless everything seemed between us. How much I liked him and couldn’t wait to spend more time together. I was crushed when my family ended up leaving unexpectedly and I wasn’t able to say goodbye.
Guess the joke is on me.
“What is Sloane doing?” Everly whispers furiously in my ear.
The memories disintegrate into nothingness as the sight before me takes shape. I blink and find the blonde perched on the top of Kingsley’s desk. The way she sits facing him, her legs straddling his thighs, gives him a perfect view up her skirt to her panties.