“Seriously?” I heard Jessica say as we headed out onto the back patio just in time to see a group of people jump into the pool with a large splash.
“Don’t take what Dahlia says to heart,” Kailey told me as we avoided the splash zone by mere inches and skirted around the wetzone to find a seat on the loungers that had been placed haphazardly around the lawn.
“Because she’s not as much of a bitch as she seems?” The words felt harsh coming out of my mouth, but the other girl had been picking at me all evening so it also felt like they were justified.
Kailey snorted and shook her head. “No, she’s definitely that bitchy, but she’s also relatively harmless.”
We settled in to watch what looked like a diving competition happening at the pool and slowly I found myself starting to enjoy myself as we cheered for the people doing flips and twists into the pool.
It was odd, but even two months into school, this was the first time I truly felt my age and not like an impostor constantly roaming the campus looking for friends.
Annie and Jessica seemed nice and they were already chattering about the Halloween parties next month, discussing what a good group costume would be.
“We’re not doing Charlie’s Angels this year—there’s not enough angels to go around with Perrie here,” Kailey cut in. “What if we did something like the Spice Girls?”
I shook my head with a dry grin as we watched another shirtless guy do a double flip into the pool. “Uh, guys, I don’t think I’m going to be able to do any Halloween parties. It was hard enough getting out to do this tonight.”
And I still wasn’t sure if we’d actually pulled it off or not. While college parties seemed fun, I didn’t think they were going to be something I frequented. Especially if Rhodes caught me.
“Oh come on, it’ll be so fun! We can do the same girl’s night ruse and I think you’d make an adorable Ginger Spice,” Annie insisted and that got her and Jessica chattering again as they got to work assigning us our roles.
“Kailey…” I turned to my friend with a frown. “You said this would be a one-time thing.”
Kailey nibbled on her bottom lip before giving my shoulders a little shake. “I know, but aren’t you having so much fun? You act so old half of the time that I wanted you to let loose without Mr. Scary following behind you. I know you didn’t really want to get married and have to deal with him and your husband.”
Her words filled me with confusion. I hadn’t told her much about my marriage, but what I had told her was all positive.
“What do you mean—” I began, but then someone’s frame blocked out the large flood light that was illuminating the backyard. I looked away from Kailey only to find Romey standing over us.
“Perrie,” he greeted me, his face grim. The last time I’d spoken to him had been that day during the first week of classes, but over the past month and a half my little brother looked as if he’d lost weight. Dark smudges were present underneath his gray eyes and his face was pale as he stared down at me.
“Romey? What are you doing here?”
“I’m a member of this fraternity.”
I turned to Kailey, only to find her expression apologetic as she slipped off of the lounger. “Sorry, Per, he really wanted to talk to you tonight.”
“Was this the only reason you invited me out?” I asked, hurt filling me as I looked between her and Romey. I’d noticed it a little bit before, but the way they seemed to gravitate towards each other was very telling, Kailey giving Romey’s hand a squeeze even as she continued to speak to me.
“No! Of course not, I love hanging out with you. But… you just need to listen to what he has to say and then I’ll take you right back to my house. I promise.”
With that, she silently gestured for Annie and Jessica to follow her back inside, leaving me alone with my little brother.
“What do you want?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.
Romey’s lips pulled down into a grimace. “So it’s going to be like that?”
“Yeah. The last time you spoke to me you basically tried to convince me to leave my husband.”
“I did that for a good reason, Perrie, you don’t understand. There is shit going on behind the scenes and Edison-fucking-Keane is smack in the middle of it all,” Romey said, letting out a frustrated growl.
I was taken aback by his words. Before I got married Romey couldn’t have cared less about what our father was up to and he cared even less about the five families.
They were a far-off concept for my little brother who was busy enjoying his life as a very rich college student.
But now he seemed not only familiar with it all, but like he was in the thick of it. I looked him up and down again, noting the way his clothing hung off of his slender frame and how he looked at me with the crazed eyes of someone on their last leg.
Then I remembered how he’d brought up Elio Ricci and the rest of his pack and how he’d alluded to being the one to let them onto the Keane estate the day I got married.
“Romey,” I stood and grabbed his arm, forcing him to bend over slightly so I could look him square in the eyes. “Tell me you aren’t getting involved in all of this. Tell me you’re staying out of it.”
Romey didn’t say anything.
“Romey,” I repeated, squeezing him hard enough to make the alpha hiss before he finally gave in.
“They promised that you could live with me if I got you to come back. That you would just be married in name until Alessandro Amante dies.”
“What the fuck?” I let go of Romey’s arm as if it had burned me. “And you were expecting me to agree to that?”
“It’s better than being in an actual marriage with Keane. Perrie, he kills people for a living.” It was Romey’s turn to grab me now and his fingers were like a vise grip on my bare arms.
I tried to shrug him off, bringing my hands up to push on his now boney chest. “And you think Elio Ricci and his pack don’t? I always thought you were naive but I didn’t realize you were also stupid.”
“He’s better than Keane is,” Romey insisted.
“Edison is not who you think he is. He’s a good man and I—”
Romey scoffed, cutting me off. “You what? You love him? Grow the fuck up, Perrie. You’re basically breeding chattel for a guy like that.”
