Ruthless Mate

4

The three days passed more quickly than I’d thought possible. I stood in the center of the guest bedroom, taking a deep breath as the realization of my horrible situation sank in.

I’d painted until my wrists had flared up with tendonitis and then painted some more. I hadn’t completed a single painting since Mom had passed, but in the past three days, I’d done six detailed and intricate pieces and rushed to the local gallery to offer them for sale. Luckily, they’d honored my previous agreement without hesitation since I’d sold several paintings through them while I was in high school. They’d reached out to me several times after Mom’s death because a customer had asked for more of my artwork, so I could only hope the customers were still interested.

Mom had loved my portraits of downtown Asheville and my landscapes of the woods and mountains that surrounded our city. I’d been painting since I was quite young, and I’d earned money for college and a reputation locally for my work. I should’ve been able to sell these pieces for decent money, but the inquiring customer hadn’t dropped by, and no one else had purchased them yet.

Between that and driving for Uber at night, I had hoped to come up with a portion of the payment to help my stepdad with the total, but as soon as Drake had informed him that he had switched plans to me, my stepdad hadn’t even tried to repay him.

No wonder Drake had laughed so hard when I’d left the bar.

I stood at the window next to the black, iron-framed queen-size bed. The window overlooked the driveway where Drake would be pulling up any second.

Each heartbeat was a stark reminder that I was closer to losing my freedom. I wasn’t sure what to expect once I left here, but I was certain I would lose touch with the twins. At least it was because I was fulfilling my promise to Mom.

Tearing my gaze from the view, I walked halfway through the wide-open attic room with its slanted ceiling. It was one of the largest bedrooms in the house, but there was no connecting bathroom or closet. I suspected that was why I’d received it when we’d moved in with Peter.

I walked to one wall and touched the light blue paint. Underneath my fingertips, I could feel the slight indentations of what Peter had covered up—the painting Mom and I had done together when we’d moved in and made the room mine.

My heart fractured from the bittersweet memories. God, how I missed her.

An engine rumbled below, and my lungs seized. I didn’t bother checking the window because I heard two car doors open.

Drake was here to collect his property.

Me.

I exhaled, forcing myself to breathe. Passing out wouldn’t accomplish anything.

With more self-control than I’d believed possible, I strolled to the bed and picked up the two dark duffel bags of belongings I’d brought back from college. It was everything I owned, and it had been hard to realize that my life could be packed up so easily.

The doorbell rang, and I turned around in the room, giving it one final look. Despite the agony cutting through my chest, I pulled up the memory of what the room had looked like with the mural Mom and I had created—a sunrise over downtown Asheville in front of Mom’s and my favorite coffee spot.

“Everly!” Eva yelled, her voice sounding strange. “You have a visitor.”

If only it were a visitor and not my new “owner.”

Part of me wished I hadn’t left campus early and skipped my graduation ceremony. Then I wouldn’t be in this predicament. But Eva would be. I had to remember that.

I glanced at the bracelet on my wrist, a gift from my mother. She’d given it to me the day she married Peter, a reminder of what I meant to her. I hadn’t worn it since she’d passed, the memories stinging and too fresh, but today, I needed it. I needed her. It was white gold and formed with interchanging small hearts and diamonds, with two bigger hearts hanging down and inscribed with Everly and The love between a mother and daughter is forever.

My eyes burned with tears.

“Everly!” my stepdad yelled.

Blowing out a breath, I opened the door. I knew better than to delay the inevitable. It only made things harder. I walked downstairs, each step slow and steady, and when the front door came into view, I stopped, surprised.

Drake wasn’t there.

Instead, it was the same two guards who had shadowed Drake the other day, plus a tall, beautiful girl I’d never seen before.

She lifted a brow as her mocha eyes examined me. Long, curly, dark brown hair flowed over her shoulders and stopped midway down her back. Where Drake had pointed out that I was pale, she was the opposite—a gorgeous bronze. She stood about two inches taller than my stepdad, bringing her in at around six feet. Her height only added to her allure.

My five-foot-eight height made me taller than most girls, but now I felt short.

The girl glanced back at the guards. “Not what I was expecting, but it makes sense.”

“Does it?” Falkor grumbled.

I wasn’t sure how to take that, but I didn’t give a damn.

“Hi, Everly.” The beautiful girl turned back toward me. “I’m Saphira. Drake couldn’t come to pick you up today, so I’m here in his place.”

That was more than okay with me. I nodded, not trusting myself to talk.

“Take her bags and go upstairs to get whatever else she needs,” Saphira ordered the two men.

Falkor took the two duffel bags out of my hands as Ladon stepped toward the stairs.

“No need. This is all of it.” I cleared my throat.

Both twins stood by the couch, watching everything. My stepdad was at the door, holding it open.

Saphira’s head tilted back, but then she shook it. “No worries. You’ll have more than you’ll ever want or need once we get you to your new home.”

“Her home?” Elliott crossed his arms. “Her home’s here. What are you talking about?”

I hadn’t told them anything. Partly because I was a coward and didn’t know what to say, and partly because they’d been busy the past few days, and I hadn’t seen them.

“Your sister’s future is with Drake Hale, and she’s moving in with him.” My stepdad seemed jovial. “This is a very good thing for our family.”

No, it was a very good thing for him. He was the reason I was in this mess.

“Wait. That seems fast.” Eva bit her bottom lip. “I didn’t realize you and Drake were dating. Of course we’ll come visit.”

“That will be up to Drake,” Saphira interjected.

As expected, he was going to remove the last members of my family from my life. My shoulders shook, but I couldn’t fall apart.

“But—” Eva started.

“You heard her.” Peter waved his hand, telling me to leave. “We aren’t invited, and Drake is waiting for her. We don’t want to hold her up.”

“We do need to go.” Ladon returned to the door. “Drake will be waiting.”

I was sure he would be.

Saphira, Ladon, and Falkor walked out the door, and I followed, each step harder than the last. I was heading toward a future I didn’t want, and I was at the mercy of fate.

As I turned to the twins to say goodbye, I was surprised to find them right behind me. They pulled me into a group hug.

“Be careful, E,” Eva whispered.

I hadn’t been prepared for concern. They must have sensed something was wrong. I returned their embrace, taking a deep breath and committing their scents and how they felt to memory. Then I pulled myself away before I couldn’t.

“Hurry up,” my stepdad gritted. As soon as I stepped onto the porch, Peter said, “It’s about time she was useful.” Then the front door slammed shut.

What was left of my heart shattered, and I couldn’t even feel my legs as I made my way to the black sedan. Falkor held the door open, and I slid into the leather back seat, next to Saphira.

She frowned. “I’m sorry your stepdad is an asshole. No wonder you’re here.”

Out of everyone I knew, she was the one who’d understood in seconds what people who’d seen my relationship with Peter for years had never picked up on—he didn’t treat me like a daughter.

Afraid to speak, I only nodded. I couldn’t risk breaking into tears.

The car pulled away, and I laid my head on the headrest. I didn’t need to watch the city pass by. Memories of Mom haunted me, and every mile toward the mountainous outskirts of the city only added to the pain. That had probably been the last time I’d ever see my brother and sister.

After we’d driven for twenty minutes, Falkor shouted, “Holy f**k!”