Twisted Palace

  “Tell me the downside of this deal,” I say the moment she picks up. “What kinds of favors would Jordan ask of me? Like, I don’t want to tape any girl up to the side of the school because she talked to Jordan’s boyfriend.”

  “I’ve been thinking about this since lunch,” Val answers.

  “And?”

  “And I think just because she asks you to do something doesn’t mean you have to do it. You owe her a favor, not a specific one.”

  “Good point.” I press down on the gas, even though I hate driving fast. Well, I hate driving, period. But I especially hate driving fast. If I don’t hurry, though, I’m going to be late. “I like the way you’re thinking.”

  “Let’s say she asks you to do something you’re not comfortable with. You just tell her to come back with something else.”

  “Right. So I’m going to keep my word, if I give it, but it’s within the spirit of the agreement to exercise a veto over shitty acts.”

  “Right,” she confirms. “So you gonna do it?”

  “I think so.”

  Jordan’s proposal does solve all my problems. Steve wants me to be involved in activities so I’ll be less interested in spending time with the Royals. I like dancing. The only downside is that I have to spend time with Jordan.

  “This thing is only temporary until that other girl gets back,” I say. “So really, I’ll just be an alternate.”

  “Do you want me to tell her yes?” Val asks.

  “Is she there with you right now? Blink twice if you’re in danger,” I tease, pulling into the hotel’s parking garage.

  Val laughs. “Nope, she’s at practice. Actually, you’ll appreciate this. Jordan scheduled all the dance team practices at the same time as the football team workouts.”

  “Even better.” I grin to myself. “Okay, tell her I’m in, with payment to be made later.”

  Val chuckles again. “Gotcha. I’ll relay the message when she gets home.”

  * * *

  The elevators don’t appreciate that I’m five minutes late and take forever to arrive and carry me up the forty-plus floors. However, when I walk in the door ten minutes after four, Steve isn’t even home. It’s just Dinah.

  “Well, look at you,” she sneers from her perch on the leather sofa. “You’re surprisingly obedient. Like a little dog that comes when you’re called, sits when you’re told, and stays when you’re ordered to stay.”

  In her hand is another stemmed glass, or maybe it’s the same glass from this morning and she’s just been refilling it all day.

  I’m tempted to snark at her to get a job, but then I remind myself that she’s just lost her best friend and that Steve’s brutal to her. Then again, he thinks she tried to kill him, which doesn’t seem all that far-fetched considering what a witch she is.

  “I’m going to my room,” I mutter as I walk past her. “I have homework.”

  Her taunting voice tickles my back. “Your father brought you a gift, Princess. It’s lying on your bed.”

  By the way she says that, I know I’m not going to like whatever Steve got me.

  Sure enough, when I dump out the contents of the shopping bag on the bed, I find three pairs of cotton khakis.

  Too bad there isn’t a fireplace in this hotel suite.

  “I hear there’s an away game this weekend,” Dinah drawls from the door.

  I look up to find her leaning against the frame. Her long legs are encased in a pair of loose-fitting pants and she has a sheer floral top on. It’s kind of a dressy look for hanging around the suite, and I wonder who she’s been visiting.

  “How do you know that? Are you blackmailing some poor high school student, too?”

  She smirks. “Is that why you think Gideon’s in my bed? Darling, you are delightfully naïve. Have you ever heard of a Royal doing anything he doesn’t want to do?” She drags her hand down her body to settle at her waist, emphasizing the tininess of it. “Gideon can’t get enough of me.”

  I hold back a barf. “I know you’re blackmailing him,” I reply coldly.

  “Is that the excuse he uses?” She juts her delicate chin forward. “He sleeps with me because he wants to. Because he can’t stay away.”

  Ugh. I don’t need to hear another word of this.

  “Why are you still married to Steve, then? It’s obvious you guys don’t love each other.” I sweep the pants back into the bag and set it onto the floor.

  “Oh my goodness. Is that why you think people get married? Because they love each other?” She starts to laugh. “I’m here for Steve’s money and he knows it. Which is why he treats me like shit, but don’t worry, he pays for each word he says to me.” She waves a hand over her outfit. “Like this? It cost him three thousand dollars. And every day that he’s an asshole to me, I’ll spend a little more. And while I’m with him, I’m fantasizing about Gideon.”

  “That’s beyond gross.” I walk to the door, pushing her out. Dinah’s my favorite for the killer, mostly because I can’t stand her. Finding evidence against her is the problem. “I’m going to study now.”

  I slam the door in her face and pull out a sheet of paper that I title Dinah. Underneath, I write means, motive, and opportunity.

  Then I stare at it for an hour without writing another frickin’ letter.

  * * *

  I’m still hiding in my room, doodling all over the Dinah page while Orange is the New Black plays on my laptop, when Steve knocks on my door.

  “You decent?” he says.

  I shove the paper under my laptop and hop to my feet. “Yeah.”

  “How was school?” he asks, poking his head inside.

  “Good. How was work?” I grab a sweatshirt from the chair near the window and slip it on.

  Steve eyes the top with a smidge of unhappiness, guessing from the size that it’s not mine but Reed’s. “It was good. The R&D team is getting close to having a prototype finished of a hypersonic delivery vehicle.”

  I raise one eyebrow. “That sounds dangerous.”

  He shrugs. “It’s primarily a research vehicle and would be flown remotely as a UAV.” At my blank look, he expands. “Unmanned aerial vehicle.”

  “A drone?”

  He bobs his head in a considering motion. “I suppose, but not exactly. Similar concept, although ours is much more sophisticated. Essentially the UAV is launched like a rocket into the upper atmosphere. It’s definitely not as fun as flying an aircraft, but unfortunately most military aircraft is heavily focused in the unmanned area.”

  He sounds disappointed, which reminds me of how Callum told me that Steve enjoyed testing the machines out, rather than designing, building, and selling them.

  “Seems safer that way,” I say lightly.

  “Probably is.” A rueful smile tilts up one side of his mouth. “I get bored easily. Callum kicked me out of the meeting because I kept launching paper airplanes around the room.”

  He’s bored, huh? Is that why he’s so intense on this parenting thing? It’s new and he’s trying to find something that interests him?

  I think that’s what the girls were trying to tell me earlier, so maybe they’re right about everything else. I just need to learn to manage him. Once I’m eighteen, I’ll be back in control for good.

  “I thought about what you said this morning,” I inform him.

  “Oh?” He leans against the desk, his fingers brushing the side of my laptop. I can see the D of Dinah poking out. Nervously, I slide toward the desk.

  “Yes. I’m going to join the dance team. It’s supposed to be really good.” I’m not even lying. According to the banners outside the gym, Astor Park has won the state dance competition for the last eight years, except for one time. I wonder what the story is behind that.

  Steve straightens, a pleased look on his face. “That’s excellent.” He crosses the distance between us and pulls my stiff body against his in a hug. “High school and college are all about experiences, and I don’t want you to miss out on any of them.”
>
  I let him hug me for another second even though this type of contact makes me uncomfortable. The only attention I’ve ever gotten from men Steve’s age hasn’t been good.

  Stepping back, I walk into the living room and away from the blank list of investigative notes. From the table, I pick up the room service menu. In the short time I’ve been here, I’m getting tired of room service.

  “When do you think we’ll be back in the penthouse?” I ask Steve. If there’s any evidence that could clear Reed, it’s going to be there.

  “Why? Are you getting stir crazy?” At the wet bar, he mixes himself a drink. “I spoke with the detective today. We should be allowed back by the end of the week.”

  I pretend to study the menu more carefully. “How’s the investigation going?” Reed and Callum are so tight-lipped about everything, so I’m dying for more details. Really, I just want someone to tell me the cops have nothing and that the case will be dropped any day now.

  “Nothing for you to be concerned about.”

  “Did Brooke’s, um, autopsy results come back?”

  “Not yet.” Steve’s back is to me, but I don’t need to see his face to know he’s not interested in talking about this subject. “Tell me about this dance team.”

  “Well, it costs some money, because I’ll need to buy a uniform.” I actually have no idea what the details are. I’m winging it here. “And we travel.”

  “That’s no problem.”

  “It means staying at hotels with only the dance coach as a chaperone,” I point out.

  He waves his hand. “I trust you.”

  Now’s the perfect time to tell him the rest. If I wait, that trust will erode. If there’s actually any trust there—he could be lying. Then again, what I’m planning to do is definitely against his rules, so he’d be right not to trust me.

  But it’s Reed, and I want to be with him. I’m afraid he’s going to prison, and I need to get all the time I can in with him right now.

  I shove those despairing thoughts into the back of my head, muster up a bright smile, and dive in. “In the interest of full disclosure and all, the dance team travels with the football team.”

  The drink in his hand halts halfway to his mouth. “Is that right?” he drawls, and I feel like he can see through my entire charade.

  “Yeah. I know that puts me near Reed, which you don’t want.” I feel myself blushing, because this is totally TMI for a dad. “But that thing you’re worried about? I haven’t done anything. With anybody.”

  Steve sets down his glass. “Are you serious?”

  I nod, wishing this awkward discussion was over already. “I might wear a skirt to school—” I offer a wry smile. “But I’m not easy. I guess because of my mom, I haven’t had any desire to go down that route.”

  “Well.” He seems at a loss for words. “Well,” he repeats and then half-chuckles to himself. “I really stuck my foot in my mouth the other morning, didn’t I? I think I let Dinah rile me up with all those comments about your skirt.”

  I force myself not to shift uncomfortably, because while I haven’t lost my virginity yet, I’ve still done a lot, and I have big plans for this weekend.

  “I really misjudged you,” Steve says ruefully “I’m sorry about that. I’m messing up all over the place. I read this book on parenting and it said that I should listen more. I’m going to do that,” he declares, lobbing another promise out there like his paper airplanes.

  “So it’s okay that we travel with the team? I mean, it’s not like we spend a lot of time with the players, and we drive up in different buses.”

  “It should be fine.”

  I give an internal fist pump. Now it’s time to go in for the kill. “Also, I was talking to some of the girls and they said that everyone’s staying overnight at a hotel so we can go to this amusement park the next day.” I fake a grimace. “It sounds totally juvenile, but apparently it’s supposed to be some kind of team-building thing. I convinced Val to come up and keep me company.”

  His eyes narrow. “Will the football players be going, too?”

  “No, they’re all riding back on the bus to Bayview on Friday night.” Except half the starters, including Reed and Easton, but I don’t mention that. I’ve told most of the truth. That counts, right?

  “All right.” Steve nods. “I’m okay with that.” He holds up a finger. “Hold on. I’ll be right back. I got you a few things.”

  Apprehension builds inside me as I watch Steve jog up the stairs. Oh God. What did he get me now? I hear a drawer opening and closing, and then he reappears a minute later with a small leather case in his hand.

  “A couple things,” he tells me. “First, Callum said he hadn’t gotten you a credit card yet, so I took care of it.”

  He holds out a black card.

  I warily accept it. The card is shiny and heavy. For a second, I’m excited to have it—until I see the name embossed on it with gold lettering.

  ELLA O’HALLORAN.

  Steve notices my frown but answers it with a broad smile. “I’ve already secured the paperwork to legally change your surname. I figured you wouldn’t mind.”

  My jaw drops. Is he serious? I flat-out told him I wanted to keep my mom’s last name. I’m Ella Harper, not O’Halloran.

  Before I can object, he turns toward the stairs. “Dinah, get down here,” he orders. “I have something for you.”

  Dinah appears, her shrewd eyes focused on Steve. “What is it?”

  He beckons her. “Come down.”

  The snake inside her looks ready to pounce, but she obviously manages to restrain it, because she descends the stairs and walks stiffly to Steve.

  He holds out another credit card. This one is silver rather than black.

  “What’s this?” She stares at it as if it might explode in her hand if she tries to touch it.

  Steve smiles, but it’s cold and mean. “I was going over your recent credit card statements and they seemed exorbitantly high. So I canceled those cards. This is the one you’ll use from now.”

  Fire flashes in her eyes. “But this is a basic card!”

  “Yes,” he agrees. “The limit is five thousand. That should be more than enough for you.”

  Her mouth opens. And closes. And opens. And closes. This goes on for a while. I hold my breath as I examine her face, waiting for her to lose it. Five thousand dollars might be a fortune for me, but I know it’s peanuts for Dinah. There’s no way she’s going to take this well.

  Except…she does.

  “You’re right. That seems like more than enough,” she answers in a sweet voice.

  But when Steve bends his head to take something else out of his leather case, Dinah gives me a look so icy and scathing that I find myself shivering. When her gaze lowers to the black card I’m holding, I’m afraid she might actually hit me.

  “The last item of business,” Steve announces, handing me a sheet of paper.

  I glance at it and see a printout of airline tickets. “What’s this?”

  “Tickets to London,” he says happily. “We’re going there over the holidays.”

  I wrinkle my brow. “We are?”

  He picks up his drink. “Yes. We’ll stay at the Waldorf, visit a few castles. You should make a list of the things you want to see,” he encourages.

  “All of us are going?” Reed never said a word to me about the Royals going to London for Christmas. Maybe he doesn’t know?

  “No, just us. If you’re calling in our dinner, I’d like the salmon.” He tips his head toward the menu I’d left on one of the end tables.

  “London is so lovely in the winter,” Dinah remarks, her demeanor brightening. She mockingly waves her silver card in the air. “I guess I’ll have an opportunity to put this to use.”

  “Actually, you’re staying behind.” Steve is darn near smirking. He’s clearly enjoying tormenting her. “It’ll just be Ella and me. A father/daughter bonding trip, if you will.”

  I frown deeply. “What about
the Royals?”

  “What about them?”

  “Are they going, too?” I give him back the printout.

  He tucks the paper in the leather case and tosses it onto the sideboard. “I have no idea what they’re doing for the holidays. But Reed can’t leave the country, remember? He had to surrender his passport to the DA’s office.”

  I can’t keep the dismay off my face. It’s true—Reed can’t leave town.

  But I can’t believe Steve’s planning on taking me out of town for the holidays. I’m going to miss my first Christmas with Reed? That’s so unfair.

  Steve reaches out and dabs his knuckle under my chin. “It’ll only be for a week.” He arches a brow. “Besides, after seeing Reed at all those games, you’ll probably need a break, don’t you think? I can even arrange it that we go for longer…”

  The message is clear. If I don’t go to London with him, I don’t get to travel with the dance team. Like the deal I struck with Jordan, it’s imperfect, but I force myself to smile and nod, because in the end I’m still getting what I want.

  “No, a week is great,” I say with forced cheeriness. “I’m excited. I’ve never been out of the country before.”

  Steve breaks out into a giant smile. “You’ll love it.”

  Dinah, meanwhile, is glaring at me with the heat of a million suns.

  “Darling, go upstairs and change for dinner,” Steve tells his fuming wife. “I’ll order you a salad.”

  As she storms off, I call in the order and then listen to Steve babble while we wait for dinner. After it’s over, I escape to my room and text Reed immediately.

  I’m allowed 2 go 2 the game! Be prepared. Bring a big box of condoms and eat a few energy bars. Ur going 2 need it.

  For the game?

  The game is easy-peasy compared to the workout I’m putting u through after.

  Do u want me to walk arnd w/ a permanent HO?

  Yup.

  We’re supposed to be waiting.

  I’m done waiting. Get ready.

  I punctuate that with a smiley face and then put the phone away and do some homework.