I can’t believe this. I can’t believe I have to turn around and walk up the driveway, but what else am I supposed to do? My feet are heavy but nowhere as heavy as my heart. I could try to run past him, down the driveway, and toward the road. If I’m lucky, I’ll get to wave someone down before he catches me.
James taps against the glass, pointing toward the house. I give him a tight smile before turning toward the direction he wants me to take, only to spin around all the way before sprinting down the driveway toward the road.
My feet pound against the pavement as I run like my life depends on it. Pushing my legs as fast as I can go, I race toward freedom while the sound of the engine revving up behind me breathes new panic into me. My lungs burn, and my muscles ache, but none of that stops me from forcing my body to keep running.
Unfortunately, it’s not enough.
Before I ever reach the driveway, James’s car speeds past me, just to come to a sudden halt in front of me. The car is barely in park when the door pops open, and an angry James heads toward me. I dig my heels into the ground and stop a few feet in front of him.
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just try to run from me,” he sneers. “Don’t be stupid, Leni. I’m trying to be nice here, but if you behave like a brat, I will treat you like one.” Just like in the hallway, his voice has no amount of humanity. It’s almost like he has a split personality. I don’t have to be an expert to know that this side of James is dangerous, unpredictable, and utterly terrifying.
I thought things were bad with my stepbrothers, but something tells me the worst of it has yet to come. For everything the guys have done to me, I’m still more scared of James.
I was too blind to see it before, but now I’m certain James is the biggest monster of all.
CHAPTER22
“Hello! Where is the rest of my family?” James’s lighthearted question echoes through the house, bringing to mind nothing more than a sense of doom. At least to me. He walks past me down the hall, and for a second, I think I can run upstairs to my room. That idea dies a quick death for two reasons. One, I imagine the door is still locked, so I won’t be able to get in.
Two, James notices I’m not following him and turns, giving me one of those wide smiles I now know hides something very dark. He’s even darker than his sons. “Come on. I would like to have the three of you together.”
I don’t even know what that means, exactly, but there’s an undercurrent in his voice that tells me it can’t be anything good. He’s loving this, that much is clear, smiling brilliantly as he strolls into the kitchen where his sons are making protein shakes in the blender.
I reach the room only a moment after James. If the guys were surprised, I would see it on their faces. They aren’t. Did they know he was coming back so soon? Or do they know better than to put anything past him by now?
They don’t even look surprised that I’m down here with them. I’d expect a question about how I managed to get out of my room, but I get nothing. There doesn’t seem to be any confusion over where Mom is, either. As a matter of fact, I’m the only person confused.
“How was the trip?” Colt asks while Nix pours the shakes into two bottles. I guess they’re on their way to the gym. For the first time ever, I actually want to go with them. I’ll clean the bathrooms if I have to. Whatever they need.
“It was fine. Amanda stayed behind. You know me, there’s no getting away from work.”
“We’ll stay out of your way,” Colt murmurs. He won’t look at me. Neither of them will look at me.
“I was thinking just the opposite,” James offers in the same jovial way.
Nix shares a glance with Colt. “What do you mean?”
“I wanted to take the opportunity to spend the day with my kids. Including Leni, of course.” He shines his smile on me, and my skin crawls like I just touched something slimy.
I finally find my voice. “I have work scheduled. I’ve been tutoring kids online and—”
“You can reschedule. Believe me, if a man in my position can reschedule a call, you can reschedule a tutoring session with some kid.”
“Didn’t you say you came home early because of a call?” I blurt out.
That might’ve been a mistake. The boys stiffen, and James’s smile slips a little. “I can do what I want.” It’s the flat determination in his voice that makes me shudder. I wonder what else he’s talking about. What else does he want? What else is he going to do? Because he is definitely not talking about work.
He blinks rapidly and seems to shake himself. “Why don’t we watch a movie? We haven’t used the movie room in much too long. It just sits there, ignored.”
“I didn’t know there was a movie room,” I whisper, looking at the guys for understanding and getting nothing.
James throws his hands in the air. “See? That’s what I mean. I spent all that money getting things put together, and we hardly ever use it. That ends today. I declare this Family Day.” He gestures to his sons, waving a hand back and forth between them. “Pop some popcorn. Grab some drinks. I would love chips and dip if we have any.”
Then he turns to me. “Come on. Let me show you the room. It’s down in the basement.” I wasn’t even aware the house had a basement. How much don’t I know yet? How much is he going to show me?
“I can help the guys with the snacks,” I offer, once again looking at the guys. Yes, I don’t like or trust either of them, but I’d rather be with them than alone with James. Colt actually looks like he is about to agree with me, but James is on top of it.
“No.” His voice is stern, leaving no room for an argument. He only says one word, two letters, yet the tone of his voice and an evil glint in his eyes make the threat very clear. If I don’t come, things will be worse.