What would I have done if I had? It’s not like I would’ve told him something stupid like ‘stay’.
So anyway, I’ve been at peace. Complete peace. I’ve visited Mum and we’ve had lunches. She still seems out of sorts, but she’s working and campaigning for the party. Mum does better when her head is occupied with work. Besides, she’s seeing a successful French businessman, Lucien, whom she introduced me to. He appears to be fun and has an older man charisma that might actually rival my father’s.
Not in my eyes, obviously, but in hers. If she introduced him to me, he’s not going to be one of those guys she goes out with once and then ghosts.
This means my parents will never get back together. Not that they had any chance when they were both single.
Papa’s campaign has been doing fantastic. I love reading the comments on our social pictures and how most of the people respect him even if they don’t agree with him.
There are often comments about how good-looking Cole is, and asking whether he’ll follow in his father’s or his stepfather’s footsteps. Business or politics. I want to reach out and poke their eyes out. I have comments that compliment me on my social media, but I have no idea why I become enraged when it’s about Cole.
Fine, so I get worked up about everything to do with Cole. Believe me, I want to control it, to somehow get over it, but every time I lie in bed, my fingers find my pussy and I imagine him there lying beside me as I bring myself to orgasm. They never feel as intense as the ones he brings me and I always feel dirty afterwards, and yet, I repeat it every night.
I need help.
But I refuse to admit that out loud, so I focus my efforts on breaking Elsa and Aiden off.
He’s starting to stray away from me and I don’t like it. I need a constant backup plan and Aiden is that plan for me.
And okay, maybe I’ve been keeping an eye on Cole. Since his ‘I know it all’ speech from the other night, I’ve been discreet about how I act. I doubt he knows about the girls I told lies to about his dick or about how cold he is — they seem to dig the latter, so they keep coming back for more, and that’s when I have to threaten them.
Sometimes, I feel guilty about it, and other times, I feel like I’m doing the world a favour and protecting those girls from the craziness that is Cole.
And no, I’m not jealous.
Then there’s Aiden. When I mentioned him seeing Elsa and told him we had a deal, he brushed me off.
“And I can end the deal whenever I wish,” he said. “I’ve had my fun, and I’m free to end it. Besides, you’re a cheater, Queens.”
He laughed as he passed me by. Wanker.
I’m a cheater? What about his damn sexcapades with Elsa?
Not that it matters. I know I’m holding on to a wobbly thread, but I can’t simply let go.
As I head towards the school car park, there’s no one in sight. I quicken my pace to my car because Cole just left, and he told Helen he’d be home late today. He doesn’t have practice and Ronan isn’t throwing a party tonight, so I need to figure out where he’s going.
A small tap-tap sound comes from behind me and I freeze. My shoulder blades snap together and it’s as if someone is grabbing me by the gut.
I pick up my pace and the tap-taps do too.
Shit.
A hand grips my shoulder. “Hey, Silver.”
I gasp as I whirl around so fast, I nearly fall. That’s when I come face-to-face with Adam. He stands with a hand in the pocket of his uniform trousers as he holds out something for me.
The nightmare hits me across the face again. Blood. A black hand. A —
“You dropped this.” He gives me my pen that I don’t remember dropping. I actually remember losing it a few days ago. I’m too detail-oriented, so I notice when I lose things.
“Thank you, Adam.” I smile, taking the pen instead of calling him out on it.
If I want to escape him and his clutches, I need to pretend I don’t suspect him at all.
“You know my name.” He grins in a welcoming way.
Adam’s grandfather from his mother’s side holds a baron title and his father is an influential figure in Papa’s party. He’s not bad looks-wise. He has a buff physique, fit for playing rugby. His face is handsome too. His eyes, though, are usually bloodshot and he always appears as if he wants to ruin someone’s life.