Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Somehow, every muscle in my body still locked up. My heart lurched in my throat as the front door opened. Immediately, I thought it was my uncle, and now I had to confront him.
The truth was, I was suddenly terrified to know the truth. If no one had told me up until this point, it was for one reason, and that was the hardest pill to swallow. They were hiding something bad. That much I did understand.
Was my father part of this brotherhood thing? Was my uncle?
“Tío Luis—”
“No.” Elizabeth Devereaux walked in, revealing herself. “It’s just me.”
Tío’s fiancée appeared perfect as ever. She wore cream slacks and a silk blouse. Her high heels were impossibly tall, adding at least six or seven inches to her height. It was the diamond stud earrings that shined against the sun with her hair twisted in a sophisticated bun that held my attention.
She did look like a Devereaux now that I got a good look at her. She had the same honey-colored eyes. It must be a family trait. I’d be lying if I said she wasn’t pretty.
She paused when she saw me. “I wasn’t expecting you so early.”
“I live here.”
A tiny flicker of something crossed her face, but she blinked it away.
In seconds, I remembered what Deja informed me, “You can’t hide anything from a Devereaux. It’s how we’re made. It truly is a curse.”
She was their aunt, triggering my walls to instantly build higher than they already were.
“I heard about your first day,” she said, not giving me a second to process the knowing expression on her face.
Of course she did.
She folded her arms over her chest. “I also heard you made quite the impression.”
I blurted, wanting to get a reaction out of her…
* * *
“And I heard I embarrassed your family.”
Chapter
Ten
Hennessy: Don’t listen to what people say, watch what they do.
Her jaw clenched.
Needing her to know the truth, I confessed, “I wasn’t trying to embarrass anyone. Especially a bunch of strangers at a party.”
She tilted her head, countering, “Just yourself then?”
“I just wanted to be alone.”
Her perfectly sculpted eyebrow lifted. “And how’s that working out for you, Hennessy? Are you enjoying all your alone time?”
“So this is my punishment? Neither of you being here?”
“Your uncle is a very busy man.”
“I didn’t see him on campus. Shouldn’t the director of international studies be at work on the first day of school?”
She clipped, “You must have just missed him.”
“I don’t think that’s the case.”
“And what has your wild imagination conjured up now? Is there another tree you need to go climb?”
“Huh, so gloves are off now, or were they never really put on?”
“Hennessy.” She smiled, displaying her impeccable white teeth. “You’re my fiancés niece… let’s not burn more bridges, shall we?” She stepped toward me. “I’m the woman of this house and don’t you forget that, young lady. You’ve already embarrassed us enough, don’t you think?”
“Are you expecting an apology for something I didn’t mean to do?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I don’t like being lied to. I’m not your uncle, little girl, and I expect respect. Especially in my own home.”
“I thought respect is something that you earn?”
“Not here.”
“I—”
“The party was for you,” she pointed out. “I spent the past year planning that for you, and instead of being grateful, you were nothing more than a spoiled brat.”
“Year?” That was the only thing I caught. “I got accepted a month ago.”
She ignored my statement. “We were just trying to welcome you to the Graves Academy, and you shit all over it,” she slightly shouted.
“That party had nothing to do with me and everything to do with appearances. I barely know my uncle. Why would you think I’d want to be welcomed with a room full of strangers?”
“How about being grateful for every string your uncle had to pull for you to even be here?”
“Here I’ve been told repeatedly that my grades spoke for themselves.”
“That’s not how this world works, little girl. You’re old enough to understand that appearances are everything. No?”
“Not in my world.”
“Well,” she snidely snipped, “you’re in our world now, and you’ll abide by the rules.”
“Jesus,” I breathed out. “From the moment I landed, everyone keeps reminding me of these rules. Except they’re the rules, not our rules. Both carry a very different distinction, don’t you think?”
She nodded. “I expected you to know your place.”
“And what place would that be?”
“The one your uncle is trying desperately for you to fit into, and now you’re just proving him wrong.”
“Who sets these rules and why can’t anyone tell me why I have to follow them?”
“There are rules in every world, Hennessy. You’re old enough to know that too.”
“Yeah, standard ones. These are something completely different, and you know it.” She didn’t answer me, so I didn’t hold back. “He’s trying to restore the Belladonna name, right?”