Page 55 of Pin-up Girl

It was wrong, but I liked the bitchy side of Elise much more than I did her sadness. I’d take it.

“You should, our Milo’s a regular Aristotle,” Emmett joked but it fell flat.

“If you are uncomfortable at all, squeeze one of our hands three times, and we’ll find a way to get you out of there. Even if it kills us.” I took a chance to give her my own comfort and reached across the console to palm her knee. She placed her hand over mine, and the knot of uncertainty in my chest immediately started to unravel.

We slowed down at the gate, then the doors opened immediately as the guard waved us through. Every person in my father’s employ was familiar with the cars the three of us drove. The first time someone turned us away would be their last day with the Kingston’s.

“Handy.”

I turned to Elise. “Yes, very handy and convenient.”

Parking front and center, I asked Elise to wait while I opened her door. Jules and Emmett didn’t put up a fight, they realized this would go so much smoother with her on my arm. He would be more likely to hold his tongue if she were with me rather than one of them. Not that that was saying much.

For once, there was no maid at the door. Dad was standing there, a drink in hand and a sardonic smile on his face. His ash blond hair was combed neatly, deep laugh lines bracketing his mouth and startling gray eyes. It was like looking in a mirror fast-forwarded twenty years.

“Well, good evening, son. Glad to see you followed my instructions.” He stepped back to hold the door open long enough for me to catch it. Then he wandered through the house with a confident swagger that was uniquely a Kingston trait.

“Hello, Dad. Of course I followed your orders. Don’t I always?” He led us to the dining room with the table already set and several dishes laid out in an impressive display.

His back was turned to us, but the scoff was loud and clear. Looked like it was going to be a hell of a night after all.

“Where’s Mrs. Barrons?” The house was unusually quiet. There were always people bustling through the estate, cleaning, cooking, gardening. If my father wanted to show his ego by how many people he employed in his home, he’d have the biggest dick on the block.

“Oh, I wanted this to be an intimate affair. How have you been, Milo?” He poured another drink at the wet bar, then lifted the glass and waved it. “Drink?”

Everyone declined. “No, I think we’re all okay. I’ve been good. Getting ready for rush week, doing the president thing, and keeping up with my classes.”

“Good, that’s all very good. I’ve arranged three interviews for you in the next few weeks for a summer internship. Tamara will be in touch with your itinerary.” He leaned against the bar, crossing one foot over the other. It was a little too familiar to my own mannerisms.

“The summer is months away. That seems a little aggressive, even for you.” I draped my arm over Elise’s shoulders, trying to ease some of her tension. It hadn’t escaped my notice he hadn’t introduced himself or greeted her.

“When you’re an adult, you have to be aggressive. Otherwise, these other fuckers will get ahead of you. Why don’t we have a seat before the food gets cold.” A statement.

Silently, we spread out around the table with my father at the head, me and Elise on one side, Emmett and Jules on the other.

“Mr. Kingston, I think you have one place setting too many.” Emmett’s mouth turned down in a frown as he stared at the end of the table. Marsten did everything with a purpose, if there was an extra place setting, there was a reason.

A reason we probably wouldn’t like.

“That’s for our special guest. I want your friend to feel right at home here, so I invited someone to make her more comfortable.” He winked at Elise and picked up a bell, ringing it three times.

All the color leached out of her face, and her hand flew to her mouth. “Ellie?” She turned toward the opening door.

Fury pounded against my temples as I watched my father make his first play of the night. Jules fisted his hands on the table, not even trying to hide his own anger, while Emmett scowled right at my father.

“No, I’m afraid it isn’t your sister. Cassidy, have a seat.”

The girl who walked through the door was Super Model, the girl Elise threw down for at Freddie’s. She was dressed to the nines and scared as fuck.

They were best friends. How was he going to turn this over our heads? She must be in the bed of someone from Infinity, she wasn’t one of the sorority girls, or we would have recognized her.

“Hi, Elise.” Cassidy seemed horrified to be here, her eyes wide while she took all of us in.

“Cass,” she greeted, and gulped so hard it was audible.

“What’s your play here, Dad? It’s not like you to play such overt games.” I gripped my glass of water so hard, I had to consciously loosen my grip before it shattered.

“Milo.” He met my gaze head on, not blinking or twitching, nor an ounce of shame in sight. “I’m your father, and while I may not always like your choices, I would never harm you. Which is exactly what Elise has been trying to do.”

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