But then again, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Uncle is impressed. He always loathed how big companies looked down their noses at smaller ones, but here is an heir of the biggest company of all telling him exactly what he believes in.
“I can only try, Sir. I'm only at the beginning of the path, but I hope to work as hard as you and everyone else.”
I know they’re rehearsed words that he must’ve said a thousand times before, but with the sincerity mask he’s wearing, even I am close to being fooled.
Aiden is a parasite.
No.
He’s the devil who can flow in someone’s bloodstream and tell him exactly what he likes to hear without appearing sleazy or an obvious manipulator.
But before you know it, he’d be telling you what to do and how to do it.
By then, you’d have no control over your actions.
“You didn’t have to hide it from us, pumpkin.” Uncle beams at me, already under Aiden’s spell. “We’re not that strict with you, are we?”
If I begin screaming right now that Aiden is lying and that we should burn and bury his corpse in the back garden, Aunt and Uncle will probably take me back to Dr Khan and ask him to admit me to that hospital I hated when I was a kid.
“That’s because Elsie never had a boyfriend.” Aunt is softening, too, but unlike Uncle, something is holding her back.
Aiden raises one perfect eyebrow at the needless information Aunt just shared.
His lips move in a tiny smirk only meant for me as he squeezes my shoulder hard. I suppress a wince. He quickly masks his sadism to resume his perfect disguise. “I’m honoured to be her first.”
Aunt touches her collarbone, a habit she does whenever she’s uncertain. “We’ll talk about this, Elsa. For now, you should go to school.”
She packs my sandwich in a container and places it in my backpack.
“Come on.” Aiden clutches me by the arm like a doting boyfriend. “We’ll be late.”
While I’m thinking about ways to get away with murder, Aiden offers Aunt and Uncle his golden boy smile.
“It was nice to finally meet you, Mr and Mrs Quinn.”
“Please, call us Jaxon and Blair, Son.” Uncle glances at me. “Make sure to bring him over.”
Over my dead body.
“I’ll certainly visit.” One more blinding smile. “Elsa tells me you’re an Arsenal fan.”
“Why, indeed. A gunner at heart.”
“Me, too. In fact, it runs in the family. My cousin, Levi King, plays for the team. The president is my father’s old friend. If you want to attend a game, let me know and I’ll get you a special pass.”
Uncle might as well have been star struck. “That would be brilliant. Go, Gunners.”
“Go, Gunners,” Aiden fist-bumps him.
Uncle is the one to usher us out. I’m contemplating running upstairs to my room, hit rewind and pretend this morning never happened.
Or better yet, I’ll wait for Aiden at the door with an axe.
He parked his car in front of the house. A bright red Ferrari. Of course. An arsehole like him would drive a fast Italian car.
Aunt remains at the threshold of the house. Her folded arms and unreadable expression are the complete opposite of Uncle’s enthusiasm.
Aiden guides me to the passenger seat with his hand on the small of my back. I try not to squirm in the black leather seats and hold my backpack close to my chest like a shield.