Page 4 of His To Claim

“Isn’t it your job to locate them? Or are we now also employees of the Hillcrest Police Force?” Jade sneers as she raises an eyebrow challenging Agent Servite.

I can’t help but smirk. That’s Jade for you. The ever so subtlesarcasm queen. She despises two things - authority and our parents. Having never known her mother, she’s been alone with Chaz and her brother until he met my mother.

My mother was always jealous of Jade’s beauty and how much she resembled her mother who was Chaz’s first love. I think that’s one reason she always took her anger out on her.

“Jade, just please answer Agent Servite’s question,” Elena whispers apologetically.

“We don’t know where they are,” I say, interrupting Jade. “The last time we saw them was last night. We had a bonfire outside and then Jade and I went to bed around midnight. We woke up right before you guys’ barged in.”

“We heard yelling right before we came in,” he continues.

“That was me. I was yelling because it turns out that bitch stole my money too,” Jade says defensively.

“What money?” he asks.

“Money my brother was sending me so we could get out of this hellhole.”

“From where?”

“Hell if I know, it appeared in the mailbox twice a month.”

Elena moves forward. “I think that’s enough, Agent Servite. It’s clear the girls have no clue where their parents are. I must proceed now with placing these girls in a home.”

“Of course, Ms. Masters.” Agent Servite stands, reaches into his pocket, and pulls out two business cards handing one to each of us.

“If you think of anything else, or ever need anything, don’t hesitate to contact me.” His blue eyes once again rake over my body and a small smirk appears as he senses my discomfort. He leans closer to me as Ms. Masters turns and pulls some papers out of her bag. “We will find them,” he whispers, his hot breath felt against the skin of my neck. “And if we don’t, I’ll make sure the two of you pay for their crimes. Mark my words, sweetheart.”

I stand motionless and terrified by his threat as he moves backand walks out the door.Sweetheart. The endearment sounds tainted coming from his lips and frankly it creeps me the fuck out.

“Girls, I know this is all difficult to take in but since you have no immediate family old enough to take custody of you, and the matter with your mum and dad not being around, I’m afraid we will place you in the system. Unfortunately, we don’t have any space here in Providence, but there is a foster family in Pleasant Hills that has room for the both of you until we find a more permanent home. If you’d like to gather some belongings before we go, I’ll give you half an hour.”

Jade and I head back to our bedroom to pack what little belongings we can take with us. Ms. Masters says the foster home we’re going to will provide us with whatever necessities we may need. Apparently, there aren’t many foster families in the nearby area, especially ones willing to take in two teenage sisters, so we may end up staying with this couple until we turn eighteen.

“This is all so fucked up,” Jade grunts as she grabs a backpack from under her bed.

“Please, we both know we’re better off in this foster home than we ever were in this shithole. With your alcoholic father and my psychotic mother, we’d be in worse shape in a few years.”

“All I know is that this Agent Servite better get me my money back. Besides, did you see how hot he was? I mean… for a man like what, in his thirties,” she says, winking at me.

“You’re such a pig, Jade.”

She says this unaware of what Agent Servite whispered in my ear before he left. Under any other circumstances I might agree with Jade. He had this certain thing about him that made him intriguing. The aura of wealth and power was alluring but the sinister twinge in his eye when he looked at me, full of hate when I had never even met the man, was unsettling more than it was enticing.

In any other world, slicked back blond hair, intriguing blue eyes, mixed with broad shoulders and an impeccably tailored suit,he’s every woman’s fantasy. But the way he was looking at me proves my first instinct about him was right. He’s dangerous and I’m afraid I’m already on his bad side.

“What did he tell you when he leaned into you, anyway? That was pretty creepy.”

I look away from Jade hoping to hide my unease. “Nothing, just that he thinks we’re lying.” I half-lie. There is no reason to worry Jade with his idle threats. Wherever we go, we’ll be safe from him, I hope.

“Shit, Scarlett,” she yells, throwing her arms around me. “I can’t believe I forgot. Happy Birthday, Sis.”

That’s when it dawns on me. It’s my fourteenth birthday. Well, it’s off to a hell of a start.

After thirty minutesJade and I packed our entire lives into two small backpacks, piled into Ms. Masters Mercedes Benz SUV, and drove the hour and a half to Pleasant Hills.

Jade spent the entire drive glaring out the backseat window, while Elena tried to do the whole small talk thing. I have to give her some credit, she’s tenacious but neither Jade nor I responded to any of her questions. It didn’t seem to faze her though. She must be used to the kids she places in new homes to all have some sort of resentment against her even though all she’s trying to do is help.

Don’t kill the messenger and all that bullshit.

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