by SM Olivier
She surprised me the most. The few times I had run into her at the studio, she was always friendly and pleasant. She didn’t seem to hold the same animosity her mother and sister had towards me.
Rumor had it that her parents were divorced, and she had chosen to live with her dad the majority of the time. Bailey and their younger sister Lucy lived with their mother. Apparently, Kayley could only handle her overbearing mother and self-absorbed older sister in small doses.
“Sometimes, I’m thankful that my dad chose them over me,” I admitted as we pulled out of the driveway.
“Why do you say that?” Paxton asked, mystified, as he put an arm around the back of my seat. His hands tangled in my hair at the nape of my neck, eliciting a shiver through my body.
“I could have been like her. I could have been like them,” I said as I leaned my head on the cold glass of the SUV.
“You don’t know that.” Golden grabbed my hand and put it in his lap.
“True,” I muttered. “But three out of three isn’t a good track record.”
I was referring to the fact that all three of my half siblings were entitled spoiled brats.
“Maybe your mom could have balanced it out,” Paxton hypothesized. He said it as if he didn’t believe it himself.
I snorted. “I doubt it. My mother was a chameleon. She did whatever she could to make her men happy.” I laughed humorlessly. “She still hasn’t called. She hasn’t even bothered texting me. I guess her new man didn’t like the idea of being a stepdaddy.”
“She doesn’t deserve you,” Crew rasped out.
I knew that was true. After protecting her for years from my stepfather, a part of me still wished she could have been a real mother.
She had dragged me here in my senior year of high school. She moved me into a house that should have been condemned a long time ago, left me with my abusive stepfather, and then abandoned me when another man had shown up. I let it eat at me for a little while. It still hurt, but at the end of the day, she was also responsible for my current situation.
Fate had wanted me here. I probably would have never crossed paths with Mr. Isaacs, Kyler, Crew, Zane, Golden, and Paxton if it weren’t for me moving here. Even though I missed my old life, I knew this was where I belonged. With them.
5
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Allegations
When we arrived at my house the following morning, Kyler and Grandpa were already waiting for us. It had been hard getting out of the house with Maisie and Clay melting down about us leaving without them. They were somewhat mollified that Lindsey and Tori promised to take them to the zoo today—well, Maisie was. Clay was a little over one year old, so all he knew was that he wasn’t allowed to go with me. The little bugger had grown an attachment to me, and although it warmed my heart, I was starting to feel some concern. It was getting to the point that, when I was around, no one else could hold him or care for him.
“Sorry, we’re late,” Mr. Isaacs stated immediately once we exited the vehicles. We were only five minutes late, but he was a stickler on arriving ten to fifteen minutes early to all his engagements. “Maisie and Clay were upset that we were leaving them. Mr. Delaney, Maisie requested your presence at breakfast tomorrow morning since she couldn’t come today.”
“David or Grandpa will do,” Grandpa reminded him before he gave us a smile. “And if I’m not imposing, I would love to come out.” He gave me a questioning look, and I smiled and nodded at him.
We’d had a rocky beginning, but I had grown to care for him. It saddened me that he lived in a house full of family that barely acknowledged him. I knew he looked forward to the time he could spend with us and the children. I guess the cold mansion on the hill wasn’t warm or welcoming enough for him, even though it was technically his house.
He had gone through cancer with very little involvement from my biological father, his wife, and their children. They enjoyed the life he had provided for them and liked the prestige they got from living in the mansion, but they didn’t care to foster a relationship with my grandfather. In fact, Zane and Crew had been there for him during his battle with cancer more than his own children and grandchildren.
“Anytime you want to come out, you’re more than welcome to,” Mr. Isaacs said sincerely. “The invitation is always open.”
“Thanks,” Grandpa said with another smile. “There’s sandwiches, coffee cakes, and coffee on the folding table on the porch. Help yourselves.”
Sure enough, I could see the table on the newly renovated porch. The front porch once had a large tree in it. A storm had ripped the tree from the roots, causing the tree to collapse right into the porch itself, narrowly missing the house. Up until a few weeks ago, you couldn’t even use the porch or front door because of it.
Kyler and his crew had made quick work getting rid of the tree and rebuilding the porch. It now had a brand new deck, and someone even took the time to put planter boxes of flowers on the railing. The transformation was amazing.
“Food!” Paxton cried out happily, making a beeline to the food. He unpacked the paper bags, laying out the wrapped sandwiches. He then pulled out the disposable tins of coffee cakes. Grace, the owner of the coffee shop in town, seriously had the best coffee cakes I had ever tasted. It had become one of my new addictions.
“Hey, you need your assignments first,” Kyler stated with mock disgruntlement.
“I’m all ears,” Paxton insisted as he unwrapped a sandwich.
“Crew, I need you and Zane to start on the insulation in the living room,” Kyler conferred with his clipboard. “Golden and Paxton, can you carry in the flooring? Each product is marked to where it’s going. Loch and Peyton, you’re with me today. We’re going to start painting Peyton’s room.”
“Aye, aye Captain,” Golden called out as he began to root through the sandwiches, too.
Kyler gave him a look but shook his head and laughed. The rest of us acknowledged Ky before heading towards the porch.
I made my way to the food. I was feeling hungry once more and still slightly…off. I had stopped drinking, drank plenty of water, and took two Tylenol before I went to bed, but my body still wanted sleep.
“How was your night?” Kyler asked me as he slipped up behind me.
“It started out great.” I rolled my eyes as I found a bacon, egg, and cheese croissant. “Until,” I looked cautiously over at Grandpa. “Well, until…” I really didn’t want to snitch on Claire, even if she had been out of hand.
Grandpa gave me a knowing look. “Does it have anything to do with Claire sneaking back in last night?”
I grimaced.
“Yep.” Golden didn’t have the same reservations. He had been irritated, to say the least. “How did you know?” He smiled.
“Henry.” Grandpa laughed caustically. Barely anything can go on in that house without one of the staff informing him.
Henry was Grandpa’s butler/driver/personal assistant. He was widowed and had been working for Grandpa a few years. They had become friends recently, and I knew his loyalty laid with Grandpa entirely. I couldn’t say that about the rest of the staff, though.
“She was at a party with Kayley and Bree, drinking, one she had no business being at,” Golden informed him. “She told a college boy that she was eighteen, and well…Peyton decided to intervene before she got herself in trouble or anyone else.”
“The same party Leah went to?” Grandpa asked with knitted brows.
“The same,” Zane confirmed before taking a large bite of his sandwich.
“Guess who else we saw there.” Paxton gave Mr. Isaacs a mischievous grin.
“I’m sure I wouldn’t want to know. In fact, I don’t want to know.” Mr. Isaacs held up his hand. “It’s one thing to know you guys have these parties where drinking might occur but something entirely different when it’s confirmed.”
Golden and Paxton exchange looks before they simultaneously said. “Selena!”
It was no secret that both of them despise
d Selena. They had tolerated her when Mr. Isaacs first started dating her, but after she tried to get the children taken away, they detested her. Mr. Isaacs had contemplated getting back with her, using her as a buffer between what was developing between us. Golden, in particular, had flipped out at that idea.
Grandpa’s lip curled in barely concealed contempt. “She was personally hired by Catherine to head up that program. My lawyer already forwarded her credentials to me. They’re abysmal. She barely graduated from college, and after further investigation, I doubt she’ll be with the school for much longer.”
“Was she stripping on the bar?” Kyler inquired with barely contained amusement.
Mr. Isaacs shot him a look of ire. “You of all people shouldn’t talk about strippers and bars,” he said smugly.
Kyler rolled his eyes, but a smile ghosted around his lips. “Touchè, brother, touchè, but that was another time and place. I’m a reformed man now.” He winked at me.
I shook my head. His penchant for dating strippers was well known. It bothered me at first, but I learned to get over it. Kind of.
“Anyway…” Golden brought our attention back to the original subject of the party. “Paxton?” He dramatically nodded towards Paxton to continue.
“Your guess was close, Ky!” Paxton crowed. “Some guys were doing body shots off of Selena, and I’m pretty sure some of those guys with their tongue down her throat go to Roseville.”
“The high school?” Kyler asked. “Didn’t she−” Then he paused at Mr. Isaacs’ look.
Judging Selena in this area was hard. We all knew there was an attraction between me and Mr. Isaacs. We hadn’t acted on it yet, of course, and he wasn’t brazen enough to make out with me in a room full of people.
“I met Evelyn when she was in high school,” Grandpa said cryptically. “Not—” he barely concealed his sneer “—that I think it was suitable for a teacher to be seen getting drunk and carrying on like a teenager in a room full of her students and other impressionable minds.”
Silence followed his statement. Was he aware of the attraction between Mr. Isaacs and me? Did he essentially condone a relationship with us as long as we were smart about it?
I hastily took a bite from my sandwich as Paxton, Kyler, and Golden shared looks. Their eyes swung towards me and Mr. Isaacs. Then the three stooges began to laugh, coming to the same conclusion I had. I rolled my eyes at them as Mr. Isaacs busied himself by pouring himself a cup of coffee.
I heard tires on gravel and looked up to see who could be coming over. We weren’t expecting company. None that I was aware of, anyway.
The cottage was set off the main road but sound still echoed back here. The driveway was even slightly hidden. My property ran along the side of Grandpa’s and was tucked into the back. My great-great-grandfather had purchased the land years ago and passed it onto his son, who decided to build the little cottage on the back half of the property.
It wasn’t until the money began to roll in that the mansion had been built. My great grandfather passed it onto his eldest son when he passed away. Grandpa sectioned off the property, erected the fencing around the mansion, and completely forgot about the cottage and the land behind it.
The cottage hadn’t been inhabited or lived in since my grandfather was a boy. Sperm Donor David thought it would be funny to set us up here when Grandpa had requested that Sean, my mother, and I move back “home.”
“Expecting more people?” Mr. Isaacs asked Kyler. He clearly was still processing Grandpa’s words, too.
It was reassuring to know Grandpa basically gave us his blessing, but there were a lot more obstacles in front of us for an actual relationship to work between us. His job being number one. Grandpa could condone it all day long, but the board would fire Mr. Isaacs in a heartbeat if they thought we had a relationship, in the real sense of the word.
“No.” Ky shook his head. “I gave my guys the day off.”
Just then, a police cruiser broke through the line of trees that framed the gravel driveway. Following it was two more vehicles. I vaguely recognized Catherine's white Mercedes Benz bringing up the rear of the procession.
“What now?” Grandpa growled before he took a few steps off the porch.
I watched as Officer Carl Pope unfolded from the vehicle. He was an average-looking middle-aged man. If I had to guess, probably in his mid-to-late forties. He was reasonably fit, with kind blue eyes and a bald head—more shaved for future baldness rather than pure bald—that shined in the sunlight.
“Hello, Mr. Delaney,” Carl said immediately. “Sorry to disturb you, but we were wondering if you’ve seen your granddaughter Claire.”
I barely concealed my groan as I noticed Diane Delaney, Catherine, and another woman I wasn’t familiar with stepping out of their vehicles. The unrecognizable woman’s face was red with rage and grief.
Kayley, appearing right behind the woman, took one look at us, and her swollen eyes widened in surprise. Her face was red as she silently cried.
Grandpa frowned. “No, I haven’t.” He looked over at Kyler, and he shook his head. “Why, what happened?”
“My Bree was assaulted last night.” The woman was sobbing. “She was supposed to be spending the night with Claire, but when I came over here to find out why Claire left her friend at a party they had no business attending, she’s nowhere to be found.”
My heart sank, and I swallowed, closing my eyes. My fears had come to fruition. When Kayley told us that Bree texted her back, I should have insisted on seeing Bree and verifying her whereabouts.
I felt arms encircle me from behind, and I looked up at Zane. He must have been watching me. I placed my hands over his, thankful for his silent support.
“Claire never left the house,” Catherine said with barely concealed anger. “Right, Kayley? Maybe your Bree lied and said she was over our house so she could sneak out to that party.”
My eyes widened at the lie, but Kayley was shaking her head as she looked at us beseechingly.
“Why must you drag our girls into this?” Diane asked with a sneer. “Maybe if you guys were home more you’d know where your daughter was. You know she’s gotten out of hand since you and Ray decided to divorce.”
I wanted to speak up for Bree’s mom. She looked devastated. I couldn’t imagine what she was going through, and her so-called friends were turning on her. Especially since Diane had no room to talk. She might try to control her daughters’ lives but even she was unaware of everything they got into.
“I apologize, Mrs. Goward. That’s terrible. I can’t imagine the pain you must be feeling,” Grandpa said with sympathy, patting her back. He glared at Diane’s and Catherine’s callous treatment. “Why would you think Claire was here?”
“Kayley stated that Claire went out for a run and was headed in this direction,” Officer Pope stated. “She’s been gone for some time now, according to Kayley. We just need to figure out if she was at the party or not. If she was, we need to see if she could be a witness. Bree and Jason Smith were seen leaving the party together.”
I gasped. Smith hadn’t been with Bree when she texted Kayley that she had a ride. I was beginning to think Kayley and Bree were lying now, but why?
“Time out.” Zane stiffened. “Is Jason getting accused of assaulting Bree?”
Officer Pope frowned and nodded. “He returned Bree to her mother’s house at approximately one o’clock this morning after the alleged incident occurred.”
“It’s not alleged at all,” Mrs. Goward shrieked. “He got my baby drunk and then raped her. He dropped her off and left. When I noticed Bree was hungover and…assaulted this morning she told me everything! Her friends left her.”
“Jason didn’t do it,” I insisted. “I am so sorry for what happened to Bree, Mrs. Goward, but it wasn’t Smith. He may have taken her home, but he wasn’t with her. If Bree got home around one, we left the party approximately the same time.” I shot Kayley an apologetic look. “When we saw the girls at the party, w
e insisted on taking them home. The host asserted that they leave as well. Smith was right behind me when Kayley stated that Bree had texted her, informing her that she had another ride home.”
“Crew and I were playing pool with Smith all night,” Zane added. “He arrived shortly before we did, and he wasn’t talking to any of the girls there the whole time. He also wasn’t drinking or plying anyone with alcohol.”
“Kayley and Claire weren’t at that party,” Diane hissed out. “Tell them, Kayley. I know how you Neanderthal football players like covering up for each other, but you’re not dragging my daughter into this.”
Catherine held up her phone as she glared at me. “Leah just texted me. She checked on her sister around midnight, and Claire and Kayley were watching a movie. She even sat with them and watched some of it with them.”
I barely contained the snort as I shook my head. Unbelievable. They were some of the most oblivious parents I had ever met. Even when faced with the facts.
Golden started to laugh. His eyes were cruel, malicious even, but his laugh belied his true feelings. “So naïve and ignorant.” He glared at Diane and Catherine. “Your precious princesses.” He looked over at Kayley. “Sorry, Kales, you really aren’t like the others, but−” he looked back over to the women “−they are all lying. Bailey and Leah were there at the party along with Claire and Kayley. I never saw Bree, but the others were definitely there.”
Golden could be pretty scary when he let his anger come out. He didn’t yell or rant. Instead, he laughed or seemed amused, his eyes cold. His delivery was done almost with a cutting iciness.
The women looked mad, and I could tell they were preparing for their next tirade. Kayley was sobbing at this point, but her words were unintelligible.
“Officer Pope,” Paxton spoke up as he came forward with his phone. “I don’t know what happened with Bree, but this was posted at twelve thirty-eight last night. If you look to the back left, behind us, you’ll see Smith off to the right.”