Page 12 of (Un)Rivaled

But like everything else in my life, that all changed when my mother married David. Then, she decided we would move into his penthouse in Manhattan full time.Although we only came up for long weekends and summer vacation, my grandfather kept the apartment so we could come back to it anytime we wanted.

I pushed the back entrance of the apartment open into the kitchen. No lights were on—usually a good sign that the rest of my family was fast asleep. I was in no mood to deal with my mom tonight. Today had been too good, and I wanted to hold on to this feeling a little longer.

But it died a little as I passed the calendar hanging on the wall, our first day of school circled in dark red ink. I wasn’t ready to even think about that, much less hear another lecture about my future. My mom and David were already putting so much pressure on me, wanting to make sure I was starting high school off on the right foot. Where most kids got four years to figure out their future, mine was already clearly carved, and anything else wouldn’t be tolerated. But even though I knew it was a pipe dream, I still hoarded brochures for art school under my bed, counting down the days until I could apply and get out of this place.

I’d only gotten a couple of feet into the main part of our apartment when a throat cleared behind me. My insides instantly churned. As I turned, I met my stepfather’s disapproving gaze.

Even though my mother married David last year, the man was practically a stranger. The only thing I knew about him was that he was cold and stubborn, demanding perfection from all of us. I’d gotten better about biting my tongue, but it was hard to be in the same room as him. The only good thing was that he hated coming up here, so usually, the lake was our refuge.

But this time, he’d decided to tag along, and I had no idea why. He’d barricaded himself in the office, only coming out to bark orders if we got too loud. Luckily, I’d managed toavoid him for most of the trip. Now, my luck seemed to have run out.

He glanced down at his watch, arching one of his thick brows. To the rest of the world, David might have been handsome once. He had classic American looks, like the son of a politician. But beneath the perfectly coiffed dark blond hair and cold blue eyes was someone obsessed with power and influence.

“Where were you?”

“With some friends,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. Out of all the girls, I had the most difficulty holding back my tongue, especially around David. Maybe I should have had more fear of the man who controlled my fate, but I wasn’t wired that way. The more he tried to force me under his thumb, the more I fought back, acting the part in public but plotting behind the scenes.

David’s eyes narrowed. “Your mother was worried.”

I couldn’t help but scoff. My mother knew better than to worry about me, especially up here. She trusted this town and knew nothing would happen to us. The other residents looked after each other, not like in the city, where your neighbors barely knew your name.

David moved to the side, opening the door to the study off the main living area. “We need to talk, Devyn.”

I glanced down the hall, wondering if I could get to the exit before he caught me, but it would just be delaying the inevitable. It wasn’t like I could avoid him forever, no matter how much I wanted to. I followed him inside the office, trying not to look around the room.

For so long, this was my dad’s. He’d rented a little space downtown, but I’d never been there, mostly because he only used it to meet with clients. Everything else was done within these four walls. We’d be able to hear him allhours of the night, rehearsing his opening arguments for court.

When I was little, I’d hide in here and watch him work, laughing when he found me after a couple of minutes. He’d plop me in his lap and explain what he was doing, at least the broad strokes.

And now, this room, his legacy, was being systematically dismantled by the exact type of man he hated—the kind of man who would eviscerate anything in his path as long as his bottom line increased.

His stepdaughters included.

As I settled in the chair across from the desk, David cleared his throat. “Your mother tells me you’ve been spending a lot of time with the Anders boy.”

“Gray?” I snapped, daring to look up at him. “Of course I am. He’s my best friend.”

“Is that it?”

My fingers dug into the thick maroon leather on the chair’s arms. “Not that it’s any of your business, but yes. We’re just friends.”

“Good,” David settled into the large wingback chair behind the desk. “And this should go without saying, but it needs to stay that way. Under no circumstances will I allow you to get involved with someone of his caliber.”

“Excuse me?”

David interlocked his fingers and leaned forward. “Make no mistake, Devyn. Your last name might be Winters, but you representme.And with that comes certain expectations, including who you spend your time with.” He pushed out a breath. “I understand you are getting to the age when you might look for companionship. Who you chose sends a message.” He shoved his pointer fingerinto the top of the desk. “And it will be someone your mother and I approve of, is that understood?”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I scoffed, unable to hold back a moment longer. My nails dug into the palm of my hand, sure to leave deep crescent-shaped marks later. But I could barely feel it, not when all my anger was aimed at David. “You’ve already dropped me into the school of your choice, I’m taking the classes you want me to take. And now you want to approve of the people I date?” I stood, turning my back to him. “Fuck you, David.”

The words were barely out of my mouth when I felt something at my back, causing me to collide with the heavy wooden door. My face ricocheted off it, and I stumbled to the ground, my back resting against the bookshelf. As I looked around, trying to make sense of what happened, I could feel my face throbbing. I reached up and touched my nose. When I pulled my hand back, thick red liquid coated my fingers, and I stared at it in disbelief. “You…” I said, unable to get the words fully out as I looked down at my blood. “You…”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” David said from his desk. But he made no move to help me, not even phased by the blood. “You tripped on the edge of the rug. You really should be more careful, Devyn. Never know what could happen to you or those you care about.”

As his words sunk in, my brain finally registered the pain. It radiated through my nose into my cheekbones. Shit, I really hoped I didn’t break anything. But that was my secondary concern, too focused on his threatening tone.

I swallowed hard, ignoring the coppery taste at the back of my throat. “What are you saying?”

He sighed, giving me an annoyed stare, like my questionwas inconveniencing him. “You’re a smart girl. I think you can figure it out.”

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