Page 121 of Wicked Games

I laugh, because he’s lost his mind. “Or what?”

Uncle David has a few telltale signs of extreme anger. But the best indication I’ve ever seen is the redness of his ears. If it were possible, the next step would be steam coming out. Right now, his whole face is mottled red. Including his ears.

I know why he hates the Wolfes, but it’s more satisfying to make him say it out loud.

Instead, he goes to threats. “You won’t see a dime from me. You will get nothing. No help. No support.”

“My inheritance doesn’t revolve around yourpermission. As soon as I turn eighteen, I don’t need anything from you. So what’s stopping me from marching into the Prize Industries offices on my eighteenth birthday and explaining to the Board exactly what you’ve been doing?”

His red face turns white.

I’ve never threatened him before, but it feels good. Satisfying.

Aunt Iris gasps from the doorway, her hand raised to cover her mouth. “Caleb, honey?—”

“Shut up, Iris,” her husband snaps.

The last time, when I was trapped here for a weekend, he wanted me to leave Margo alone. It was part of his conditions, layers of rules cast down on me that are meant to suffocate myfree will. But I didn’t do it. It isn’t the hockey, or refusing to pick out a college, or my failure—my mom’s failure—to get Amber to leave town.

It’sMargo.

I shake out my arms on my way out. I’ve read through the paperwork multiple times, but it’s clear. Even Mr. Black, a prestigious defense attorney, has concurred. My father, through the company holding my trust fund, putnostipulations on my inheritance except age. Uncle David, as my legal ward, got a stipend every month to cover my expenses. I assumed he passed along at least a slight portion of them onto Eli’s family. They were the ones who fed me and gave me a place to stay, after all.

But now… I kind of doubt that.

“You walk out that door, you don’t get to come back!” Uncle David roars behind me.

It’s a pity that family has a way of disappointing you—even when you expect it.

“If I never see your face again, I’ll die happy.” I salute him and walk out the door. Something crashes behind me. I keep going, liberated by my choices, until a sharp pain spikes through the back of my head. My vision goes dark, and I distantly feel myself falling forward.

The impact with the floor finishes the job of knocking me out.

Chapter 32

Margo

Caleb has disappeared—again. I swear to God, I’m going to kill his uncle. I was expecting him last night after their family dinner. With no texts, no calls, and no climbing in through my window, I’ve surmised something is terribly wrong.

I even made Eli show me Caleb’s basement room, which was empty, to make sure they weren’t doing a better job of lying to me.

And now I’m outside the Asher mansion.

I freeze at the door, my body unwilling to go any farther. I’m pretty sure the family hates me for reasons I can’t remember. And a little thing like memory loss wouldn’t hold up against years of anger.

So if this is fight or flight, I’m choosingfreeze.

Riley climbs out of the car behind me. “I don’t think anyone is here.”

I blow out a long, slow breath and glance back at her. “Why?”

She shrugs, joining me on the wide, covered front steps. “It’s getting dark out, and there are no lights on.”

“Right.” I ring the doorbell and hold my breath.

Because I suffered through the full day at school, just to make sure that Caleb wasn’t going to spontaneously show up.

And when he didn’t, my worry only deepened.

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