My cell phone vibrated as soon as I opened my bedroom door. It had been placed upside down on my bedside table. I picked it up. It was a voice message from my mom. I debated whether to listen or not, but after a few seconds decided I should.
“Hello, Beatrice. This is your mother.” Her voice sounded strange. Garbled. Scared. “We’ve gone away for the summer. Your dad and I need some time away from . . . everything.” She’d paused and I knew the word “everything” was code for me. They wanted to get away from me. “I’m sure you’ll have a great time on your own. You’re all grown up now.” She sniffled and I wondered if she were crying, which was impossible. I’d never seen my mom shed a single tear. I didn’t remember her ever being sick either so it couldn’t be a cold. She cleared her throat. “You may start to experience some changes.” That part bothered me the most. Changes? What kinds of freaking changes? “Seek out the Vaktare histories.” Then I heard my father interrupt from the background. “You’ve said too much. Hang up.” Mom sighed. “Take care, Beatrice.” Then she was gone.
I flung myself onto my bed, smacking my head on something. “Ouch.” Reaching back, I wrapped my fingers around the culprit and brought it up to eye level.
“Shit.” It was the large red diamond from my tiara. I guess she didn’t steal it, I thought, a strange feeling washing over me. I shook it off, pressing the Play button on my O-phone so I could listen to my mom’s message again. How could they just leave? Sure they’d never been the most loving of parents, but at least they normally said good-bye. And what was Vack-tare?
A knock at my bedroom door interrupted my thoughts.
“Go away,” I hollered even though it was probably Mrs. Dotts with my steak and I was starving.
There was another knock. “Sorry, miss. There’s a gentleman at the front door and he’s made it clear he won’t go away until he speaks to you.” It was Isaac. If he’d come up, then it must be serious.
“Oh, for hell’s sake.” My breathing came more heavily. “Okay. I’ll be down in a few minutes. Put him in the main room.”
“Yes, Miss Beatrice.”
I stood, considering what to do with the diamond. A wholly unique feeling crept around my heart. It was barely there, like it was tiptoeing, testing what my heart would do with such an emotion. I rejected it.
In my closet I got on my knees and pushed aside my pants. Feeling for the button, I pushed it, revealing a hidden safe. Entering my code, I put the diamond inside. Then I took off my clothes and went into the bathroom to shower. When I was finished, I dressed in a pair of jean shorts, a butter yellow tank top and Prada wedge sandals.
I went to my bedroom door and pulled it open to call for Celeste to do my hair and makeup. That’s when I remembered she wasn’t around anymore. I’d sent her to jail. “Dammit!” I went into the bathroom and brushed my hair. It was wet and tangled and I got the bristles caught in it. When I finally got it untangled, I quickly braided my hair, securing the end with a tie. Then I applied some makeup. My eye shadow was too dark, my blush too light and in all the wrong places, and my lip-gloss was the wrong color. “Gah!”
Whoever the jerk downstairs was, I would make him pay for insisting on speaking with me. Me. No one ordered anything from me. Not from Beatrice Cavanaugh.
I stomped down the stairs and walked into the living room. “Where is he?” I demanded of Isaac, searching the room. My butler stood beside fireplace.
“Good afternoon, Miss Beatrice. May I present Adam Haddox?”
From the golden high back chair directly in front of me stood a man. He stepped around the chair and I couldn’t help but admire him, drink him in like he was water and I was parched. He appeared to be more god than man. He was tall with piercing light blue eyes and blond hair. His body was fit, beyond fit. He caught hold of my gaze. I saw a slight tremor of his lips as he took in the color of my eyes. But he recovered quickly and smiled, making his already glorious face come alive.
“Hello, Beatrice. May I speak with you?” He glanced at Isaac. “Privately?”
Three
Seek Revenge
“That’ll be fine.” I nodded to Isaac, letting him know it was okay.
“If you need me, I’ll be right outside.” He slid the pocket doors shut, leaving Adam and me alone.
I swallowed, forcing away another new feeling, like fireworks going off in my stomach. The buzzing I’d experienced yesterday was back. It pounded against my head, like a raging herd of horses. The throbbing pressed against my eyes. My pulse raced and it was all I could do to walk past him and sit on the love seat across from him.
“What do you want?” I asked, trying to force away the pain by focusing on my surroundings.
The room was on the smaller side. It was normally used to entertain guests in a formal setting. Adam stood in front of one of two gold high back chairs. There was the love seat I sat on and to my right was a large stark white couch. It was directly opposite the tall rock fireplace. Above the fireplace ticked a large glass clock with onyx pieces. Behind the couch were three floor-to-ceiling windows. White curtains with gold and black polka dots hung at either side. Potted plants and lamps decorated the corners, the end tables, and the coffee table between Adam and me. A baby grand piano stood regally behind the love seat. And two straight back gold and black chairs were placed in front of it. A small table with a chess set sat between them.
My knees bobbed up and down, a reaction to the pain, I guessed. It was like my body had a mind of its own. I put my hands on my knees to stop the movement, and noticed my fingers were trembling.
What’s happening to me?
I swallowed.
“You recently accused my mom of stealing—” Adam’s piercing eyes swept over me. “A diamond.” His crossed his arms.
I couldn’t help but admire him. While my body raged with an unknown storm, he was calm as a hot summer day. If someone had accused my mother of stealing I would seek revenge. Yet, all I saw in his eyes was compassion.
His blond hair was thick and wavy and a little on the long side. He sat up straight, showing off his broad shoulders and tapered waist. He had loafers on his feet, but he wasn’t wearing socks. His appearance seemed kind of prissy, yet everything about him screamed alpha male. He was older but no more than twenty-five. “Celeste is your mom?” The words came out shaky.
“That’s right.” Adam leaned forward. “I’ve come to ask you to drop the charges. She didn’t do what you accused her of. She wouldn’t.”
That irritated me. “So you think I lied? That I blamed her out of spite?” How dare he? Regardless of whether or not it was true. The arrogant ass had no right. “How about I have you arrested . . .” I stood. The world started to spin. My hands went out as I tried to balance myself. “For harassment . . .” A thick darkness covered my vision. I couldn’t see anything except two white lights. And then I hit the floor.
“Hey, Beatrice. Are you okay?” I felt his arms come under my body. He gently lifted me.
The pain subsided slightly. I wasn’t sure why. I opened my eyes. “Put me down.”
“Sure. Sorry.”
When I was on my feet¸ I pushed him away. “Don’t ever touch me again.”
I carefully sat and watched as Adam went over to his chair. “I’m sorry if I upset you.” His eyes softened. “I’m not calling you a liar, Beatrice.”
When my name left his lips, it sent a hot quiver down my spine. I internally shook it off. He was the son of a servant. I was royalty. The man was beneath me. I glared.
“My mom told me you strangled her.” He flinched as though he felt her pain. “I’ve seen the bruises.”