Page 53 of Pin-up Girl

“Milo, I’ve had a man on you ever since you started driving. I daresay there’s very little you do that isn’t reported to me.”

My heart started pounding like the hooves of horses trying to escape hell.

“This weekend. Be at the estate at six. Business casual. I’m sure you can find something appropriate for your new…friend.” He sniffed like he was a saint for extending the invitation to someone so beneath him.

“Do I have a choice?”

“No, and you want to come this weekend. I promise.”

He disconnected, and the line just dead air in my ear.

Jules and Emmett crowded around me. I hadn’t even noticed them get closer, but scarce inches separated us. They must have heard everything he said.

“Well, that was interesting,” I croaked.

“The question is, are we going to a fun family reunion, or to our deaths?” I could always count on Emmett to bring my mood up. He really had a way with putting things into such cheery perspective.

Elise came out of the bathroom shortly after the call ended, hair curled up in a towel and a small pair of boy shorts and matching tank on. Needless to say, we didn’t stage an intervention. Emmett and Jules were almost bleached of color, and Jules even had an unusual set of frown lines bracketing his mouth. None of us were in the right state of mind to offer any kind of comfort or life advice. Who were we to give it anyway? Our lives were so fucked up, we didn’t even know which way was up anymore.

* * *

The next fewdays were strained. That was the only word that could properly describe the tension between the four of us. Where we were all sleeping in my room before, now we were spending our nights in our own rooms. Elise just flitted between us with no real pattern, and if their nights were anything like the ones when she stayed with me, they were uncomfortable.

There was a string holding all of us together, but it was pulled so taut that any second it could snap, and then whatever this was would have irreparable damage. I didn’t want that, but I constantly replayed my father’s conversation over and over again in my head. There was little headspace left to figure out how to fix it. My energy for life was just drained.

None of us mentioned the conversation with my father that night, and if she suspected anything, she hadn’t asked. It was almost like she was happy to let us slip away. She wasn’t even trying to cup her hands to catch us in her fingers.

“Ready?” I stuck my head into Jules’ room to see how long they were going to be. Jules’ head popped up as he buttoned the top of his shirt, a nice, dark blue trim fitted button down tucked into a pair of charcoal slacks. He hated these gatherings, but no one could ever say he didn’t dress to impress when we went home.

Elise is in the bathroom. Almost ready, but pretty vocal about hating family gatherings. Is it really necessary to make her go? I think this is bringing up bad memories for her.

I sighed. Did he really believe I was such a dick to make her go just because I wanted her to? Something was about to happen, the anticipation buzzed through my veins. Elise was safer with us than on her own, and no way in hell would my father allow a slight like one of his invitees not attending his party.

“We don’t have a choice. Meet me downstairs when you’re both ready.”

I let the door close and opened Emmett’s door with my key. The music coming out of his pill speaker was so loud, he never would have heard the knock.

“Em,” I yelled into the room. He jerked his head up from the drawer he was rooting around in. Dressed only in his gray button down and red boxers, he still had some getting ready to do.

“That time already?” His attention went back to what he was doing.

“Don’t get so excited.”

“I’m just as enthused as you, Milo. Give me two minutes, and I’ll be down. You driving, or did your father send a car?”

I tapped the doorframe twice with my fist. “I’m driving. If we want to get the fuck out of there, I want us to have a ride.”

“Yeah, I get that.” He shut off his music and bent to put on his socks.

“I’ll be downstairs when you’re ready.” Emmett gave me a distracted nod, then I left him behind too.

Strolling through the Shack with my hands in my slacks, I acknowledged the brothers with a faint tilt of the lips. I didn’t have it in me right now to give them the Milo they expected. A few of the guys gave me an odd look, but no one tried to stop me.

At the front door, I checked my reflection in the mirror. The perfect golden boy, the heir apparent for Kingston Pharmaceuticals, my father’s legacy. Too bad I had zero interest in drugs, and even less in business. The only reason I majored in business and finance was because of practicality. When we were on our own, one of us would need to be able to make the hard decisions. With Emmett as an econ major, and Jules with pre-law, we’d be a formidable trio. Our fathers practically salivated when we’d picked our courses of study.

They saw the potential, too.

“Freddie’s is a hot spot, but what gives with the outfit? Not exactly fight night attire.” Jamie leaned against the foyer table next to me. Most of the animosity was gone from his expression, but he wasn’t exactly being friendly.

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