Chapter 5
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I caught him glaring at me in the rearview. Most girls probably would’ve backed down, but that’s not my style.
I raised my eyebrow and flipped him off, which actually got a smirk out of him. “Pretty ballsy for someone who doesn’t know jack about this place.”
I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “They’re all the same anyway. Just another crappy place to call home.”
Ryan laughed, shaking his head. “I dig her attitude.”
“Nobody asked you,” Ethan snapped, making me jump. His eyes caught mine again like he just realized how he sounded. “Don’t get too cozy here.”
“Trust me, I won’t. Just passing through.” I shot back, rolling my eyes. Ryan seemed cool at first, but Ethan was being a total jerk. Made me wonder about the other two brothers.
Would they be as “welcoming” as this airport crew, or were they gonna try to eat me alive like some twisted fairy tale?
After the most awkward car ride ever, we finally pulled up to these massive black iron gates. The driveway wound through what felt like miles of trees until it opened up to this huge clearing. That’s when I realized this place was way bigger than I’d imagined.
There were houses spread out everywhere, but the one Ethan was heading to looked like something out of a magazine, standing all fancy against the blue sky. “This is really it?”
Ryan turned around from the front seat with a smile. “Yeah, haven’t you seen it before?”
“Nope,” I sighed. “My father never bothered to show me anything. Never “really cared about me anyway.”
Ryan’s face scrunched up. “What?”
As soon as Ethan parked, he bailed – didn’t even look back, just slammed
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the door and booked it inside like I had the plague. At least Ryan stuck around. Maybe one of them wouldn’t totally hate my guts,
I climbed out slowly and headed to the trunk where Ryan was grabbing my bags. “Thanks.”
“For what?” He looked confused, then just shut the trunk and started walking away.
“Seriously? You’re not gonna help?” I called after him. He turned back with this fake smile.
Your dad just said to get you here in one piece. Didn’t say anything about playing butler once we got here. You’ll figure it out.”
So much for being nice. Turned out he was just as big a jerk as Ethan.
Groaning, I grabbed my two huge suitcases and threw my backpack over my shoulder.
Getting these bags inside was gonna be a pain, but whatever – I’d figure something out.
The second I walked through the front door, there was my stepmom, giving me the side–eye with this totally fake smile. “Emily. Was wondering what took so long. We don’t mess around in this house. We’re all grown–ups here – being on time matters.”
“Sure thing, Alice,” I said, keeping my voice flat and watching her face get even tighter.
“It’s Vicky.” Her tone went from fake–nice to pissed faster than you could
blink.
“Right. So where am I crashing?” I looked around the huge two–story house, trying to figure how I’d get my stuff upstairs.
,“Oh, you’re not staying in the main house, Emily. We fixed up the cottage out back for you. Figured you’d want your own space.” Vicky looked way too happy about sticking me as far away as possible from her and Dad.
Works for me… which way?” She seemed annoyed that I wasn’t bothered,
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but instead of starting something, she just turned and I followed. At the back door, she pointed to this little brown and white cottage way at the end of their massive yard.
It was sitting right by the woods, looking kind of magical honestly. I forgot all about Vicky and just started walking toward it. Suddenly my bags didn’t ⚫ feel so heavy, and all that drama with the welcome wagon didn’t seem to
matter anymore.